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Change is accelerating for small businesses and staying competitive means knowing where to focus next. A recent Paychex article breaks down the trends shaping 2026, including deeper AI integration, tighter compliance demands, skills-based hiring, rising cybersecurity risks and sustainability becoming a baseline expectation. Together, these shifts point to a clear reality: adaptability and smart investment decisions will matter more than sheer scale in determining which businesses succeed.
Explore all 10 trends and see how to prepare your business for 2026.
By Rebecca Meiser
Contributor, Commerce + Communities Today and Small Business Center
ICSC champions small and emerging businesses in getting from business plan to brick-and-mortar.
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