More than a third (36%) of healthcare respondents said they lacked direction at work because their organizations had too few managers, according to Korn Ferry’s 2026 global workforce survey.
The survey, now in its third year, included more than 16,000 professionals across industries in 11 markets, including the U.S. Participants ranged from entry-level workers to CEOs. The methodology published with the results does not specify how many respondents worked in healthcare or when responses were collected.
Here are six things to know from the survey’s healthcare industry results:
1. Thirty-eight percent said their organizations had reduced the number of managers. Separately, 47% said the pace of organizational change left them feeling exhausted.
2. Fifty-nine percent felt their duties spanned multiple roles. Separately, 53% felt the rewards for the additional roles they had assumed were appropriate.
3. Sixty-one percent reported a substantial increase in their workload over the past two years. Forty-one percent said being too busy kept them from achieving results they considered meaningful.
4. Nearly half (48%) said AI tools had increased how many tasks they were expected to complete. Fifty-seven percent reported working more efficiently when asked to use AI, and 48% felt they had sufficient training to use the technology.
5. Pay and job security were each cited by 82% as important considerations for staying in their jobs, followed by benefits at 80%. Seventy-six percent identified inadequate compensation as an important consideration in leaving a job.
6. Sixty percent felt their organizations prioritized efficiency over exploring new ways to create value, while 49% said workplace processes and organizational structures hindered their performance.
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