美世咨询（Mercer）：2026年薪酬规划策略制定报告：影响现代全面薪酬决策的关键趋势（英文版）（14页）.pdf

1、developing your 2026 compensation planning strategyTrends that will shape modern total rewards decisions2Over the past three years,the U.S.labor market has undergone a significant reset.2025 marks the first time the number of unemployed workers exceeds the number of available job openings since 2021

2、,marking a clear shift from the talent-scarce environment that drove aggressive hiring and rapid wage escalation.The era of competing for talent at any cost is receding.All the while,compensation budgets have stabilized.Following pandemic-era spikes,most organizations are now planning annual salary

3、increases in the mid-3%range,a more measured approach reflecting the continued shift in supply and demand of workforce talent and continued economic and geopolitical uncertainty.However,this stability masks a widening divide.Pay trends are diverging sharply depending on role type and labor supply.Sk

4、illed trades and other front-line,on-site roles continue to command premium wage growth due to persistent staffing challenges.Meanwhile,compensation growth in technology and professional services has cooled as hiring normalizes and remote work arrangements mature.Remote workers once positioned to be

5、nefit most from flexible labor markets are now feeling the trade-offs:smaller merit increases,lower engagement scores,and slower promotion advancement relative to on-site employees.This shift underscores the rising importance of intentional pay differentiation based on role criticality,skill scarcit

6、y,and contribution to outcomes.This report examines how leading organizations are moving away from uniform,across-the-board increases and toward targeted,data-driven merit strategies.The goal:sustain engagement and reward impact while ensuring compensation investments are aligned with business prior