What does executive coaching actually deliver?
It's proven to return an average of 5.7x its investment.
In complex environments, leaders are working through challenges that go beyond tools or process changes. Coaching creates space to navigate those moments with clearer judgment and direction.
Learn how to design executive coaching for measurable results at the link in our bio.
NEW on Jobs: Employers in the U.S. announced plans to cut 83,387 jobs in April, a 38% increase over March. For the year, cuts are down 50%. Excluding the government sector cuts, layoff plans are down 10% from the same period last year.
For the second straight month, AI led all stated reasons for U.S. job cuts. AI was cited in 21,490 of them, more than 1 in 4.
Year-to-date, AI has been named in 49,135 cuts, 16% of the 2026 total, up from 13% just a month ago.
"Technology companies continue to announce large-scale cuts and are leading all industries in layoff announcements. They're also often citing AI spend and innovation. Regardless of whether individual jobs are being replaced by AI, the money for those roles is." said Andy Challenger
Top Industries for Job Cut Plans in 2026
Technology — 85,411
Transportation — 33,479
Health Care/Products — 27,162
Education — 15,260
Meanwhile, hiring plans are down 13% from the same period last year.
Top Hiring Industries in 2026
Automotive — 12,258
Entertainment/Leisure — 8,261
Aerospace/Defense — 7,366
Government — 7,268
Find the full report at /blog
When someone leaves a company, the experience stays with them.
It shapes how they talk about that organization and how they move into what comes next.
The right support helps people regain confidence and move forward with direction. It also helps organizations carry trust through moments of change.
That approach has guided our work for over 60 years.
The story inside February's CEO numbers worth watching: women are entering the corner office at a higher rate AND staying longer in the first two months of the year.
▪️ 25.7% of new CEOs YTD are women, up from 24.1% in early 2025
▪️ Outgoing women CEOs dropped to 19% from 24% YoY
"Last year's data suggested women were being disproportionately cycled out as DEI rhetoric peaked. These numbers suggest stabilization — the kind that compounds over time if companies stay committed to the pipeline." — Andy Challenger
Read more at /blog
What really shapes the outplacement experience? Often, it comes down to one number: the coach-to-client ratio.
In high-ratio scenarios, access and responsiveness suffer when people need guidance the most. Smaller ratios mean more time with a dedicated coach, more personalized support, and clearer progress along the way.
Those factors make a real difference for individuals navigating a career transition and for employers looking for visibility into outcomes.
Download our guide to see why the ratio matters at the link in our bio.
When does executive coaching actually work?
Not when it’s vague or treated like a perk.
The real impact comes when coaching is tied to a clear business need like navigating change or preparing for a bigger role.
Without that clarity, it’s just conversation.
See how to structure executive coaching that delivers real results at the link in our bio.
The debate over AI and jobs is getting louder, and companies and workers want to know what exactly is going on.
Goldman Sachs has a warning for tech workers displaced by AI: finding a new role may take longer, and many are earning less when they do. This is backed up by Challenger's data: tech leads all industries in layoff plans in 2026. Meanwhile, 90% of those job cuts that are attributed to AI are occurring at tech companies.
At the same time, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee recently pushed back on fears that AI will drive unemployment to extreme levels, noting the labor market has historically adapted to technological change. According to Challenger, just 3.5% of layoffs are being attributed to AI.
AI is clearly reshaping the workforce in real time:
• Certain roles, especially in tech, are being displaced
• Companies are actively investing in this technology and expect workers to learn it
• Widespread, sustained mass unemployment is far from certain
The takeaway for organizations and workers is the same: adaptation is critical.
Companies need to think strategically about their talent and this new and evolving resource. Workers need to be proactive in building skills that complement AI. Leadership needs to oversee implementation.
Congratulations to our newest Catching the Good Winner: Keisha Hollie!
Keisha brings warmth and energy to her role as Challenger's Engagement Specialist. We're thrilled to recognize her for her unwavering commitment to our customers and colleagues!
She's always the first to step up, whether it's helping colleagues tackle their tasks, keeping the team on track with upcoming deadlines, or simply brightening everyone's day with her positive energy.
