Luminos Insight’s Senior Research Consultant Naheed Hussain reflects on 2025 and preparing for 2026:

As we approach the final weeks of 2025 it offers the perfect opportunity to pause, celebrate our achievements, and prepare strategically for the year ahead. This time of reflection is not just about looking back – it’s about positioning ourselves for even greater success in 2026.

Talent remains one of the most critical levers for business performance, yet many organisations still face challenges anticipating gaps, retaining key performers, and building the workforce needed for the future.

Here’s three key insights from talent research this year, and what they mean for our planning in 2026:

1. Talent shortages persist in critical roles: Competition for specialised skills remains intense. Leadership and technical positions are particularly hard to fill.  Prioritising strategic succession planning and internal mobility programs ensures that critical roles are never left vulnerable. Using talent research helps organisations to take a much more robust approach to mapping the market and finding the widest talent pools – adjacent skills have been a big focus in 2025 and I think will continue into 2026.

2. Retention is more important than ever: Employee turnover continues to be a major cost driver. Research shows that disengagement is often linked to unclear career pathways and limited development opportunities. Organisations that invest in skill development and growth focused retention strategies consistently outperform peers on productivity and innovation. December is the ideal moment to review retention strategies and proactively engage top talent before the new year. Talent research can help to understand brand perceptions in both internal and external talent pools, providing insights to drive decision making, rather than relying on anecdotes.

3. Data-driven workforce planning is a competitive advantage: Organisations leveraging talent analytics and market insights can anticipate gaps and make proactive hiring decisions. Forecasting skill needs, mapping internal capabilities, and integrating talent intelligence into strategic planning will give us a measurable edge as we step into 2026. This is what we do and we know how much impact we can have.

Takeaway: December is far from just a quiet month – it’s our chance to reflect, celebrate, and set ourselves up for talent success in the year ahead. By reviewing workforce gaps, evaluating retention strategies, and planning for the skills our business will need next year, we move from reactive hiring to strategic advantage.

As we celebrate the achievements of 2025, let’s carry this momentum into 2026 with optimism and focus. Are our talent strategies aligned with our business goals? Acting now ensures that when the new year begins, we are not just reacting to the market, we are shaping it.