As we approach 2026, Texas employers face a rapidly changing talent market shaped by evolving workforce demographics, technology, and skill-demand shifts. To stay competitive, it’s no longer enough to react to the moment – you need to plan. Below are the key strategies mid-market and growth-oriented Texas companies should finalize now to build a future-proof workforce.
1. Map Future Skill Needs, Not Just Headcount
Traditional workforce planning, “we’ll need X people by next year,” is giving way to skills-based planning. Experts anticipate that in 2026, human-centric skills like creativity, adaptability, and leadership will become more valuable even as AI automates routine tasks. For Texas employers, this means auditing your current workforce to identify emerging skills gaps, forecasting the roles and skills your business will need two to three years out, and building learning pathways or hiring strategies to fill those gaps ahead of time.
2. Embrace Flexible Workforce Models
The notion of static full-time headcounts is shifting. Companies increasingly use contingent workers, flexible scheduling, remote/hybrid models, and talent pools to scale up or down. For Texas employers, this translates to developing a “talent ecosystem” that mixes full-time, part-time, contract, and gig workers, ensuring your policies, payroll, and compliance frameworks support flexibility, and determining how hybrid or remote models fit your culture and operations across Texas.
3. Build Total Rewards and Employee Experience for the New Era
Compensation trends for 2026 show a shift toward employee development, retention, and internal mobility rather than external hiring alone. Meanwhile, workplace research shows the employee experience will matter more than ever. Key action steps include refreshing your total rewards strategy (pay, benefits, and career growth) to ensure it’s competitive in the Texas market; designing better onboarding, engagement, and career-pathing experiences; and using analytics to anticipate turnover before it happens.
4. Leverage Data and Technology in Workforce Planning
The future of workforce planning is data-driven. Predictive analytics, scenario modeling, and skills-based frameworks are becoming standard. Texas employers should implement tools that provide real-time visibility into workforce metrics, run “what-if” models to anticipate hiring needs, and align HR strategies directly with business objectives. The result: smarter hiring and fewer last-minute staffing crises.
5. Align with Texas-Specific Market Dynamics
Texas has unique workforce dynamics – rapid population growth, shifting industry demands, and record employment levels. To stay ahead, employers should monitor local talent supply and demand in their region (Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, El Paso), build pipelines with Texas universities and workforce programs, and recognize where labor supply may tighten. Regional workforce awareness will be key to competing for talent in 2026 and beyond.
6. Finalize a Workforce Strategy Before 2026
Now is the time to move from thinking to doing. Over the next 90 days, audit your current workforce, assess skill gaps, and align them with your business growth strategy. Then set priorities -flexibility, total rewards, or data-driven hiring – and launch one high-impact initiative. By taking action now, your company will enter 2026 with a clear, competitive advantage.
Ready to build a future-proof workforce tailored for Texas growth? Request information today and see how Burnett Specialists can partner with your organization to design and implement workforce strategies that deliver lasting success.
