Last year’s Colorado Business Roundtable workforce survey introduced the theme of “looking around corners,” capturing how Colorado’s largest employers are anticipating and adapting to forces that most institutions have yet to fully address. The 2026 edition extends that lens with a broader survey, sharper questions on AI adoption and workforce partnerships, and a focus on the growing tension between employer urgency and system responsiveness.

The survey captured perspectives from executives across more than a dozen industries, including healthcare, financial services, construction, manufacturing, energy, aerospace, higher education, nonprofits, and professional services. Organization sizes ranged from under 100 Colorado-based employees to more than 5,000, with statewide and Front Range operations represented.

The insight included are drawn primarily from the 2026 survey data, with select comparisons to last year’s findings. They are intended to inform policy discussions, workforce development strategy, and business planning across Colorado’s talent ecosystem.