Our 2026 More Than Money Salary Guide goes beyond pay benchmarks to unpack what’s really shaping the hiring market this year. Blending salary data with on-the-ground insights from our recruitment experts, we explore how capability, confidence, and clarity are becoming the true differentiators.
From AI-enabled roles and leadership gaps to shifting candidate behaviour and regional hiring dynamics, this guide is designed to help employers and candidates plan for what’s next.
On average, salary and rate movement has remained modest. Where uplift exists, it’s concentrated at the top end — for proven capability in areas like Microsoft, Digital and Cyber Security.
Applications per job ad continue to rise, increasing workload for hiring teams without necessarily improving talent quality. Screening, speed, and clarity now matter more than volume.
As AI reshapes work, traditional role labels are becoming less useful. Skills, judgement, and real-world delivery capability are increasingly driving hiring decisions and pay outcomes.
Trust in leadership is low, yet interest in leading remains strong. Organisations that rebuild leadership capability and clear progression pathways will have a significant advantage.
Many professionals are prioritising security, but pent-up movement risk is building. As delivery pressure returns, demand for specialist contract capability is expected to rebound.
Burnout, disengagement, and declining trust are showing up well before attrition. In 2026, culture, leadership behaviour and workload sustainability will directly influence retention and performance.
To find out what’s happening in your region, click through to the areas we operate in:
The hiring landscape workforce is changing, access our fresh market insights here:
We’re seeing a shift in the market, discover what’s happening across NZ’s major tech hubs:
Navigating the evolving salary trends in the US job market? Uncover the latest tech insights in these major tech cities:
Talent is a global recruitment specialist bringing together experts in tech, transformation & beyond. Founded in 1995, our vision is to change the game so our customers and our people can move forward fearlessly. We bring real value to organisations by building highly skilled and engaged teams, rethinking technology solutions and taking a people-first approach to how we innovate our services. We're specialists committed to creating the most rewarding experiences for our candidates, clients, colleagues, and the community.
