The Reshape Economy: 92% Hiring, 55% Laying Off — Weekly Brief Feb 22, 2026

The Open

Here's the stat that stopped us this week: 92% of companies plan to hire in 2026, but 55% also expect layoffs. That's not a contradiction. It's the new operating model.

Look at the two biggest workforce stories this week. Walmart announced free AI training for all 1.6 million US workers — an eight-hour certification built with Google. Their Chief People Officer called it "unfortunate" that other companies are using AI to justify sweeping cuts. Meanwhile, Workday — the company that literally sells workforce optimization software — eliminated 400 positions in customer ops, its second round in twelve months, while ramping up hiring in AI and revenue roles.

Same week. Same AI pressure. Two completely different responses. But they share one thing in common: neither is shrinking. Both are reshaping.

This is the pattern playing out everywhere. The 72% of CEOs who expect to increase their use of independent contractors and gig workers this year aren't doing it because headcount is frozen. They're doing it because the skills they need are changing faster than their org charts can keep up. Only 5% of American workers are "AI fluent" today — but those workers earn 4.5x higher wages. The gap between the talent you have and the talent you need has never been wider.

And the capital is following. Jeff Taylor — the founder of Monster.com — just raised $4M for Boomband, an AI-native talent marketplace designed to reinvent how companies find talent. In Europe, Giggle just closed a round to expand its flexible staffing platform across Central and Eastern Europe — 180,000 registered workers, nearly €5 million in transactions in 2025 alone. The flexible workforce isn't an experiment anymore. It's where the smart money is going.

On Human Cloud, we're seeing it in the data: developer searches are up 200% quarter over quarter. EOR demand is up 167%. Marketing is up 150%. Companies aren't cutting workforce budgets — they're redirecting them.

What the Data Shows

The platform continues its growth trajectory — from 165 monthly visitors in October to 2,719 in January, a 16x increase. February is on pace for approximately 2,400 visitors, maintaining the daily run rate at 85 visitors per day.

Beyond the growth, here's what the data is showing:

Category momentum: Developer demand is up 200% quarter over quarter, EOR is up 167%, and Marketing is up 150%. These aren't incremental bumps — they reflect a fundamental shift in what enterprises are researching.
Emerging categories: Operations and Talent Intelligence appeared as search categories for the first time this quarter — signals that buyers are thinking beyond traditional staffing into strategic workforce capabilities.
Sustained engagement: 964 unique visitors this week alone, a 121% increase week over week.

Industry Intel

1. Walmart Bets on Upskilling 1.6M Workers While Peers Slash Headcount for AI (Fortune)

Walmart will provide free AI training to all 1.6 million US and Canadian workers through Google's new AI Professional Certification. Only 5% of American workers are currently "AI fluent," yet those workers earn 4.5x higher wages. This is the clearest corporate counter-narrative to "AI replaces workers" we've seen — and it signals that the companies getting talent strategy right in 2026 are investing in human capital alongside AI, not choosing one over the other.

2. Workday Cuts 400 Jobs, Doubles Down on AI and Revenue Roles (HR Executive)

Workday eliminated approximately 400 positions targeting customer operations and non-revenue-generating roles — its second round in twelve months. The company expects $135 million in restructuring charges but continues hiring aggressively in AI-focused areas.

3. Monster.com Founder Raises $4M for AI-Native Talent Marketplace (Yahoo Finance)

Jeff Taylor — the man who created Monster.com — just raised $4 million for Boomband, an AI-native talent marketplace. The talent acquisition model that dominated for 25 years is being rebuilt from the ground up.

4. Giggle Raises to Scale Flexible Staffing Across Central & Eastern Europe (Tech.eu)

Budapest-based Giggle just closed a funding round to expand its mobile-first flexible staffing platform into Romania and beyond. With 180,000 registered workers and nearly €5 million in transactions in 2025. Flexible workforce infrastructure is going global, fast.

5. Horizons Rebrands as "Remote People," Signals EOR Market Evolving Past Compliance (PR Newswire)

Horizons — an EOR provider operating in 150+ countries — rebranded as "Remote People," bundling employer of record services with in-house recruitment, contractor management, and entity incorporation advisory. Compliance alone is table stakes.

6. Contingent Workforce Market Projected to Hit $493B by 2033 (GlobeNewswire / Astute Analytica)

The global contingent workforce management market is projected to grow from $189.5 billion in 2024 to $492.9 billion by 2033. Currently, 80% of employers actively use contingent workers.

7. 92% of Companies Hiring in 2026 — But 55% Also Expect Layoffs (HR Dive)

72% of CEOs expect increased use of independent contractors and freelancers. Companies aren't reshuffling headcount — they're fundamentally rearchitecting their workforce mix toward flexible, on-demand talent.

Where Demand Is Flowing

The 3 fastest-growing focus areas on the platform, with the top solutions in each:

Developers (↑200% QoQ)

EOR (↑167% QoQ)

Marketing (↑150% QoQ)

Podcast Spotlight: Tony Buffum — The AI Productivity Promise Gap

Tony just wrapped a week with 15+ CHROs from companies with 60,000+ employees at the Conference Board's talent leadership event.

"There's this productivity promise of AI. The reality is it's a lot of work and you often get a fraction of what is promised." — Tony Buffum

Listen to the full episode →