As one colleague shared, "Keisha is a true team player with an AMAZING attitude and work ethic."
Keisha, your dedication doesn't go unnoticed. Thank you for everything you do for our customers and for the people lucky enough to work alongside you.
👏 Please join us in celebrating Keisha! 👏
IS AI COMING FOR YOU?
U.S. employers announced 60,620 job cuts in March, up 25% from February. In the first quarter, 217,362 cuts were announced, down 56% from Q1 2025. Removing the tidal wave of federal job cuts announced in Q1 last year, this year is tracking with 2025.
Technology led all industries in Q1 with 52,050 cuts, up 40% year-over-year and the highest first-quarter total for the sector since 2023. Dell, Oracle, and Meta were among those restructuring, with many redirecting budgets toward AI initiatives.
Healthcare posted 23,520 cuts in Q1, the highest first quarter on record, surpassing the previous high of 22,950 in 2023.
Transportation announced 32,241 cuts, a 703% increase from Q1 2025, with airlines and shipping likely to face continued pressure from the ongoing conflict in Iran.
AI led all reasons for job cuts in March: 15,341 cuts, 25% of the total. AI-related cuts more than tripled month over month and now account for 13% of all 2026 cuts. Since 2023, AI has been cited in more than 99K job cut announcements.
Hiring is ticking up, led in part by seasonal needs. Employers announced 32,826 hiring plans in March, 7K of which were seasonal. This is up 157% from February and 149% from March 2025. Year-to-date, however, hiring plans total 50,887, down 6% from this time last year. Automotive and Entertainment/Leisure are leading the way.
What this means for companies:
Companies aren't cutting under duress. They're restructuring around what AI can do, and not hiring during a period of volatility and uncertainty.
What this means for job seekers:
AI is redefining work. The workers who will thrive are those who can lead AI-powered agents handling ever more complex tasks, not just use AI tools. Upskilling and reskilling are of utmost importance right now, says Andrew Challenger.
The full March Challenger Report is available now.
Executive exits rarely stay quiet.
Employees notice. Clients notice. And other executives notice most of all.
How organizations treat departing leaders sends a signal to the people expected to carry the company forward.
That’s why executive outplacement matters. It protects your reputation and steadies the leadership team during a vulnerable moment.
Learn more about strengthening leadership transitions at the link in our bio.
WOMEN LEADERS: An estimated 455,000 women left the labor market in 2025. We're seeing a reflection of this in the top role.
In 2025, the rate of women rising to the CEO role fell to 25.4%, the lowest since 2020, and 3.3 percentage points below the peak of 28.7% reached in 2023.
It didn't happen in a vacuum. DEI programs were abandoned or minimized. Remote and flexible work policies, which were among the most effective tools for keeping women in the workforce and on leadership tracks, were rolled back across industries.
The women who aren't in the workforce today, or who aren't being mentored and developed now, won't be CEO candidates in the future.
"The gains women have made over the last decade are beginning to slip. Companies serious about long-term performance should be rebuilding those pipelines now, not dismantling them." — Andy Challenger
📊 Full data: /blog/january-ceo-exits-third-highest-on-record/
#WomenInLeadership #CEOTurnover #DEI #WorkplaceEquity #ChallengerReport
CEOs are leaving younger than ever and in greater numbers than the historical average.
Our January 2026 CEO Turnover Report found 209 CEO exits to start the year, the third-highest January total since we began tracking in 2002. The average age of departing CEOs was just 51.9, the second youngest on record.
A few things stood out this month:
→ Public company exits surged 47% from January 2025, with 53 CEOs leaving publicly traded companies
→ Hospitals saw a 40% jump in exits as Medicare/Medicaid cuts, labor costs, and persistent inflation squeeze budgets
→ The rate of new women CEOs held at 26.1%, still below the 2023 peak of 28.7%
"January's total is coming in hot. On average since we began tracking in 2002, January has seen 116 exits. This is well above that average. When considering the post-Covid era of CEO changes, boards are making these changes at the start of the year, possibly to give CEOs clean runway to show progress during the year." CRO Andy Challenger.
Read more at /blog
#CEOTurnover #Leadership #ExecutiveSearch #BoardGovernance #ChallengerReport
