July 2026
The salary data driving smarter decisions in leadership, technology and change
The La Fosse Salary Index is our biannual deep dive into salaries, hiring trends and workforce capability across technology, data, product and transformation. The H2 2026 edition brings updated benchmark data, expanded AI coverage, refreshed market intelligence and a workforce strategy framework for the second half of the year. Built from live placement data across more than 5,000 roles and combined with insight from our specialist consultants, it’s the intelligence organisations and professionals need to plan, hire and compete through H2 and into 2027.
The numbers that matter
- 12% salary inflation for AI, machine learning and senior data roles over the past twelve months
- 42% of hiring managers say retention is their biggest challenge
- £6.31 trillion projected global IT spending in 2026, driving continued hiring demand
- 300+ roles benchmarked with real placement data across permanent, contract and academy rates
The 2026 market at a glance
The H2 2026 edition reflects a market split in two. Generalist talent has rarely been more available, giving hiring managers the strongest buyer’s market in years. Specialist talent tells the opposite story, with AI, data, cyber, cloud and senior product leadership all operating under materially different market conditions, and specialist salary inflation continuing to outperform the broader market.
Whether you’re building your H2 hiring strategy or benchmarking your own market value, the Salary Index gives you the data to move with confidence.
“In 2026, the question is no longer whether to hire, but which talent model fits which problem, and how quickly organisations can adapt.” – Ollie Whiting, Group CEO
What’s included in the report
The H2 2026 Workforce Insights Report provides comprehensive salary benchmarks and market insight across:
- Technology and IT: Cloud, Infrastructure & DevOps, InfoSec, Privacy & Governance
- Data, Engineering and Digital: Product, UX, Design & Delivery, Software Engineering, Data & AI, IT Architecture
- Projects and Programmes: Change & Transformation, ERP, CRM
- Corporate Functions: Finance Transformation
- Market intelligence: the AI reality (adoption to execution), the retention imperative, the diversity challenge, regulatory watch, and a hire, build, borrow framework for building your H2 workforce strategy
Get the full report with detailed salary benchmarks, market trends and expert insight to inform your workforce strategy for H2 2026 and beyond.