LYNN HR Consulting

If 2020–2024 were defined by chaos, 2025 was defined by stabilization. 2026 will be defined by expectations. Employees are clearer than ever about what they want — not perks, not bean bags, not pizza Fridays — but the core conditions that make work feel healthy, sustainable, and worth staying for. Here’s what the latest retention trends, surveys, and small-business HR data tell us about what employees truly want in 2026… and what small businesses can do about it.