State of the Employee Experience 2026
State of Employee Experience 2026 Report
New data from hundreds of employees to show how digital friction is reshaping work and quietly draining time, focus, and talent.
Over the past month, I've spent time at HR and internal communication events. If there's one thing I've seen plenty of, it's employee experience platforms, each promising better collaboration, a more connected workplace and stronger engagement. This year with added AI but new research suggests a growing gap between the promise and the reality.
What you will learn
Where productivity is really lost through tool overload, switching, and searching
How digital friction quietly drives frustration, disengagement, and attrition
How to design a calmer, more coherent digital experience before AI adds more layers
Who this is for
This report is for leaders who know work feels harder than it should.
It shows where friction is creeping in and what to change to help people focus, move faster, and stay engaged.
About the research
In partnership with Haiilo, we surveyed 1,500 employees across the UK and US and the findings suggest a growing gap between the promise and the reality.
2 in 3 employees switching between multiple tools to complete a single task
3 in 5 employees lose at least half a day each week dealing with fragmented systems.
More than 1 in 4 employees have considered leaving because of poor workplace tools.
Get the insights shaping Employee Experience in 2026
Stay ahead of what’s changing and what it means for your organisation.
