Signal 74% would not move more than a tenth of their workforce; only 30% reallocate enterprise-wide

Summary

McKinsey's 2026 survey suggests that most leaders are still reluctant to move people and money at scale. Nearly three in four leaders, 74 percent, say they would not shift more than a tenth of their workforce to new priorities. Review cycles are slow as well, with 47 percent looking at budget and talent once a year or less often, 45 percent doing so every quarter, and only 7 percent revisiting them monthly. Just 30 percent of organizations reallocate resources across the whole enterprise, which the report reads as a sign that genuine enterprise-level pivots remain rare. The findings sit within a wider argument that rigid budget and talent practices keep companies from concentrating resources on their highest-potential opportunities.