Gift Your People What They Really Need for 2026

As we close out 2025, not only is the calendar year shifting, so are employee expectations. People want more than a task manager with a to-do list — they want leaders who bring clarity, purpose, structure, communication, and real coaching to the work every day. The data doesn’t lie: 72% of employees would stay longer with consistent coaching and feedback, 76% want clearer vision and direction, and nearly 70% of engagement is tied directly to the manager. It’s rarely the job that loses talent — it’s the leadership.

This is the work ON Point is doing right now with organizations across industries: elevating communication systems, strengthening leadership skills, raising expectations, and helping leaders show up with more presence, alignment, and consistency. The companies investing in this work are entering 2026 with stronger teams, more trust, greater retention, engagement, and performance, and unstoppable forward momentum.

Teams today expect leaders to be masterful at articulating where the organization is going and why, be able to define what “good” looks like and stay connected to the people doing the real work. They will run through a brick wall for the leaders who can coach, challenge, and communicate — not leaders who disappear into a fog of confusion and ambiguity or avoid tough conversations. In big-time athletics, a head coach leading with that level of inconsistency wouldn’t make it through a season. Business is no different; the consequences just surface more slowly.

The opportunity is simple: treat leadership as a discipline, not a title. And treat investing in your people as the best gift of all, not an option. Before your team heads into the holidays, ask yourself: What is one intentional step, strategy, or investment we can make to raise the level of leadership in 2026?

Thank you for trusting ON Point with your leaders, your culture, and your growth this year. It’s an honor to partner with the people and organizations committed to getting better every single day. We’re wishing you a joyful holiday season and a strong start to the new year.

Cheers to clarity, courage, and exceptional leadership in 2026!