A new report from iCIMS reveals that the U.S. job market concluded 2025 with unexpected positivity. This is setting the tone for what is to come and what both businesses and workers can expect as they enter the new year of 2026. Released this mid-January, the iCIMS Insights January 2026 Workforce Report showcases continuity with their hiring patterns, shifting mindsets of the employees, and an increasingly challenging environment for organizations.
Job openings stayed high through December, breaking the usual year-end slowdown. The report showed openings increased by 6% from November and 8% from last year. This rise was driven by gains in healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation. Job seeker activity mirrored this trend, with applications up 7% annually. Internal mobility also grew, as internal applications rose 8% from last year. This shows that employees are still looking for advancement within their companies.
iCIMS notes that these trends are unfolding alongside rising uncertainty. The U.S. unemployment rate reached its highest point in four years in November, influencing how workers think about career moves.
“Recent trends in the labor market suggest we may see another shift in how and when workers make career moves,” said Trent Cotton, head of talent acquisition insights, iCIMS. “We could see an evolution from ‘job hugging’ to ‘job chaining’ as employees remove themselves from the job market due to instability and uncertainty. If the job market changes positively, employee confidence could prompt them to reenter the market to seek better opportunities.”
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The report merges labor data with surveys from job seekers and talent leaders. Among 1,000 U.S. workers surveyed, 58% said they aren’t worried about layoffs. However, many still want to explore new roles. Nearly half plan to seek new jobs in 2026, an increase from last year.
For employers, efficiency is key. Eighty-four percent of talent acquisition leaders see AI-driven productivity as a top priority. Still, worries about compliance, bias, and candidate trust affect how they adopt AI.
Industry analysts and partners highlight that 2026 will challenge organizations in managing control and complexity in hiring. “The defining trend of 2026 will be the attempted rise of the supercompany: organizations trying to centralize, standardize, automate and scale their way out of volatility and irrelevance,” said Jess Von Bank, global leader, HR digital transformation & technology advisory, Mercer. “2026 won’t be about better talent strategy. It will be about a bigger attempt at control.”
