Bringing Humanity Back to Work: Leading with Values and Joy in 2026 - December 22, 2025

As this year draws to a close and we look ahead to 2026, I’ve found myself slowing down in some noticeable ways. Listening more. Questioning more. Letting go of things that once felt essential but no longer do. And I’m paying closer attention to joy. Not the loud, performative kind, but the quiet, steady kind that signals alignment.

It feels like the right moment to name this out loud, because so many leaders I work with are feeling something similar: successful on paper, exhausted in their bodies, uncertain in their spirits. They are often quietly wondering, “Is this really how it’s supposed to feel?”

“What we should be doing is embracing joy and finding ways to put ourselves in the path of it more often.”— Ingrid Fetell, TED Talk -  Where Joy Hides and How to Find It

That invitation feels especially timely because the state of work right now tells a very human story.

What the Data Is Telling Us About Work

Global employee engagement remains alarmingly low. Gallup indicates that: Only 21% of employees worldwide report being engaged in their work, and in the U.S., that number sits at 31%, the lowest in over a decade. At the same time, 40% of employees globally report experiencing high daily stress. And half of the global workforce is actively watching for or seeking a new job.

Layered on top of this, many organizations have quietly (or sometimes very publicly) pulled back from formal DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging) efforts even as employees continue to say that fairness, belonging, and psychological safety are central to whether they stay.

Taken together, these trends paint a clear picture: Many workplaces are becoming more transactional at the very moment people are longing for something more relational. More human. More meaningful.

It’s no wonder so many describe work today as depleting, or even dehumanizing.

My Ongoing Reorientation Around Values and Joy

Over the past year, I’ve been in a quiet process of re-orientation in my own work and life, and in what I’ve been witnessing with many of my clients. From the outside, nothing dramatic changed. My work continued. My clients showed up. The calendar stayed full. But internally, something began to feel off.

I could blame that “off” feeling on everything from the state of the world, to being a new empty-nester, to the passing of a close friend. I’m sure it’s a combination of many things.

This awareness led me to a question that now feels essential to my day:

“Does this help me feel more present and alive?”

Sometimes the answer is a resounding hell yes! And sometimes it's a definite no.

My exploration of joy has been messy. It’s very much a work in progress. It hasn’t come from a grand vision, but from small, intentional choices. I find I’m often choosing spaciousness over speed. I’m working on letting go of roles or patterns of behavior I’ve outgrown. I’m doing things that have zero productive value, other than to calm my nervous system (like creating new playlists on Spotify!). I’m trying very hard to say yes only when my whole body agrees (still working on that pattern!).

I’ve decentered a few values that felt authentic to me in previous chapters of my life, such as achievement, accomplishment, and recognition. I’ve updated my top 10 list with generosity of spirit, inclusion, and equity & justice.

The Leadership Opportunity of 2026

When people don’t feel seen, heard, or valued at work, something fundamental erodes. Often, it shows up as quiet resignation rather than dramatic burnout. Over time, this creates a check-the-box culture instead of commitment.

Re-humanizing work doesn’t require a massive overhaul overnight. It begins with how leaders choose to show up in everyday moments. Like when they prioritize psychological safety, leading from values, and belonging. These leadership practices renew energy, build trust, and unlock creativity. They anchor people in meaning when the environment feels unstable.

As you reflect on the year behind you and the one ahead, consider what values you want to lead from in 2026, and where joy might be quietly waiting to be re-invited into your work.

In 2026, choose to lead in a way that makes people more human, not less. Because work will always ask for our time and energy. But it should never cost us our humanity.

I’d love to connect with you about ways we can work together in 2026. You can find me via my website contact page or email me at carol@expansiveleadershipcoaching.com. 

Wishing you a joy-filled holiday season!