A new report published by the Center for the Future of Work at Oklahoma State University indicates Oklahoma’s workforce is engaged, supported by strong organizational cultures and employee attraction.

Retention is a challenge due to burnout, career advancement opportunities, and misalignment of workforce skills with employer needs.

Dr. Stephanie Phipps, the study’s principal investigator and assistant professor in the Spears School of Business, emphasized the need for Oklahoma to build on its workforce strengths while addressing ongoing challenges.

“The 2026 WorkTrends study offers a clear call to action for Oklahoma,” Phipps said. “The data highlights a strong focus on organizational culture and a continued ability to attract talent as key strengths, but highlights persistent challenges in workforce retention and education alignment. Addressing these gaps will be critical to ensuring the state can develop, retain and grow the talent needed for long-term success.”

Data Highlights:

• Nearly 60% of employees say they feel aligned with and fit within their organization.
• More than 60% of employees identify organizational culture as a key factor in retention.
• Fifty-one percent of employees say their workplace fosters trust, support and psychological safety.
• Forty percent of employees identify artificial intelligence as a critical workplace tool, but report limited access to and training.
• Nearly 50% of employees indicate they may leave their organization within the next six months.

Oklahoma WorkTrends is an annual report that provides a comprehensive overview of workforce development and trends in Oklahoma. The report alternates employer and workforce surveys.

The goal of the 2026 Voice of the Workforce study was to better understand the experiences, priorities and challenges facing Oklahoma’s workforce as they relate to attraction, retention, flexibility, development, technology and well-being.

The full report may be viewed at: https://okla.st/4cIzBkC.