WO Digest: Healthcare labor shortages threaten access to care; AI will reshape work, not destroy it; ASA Staffing Index improves in June

The WO Digest: June 30th, 2026

• The US healthcare sector faces more than 700,000 job openings each month but has only 306,000 unemployed workers available to fill them. [A new report from The Conference Board warns that shortages are becoming a national economic issue](https://www.co nference-board.org/press/americas-health-care-workforce-shortage) and calls for a broader strategy focused on expanding talent pipelines, improving retention, strengthening primary care, scaling team-based care, and using technology and AI to boost workforce capacity.
• A new Goldman Sachs report argues that fears of an imminent AI-driven job apocalypse are overblown.While AI will cause significant disruption and displace some workers, the impact is expected to be uneven and temporary. Over the long term, Goldman Sachs economists believe AI will create new roles and industries, offsetting many of the jobs it eliminates and ultimately reshaping, rather than destroying, the labor market.
• The staffing market showed further signs of recovery in June. The ASA Staffing Index held at 89, with staffing employment up 5.6% year over year and 1.6% higher than in May. Despite softer new assignment starts, demand for temporary and contract talent continues to grow as cost-conscious employers increasingly turn to flexible workforce solutions.
• A SHRM study examines the evolving landscape of AI in the workplace: adoption continues to rise, with 41% of workers now using AI on the job. Nearly half of those users describe some of their output as "AI slop." Pressure to adopt AI is highest among early-career professionals, while organizations that embrace AI openly and foster trust report higher employee engagement and commitment.
• A blog from Firstup highlights the HR technology trends shaping 2026, including the rise of agentic AI, skills-based hiring, and greater focus on frontline workers. HR leaders are increasingly prioritizing technology investments that deliver measurable business outcomes, adopting continuous employee listening tools, and preparing for new AI governance requirements such as the EU AI Act. The report also points to internal talent marketplaces and skills-first strategies as the future of workforce management.
• According to Indeed Hiring Lab's latest European Labour Market Overview, labor demand continues to soften across the region with job postings in the Euro Area down 7.5% this year and sharp declines in Belgium, Italy, the UK, and France. Spain remains a bright spot, with postings up 8%. While hiring for white-collar roles is weakening, demand for defense and healthcare workers continues to show strength across the region.
• In Paul Osterman's forthcoming book “Disposable Workers: The Transformation of Employment,”he argues that U.S. employment is shifting toward a model that relies increasingly on “disposable” workers—freelancers, contractors, and part-time staff. Based on a survey of 6,000+ workers, he finds this shift gives employers more flexibility but leaves many workers with fewer benefits and protections, raising broader questions for policymakers as the trend accelerates. Explore our full newsfeed at workforceobserver.com and share with your team! It's fact-filled, focused and free! WO Digest is a free, weekly newsletter, delivering a round up of top stories and covering important insights into the world of work.