Signal File: what this week’s signals say about work’s structural turn
From diverging career paths to CEO turnover rates, work is reorganising across pathways, power and permanence
Work is being rebalanced across multiple fronts – from the most senior positions to entry-level points. This week’s signals show design gaining analytical rigour, young professionals redefining careers, CEOs struggling to stay on top and talent flowing away from traditional office pathways. Together, they point to a workplace undergoing structural recalibration in how spaces perform, how careers are built and how organisations secure continuity.
CEO turnover remains high into 2026
High-profile exits at Workday, PayPal and The Washington Post signal that record CEO turnover may continue this year. Russell Reynolds reports 234 CEOs of globally listed companies departed in 2025 – 21% above the eight-year average – driven by activist investor pressure, market volatility and stalled performance. While some predict stabilisation, boards appear more willing to act quickly when results lag.
In action: Strengthen succession planning. In a volatile environment, leadership continuity and future-fit capability are becoming board-level risk priorities.
Rethinking colour as performance tool
Crown Paints’ Colour Insights 2025/26 argues colour should be treated as part of the spatial strategy. The research identifies five palettes shaped by sustainability, technology and changing user needs, applying data-driven analysis to ensure colour supports wellbeing, accessibility and performance.
In action: Specify colour with the same analytical rigour applied to lighting, materials and spatial performance. Colour in today’s office becomes a measurable contributor to experience.
Gen Z builds ‘portfolio careers’ through side hustles
More than half of Gen Z workers now have a side hustle, according to Harris Poll data. Young professionals are using secondary income streams for creative fulfilment, financial security and protection against layoffs in an unstable job market.
In action: Employers must recognise the rise of portfolio careers. Flexibility, purpose and skill mobility will be key to attracting and retaining talent that no longer sees one job as enough.
Graduates pivot to the trades as white-collar hiring cools
As entry-level office roles decline, more young people are leaving or bypassing university to pursue skilled trades. UK data shows entry-level vacancies have fallen sharply, while demand for plumbers, electricians and other tradespeople continues to rise amid labour shortages and retirements.
In action: Workforce strategy must account for shifting talent flows. Employers in knowledge sectors may need to rethink entry pathways, pay structures and purpose to compete with alternative career models.
