Looking to 2026: Workplace Considerations in a Globally Mobile AI World (Video) – Emerging Technologies

From technological innovation and digital nomadism to considerations for physical and emotional safety and more, employers will continue to question what work is, how it is done, who does it and what the workplace means in 2026.

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“Employers understand the value that AI provides, but they also need to contend with a growing set of laws targeting the use of AI.”

Eric J. Felsberg

Principal | Technology Industry Group Leader | AI Governance and Bias Testing and Pre-Employment Evaluation Subgroup Leader

considerations

The growing impact of technology on workforce planning

Employers can expect a growing patchwork of global compliance risks due to rapid changes in AI privacy regimes that address myriad concerns from different angles. AI decision-making and “bossware” continue to pose governance, surveillance, and privacy challenges. And new algorithmic governance laws promote transparency, fairness, and labor rights.

The role of AI in global talent strategy

• AI enhances recruitment, talent planning, and performance management, but it also comes with compliance risks.




• Retraining and redeploying talent will become a core business imperative.




• Multilateral use of AI tools increases obligations for cross-border data, transparency, and bias audits.

Immigration + global movement costs

Extensive pricing considerations across categories

The September 2025 “Entry Restrictions on Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” presidential proclamation, which introduces a new $100,000 fee requirement for certain H-1B nonimmigrant visa applications, is facing two early-stage lawsuits, raising the possibility that the proclamation will be halted or ultimately determined to be illegal before the annual registration and lottery.

Rising transportation costs per employee

Still, most employers anticipate increases in H-1B fees, which, combined with broader fee increases across visa categories, will significantly increase the cost of entry per employee.

The main consequences of these collective costs are:

• Continued instability in visa reform, screening standards, and processing schedules is making long-term immigration planning more difficult.




• The expansion of remote and hybrid work across borders increases immigration, tax, payroll, and permanent establishment risks across jurisdictions.




• Employers should discuss with their legal counsel how to manage global travel costs, prioritize sponsorship decisions, and create compliant cross-border work arrangements.

Improving business immigration case management

Pathway via JL^TM

Jackson Lewis’ advanced immigration case management system takes care of every step of the onboarding process, providing employers, their expatriates, and recruiters with real-time updates, cutting-edge reporting tools, and more.

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EU Pay Transparency Directive

Strengthening and tightening reporting for multinational companies

EU member states must: June 7, 2026introducing the EU Pay Transparency Directive 2023/970 into national law.

The directive requires the following Pay transparencyspread Employee access To pay data and obligations Payment data reporting For employers with 100 or more employees. It applies to all employers based in the EU or have employees in EU Member States, and increases enforcement and imposes: potential penalties At member state level.

Here’s what employers need to know and can do as 2026 begins.

EU employer obligations

• Disclose starting salary or salary range prior to job posting or interview. There are no salary history questions.




• Upon request, we will provide employees with information regarding their salary and average salary levels for comparable roles.




• Employers with 100 or more EU employees must publish pay gap data.




• If there is no objectively justified reason and the disparity exceeds 5%, we will carry out a salary evaluation jointly with worker representatives.




• Reports for large employers (250 or more employees) are expected to be filed in 2027, while smaller employers will file on a staggered schedule.

Multinational employers and the way forward

• act Pay structure audit You can now identify potential risks before you start reporting.




• Created according to directives Employment and salary increase policy Integrate EU, US and other global transparency requirements.




• Ensure HRIS and analytical systems Capture, standardize and report Salary data needed across countries.




• Employers should discuss how to proceed with their attorneys. structure Implement pay transparency practices, equity analysis, action plans, training, and documentation in a way that supports compliance while mitigating risk.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide on the subject. You should seek professional advice regarding your particular situation.