AI-Summary – News For Tomorrow
Small businesses are making minor, collective decisions that significantly impact employment. These “micro moves,” like not hiring or replacing workers, add up and are less influenced by broader economic factors. This shift, combined with the demands employees gained during the Great Resignation (hybrid work, higher salaries), signals a rewriting of the traditional workplace playbook. The Fortune Workplace Innovation Summit in 2026 will explore this evolving landscape, focusing on the convergence of AI, human factors, and strategy in redefining the future of work.
News summary provided by Gemini AI.
“Tiny firms are a big chunk of employment, but the tiny firms are making tiny moves, and they’re moving all in the same direction,” Richardson added. “It could be as small as not hiring two teenagers at the bakery or forgoing that delivery driver over a certain season, it doesn’t mean it’s a big, huge layoff, it’s not replacing a worker here or there, and those changes add up.
“If you’re making those micro moves, micro decisions for mom-and-pop [businesses], these macro drivers are less likely to influence your patterns.”
A rapidly evolving picture
Once upon a time, a sound work ethic and perseverance were enough to get you a foot on the career ladder. In 2025, that’s no longer the case—just ask the business leaders at the top of some of America’s largest corporations.
Likewise, “the Great Resignation meant people were able to demand their own terms,” Richardson added. “That meant hybrid work, that meant higher salaries and bonuses, all kinds of promotions happened during that time. Why leave?”
