The insights from 2025 provide a clear foundation for action in 2026. The challenge ahead is not only to maintain progress, but to address the structural issues that continue to limit employee experience across the sector.
Make wellbeing sustainable, not reactive
Burnout remains the single greatest risk to engagement and retention. While wellbeing scores improved in 2025, fatigue and workload pressure continue to sit just below the surface.
In 2026, wellbeing needs to move beyond initiatives and become embedded in how work is designed, resourced and led. Sustainable workloads, realistic expectations and leadership modelling will be critical to preventing burnout from re emerging.
Address remuneration with transparency and creativity
While pay constraints are unlikely to disappear, organisations cannot afford to ignore the issue. Clear communication about financial realities, combined with creative approaches to flexibility, benefits and recognition, can help improve perceived fairness even when salary growth is limited.
Advocacy with funders and boards will also remain essential to ensure the true cost of employing skilled people is recognised.
Invest in growth, development and recognition
Development stagnation is a clear signal from employees. In 2026, organisations should prioritise learning, skill development and visible pathways for growth, even if those pathways are not purely hierarchical.
Recognition also plays a critical role. Feeling valued and acknowledged consistently influences engagement, particularly in environments where financial rewards are constrained.
Deepen inclusion and connection
While inclusion improved in 2025, there is room to strengthen belonging across teams, roles and identities. In 2026, inclusion must move beyond intention to everyday practice, leadership behaviour and decision making.
A strong sense of belonging supports collaboration, retention and psychological safety, all of which underpin sustainable performance.
Use data to stay responsive
The organisations that performed best in 2025 were those that actively used employee experience data to guide decisions. In 2026, regular listening, pulse surveys and real time insights will be essential to staying ahead of emerging risks.
Employee experience is dynamic. Without ongoing data, organisations risk acting too late.
Plan for retention and continuity
Even with improved engagement, turnover risk remains high across the sector. Leaders should proactively identify critical roles, have stay conversations, and strengthen succession planning to reduce disruption when change occurs.
Retention is not a one off initiative. It is an ongoing relationship built through trust, care and opportunity.
Moving forward with confidence
The 2025 data shows that progress is possible, even in challenging conditions. Engagement, inclusion and wellbeing improved because organisations listened and acted.
As the sector moves into 2026, the opportunity lies in consolidating those gains while addressing the deeper structural issues that remain. Employee experience must continue to be treated not as a support function, but as a strategic priority.
When not for profit organisations invest in understanding and improving the experience of their people, they strengthen their ability to deliver on purpose, serve communities and sustain impact over the long term.
Contact our dedicated NFP Employee Experience team today to discuss how we can support your organisation in understanding how your employees feel about your organisations, work and more.
