The Loyalty Deficit: Trust, Talent & the Future Workforce
Now in its sixth year, our Future World of Work Research 2026 explores the evolving relationship between employers and employees. This year’s edition surveyed 1,000 HR Leaders and Managers across the UK and Ireland. The findings reveal a sharp disconnect between how HR Leaders and Managers view the problems and describe how it is being felt.
The employment deal still holds, but trust doesn’t!
For the first time in this series, the research examined the state of the psychological contract — the unwritten understanding between employer and employee about mutual obligations.
67% of respondents agree the traditional employment deal still broadly holds.
70% agree that employee trust in employers has eroded over the past five years.
What’s inside the report
This year’s research surveyed 1,000 respondents — 250 HR Leaders and Decision-Makers, and 750 Managers across all functions — from UK and Ireland organisations with 250+ employees.
Four critical themes emerged.
Theme 1: The Erosion of Trust
- 70% of both HR Leaders and Managers agree trust has eroded.
- But they disagree on why: Managers blame pay and job insecurity; HR Leaders point to leadership credibility and culture.
- A 23-point perception gap exists on whether trust is currently strong (72% of HR Leaders say yes vs. 49% of Managers).
Theme 2: Human Skills in an AI World
- Adaptability, problem-solving and resilience top the list of skills needed for 2028.
- HR Leaders are twice as likely as Managers to rate their organisation “excellent” at developing human skills.
- 34% cite AI displacement as their biggest five-year workforce concern.
Theme 3: Wellbeing, Burnout & Sustainable Performance
- 44% say burnout has contributed to unwanted attrition in the past 12 months.
- 39% say their organisation’s approach to burnout prevention is “not effective”.
- Managers are 15 percentage points more likely than HR Leaders to view prevention efforts as ineffective.
Theme 4: Career Development & Workforce Planning
- 74% rate externally provided career support as valuable.
- HR Leaders believe the organisation owns career development; Managers believe it’s the individual’s responsibility.
- This disconnect leaves employees navigating alone, and they need support.
The Optimism Gap
Running through every theme is a consistent finding: HR Leaders are systematically more positive than Managers about the quality and impact of people practices.
This isn’t a failure of honesty — it’s a calibration gap. HR and Learning and Development design and commission development programmes based on business needs. Managers are tasked with the implementation. Both perspectives are valid. But when they diverge this significantly, investment gets misdirected.
Aligning Strategy and Implementation
To address this challenge, we at Harmonics have developed The Six Guiding Principles Workshop where we bring together a cohort of Managers, HR and Learning & Development and employees to align and prioritise on what Career Development should look like to meet future business needs. We take a three-dimensional approach to address the Manager, Employee and HR perspectives.
The end result is an increase in trust from all parties that the Organisation is invested and aligned on career development initiatives that both future proof the workforce and the business.
What employees are really saying
Alongside the HR and manager data, the research captured direct employee voices. Here is what they said below, and it starkly further shows the need for alignment of strategy, implementation and importantly communication:
“Ongoing corporate nonsense — who believes this stuff anymore?”
“If the Company can’t invest in my career then I’ll do it myself… elsewhere.”
“I don’t trust my organisation or my manager any more.”
These aren’t complaints. They’re signals.
Download the full report
The complete Future World of Work Research 2026: The Loyalty Deficit includes:
- Full data across all four themes
- Generational breakdowns (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers)
- HR Leader vs Manager perception comparisons
- Practical recommendations for closing the gaps
About INTOO & Harmonics
INTOO in the UK and Harmonics in Ireland are the People Change division of Gi Group Holding — one of the world’s leading HR services and consulting groups. Harmonics, Ireland’s leading people change consultancy, brings these insights to Irish organisations through outplacement, executive coaching and career management services.
For more information or to discuss the findings, contact us at info@harmonics.ie or call +353 61 336136.
