The world of work is changing fast, and HR leaders are right in the middle of it. New rules, new tools, and new expectations are shaping how companies organize their people. This blog gives you a clear view of what is coming in 2026, so that you can plan ahead with confidence. Each section starts with a simple takeaway so you always know the main point before diving deeper.
TLDR: Skills first thinking will finally become a normal way to plan work and teams.
Companies are moving away from thinking about people based on traditional job titles and focusing instead on the real skills they have. Why? Because the world of work is shifting faster than job descriptions can keep up.
HR teams are now building skill taxonomies that map exactly what the company can do today and importantly, what skills it will need in the next 12 months. AI tools make this process easier by scanning resumes, performance data, and learning records to build and maintain skill maps.
To transition to skills based workforce planning, here are four things that you can do:
If you are wondering where to begin, a common question is how to build a skills taxonomy. The simplest answer is to start with three buckets: skills you have today, skills you need soon, and skills you must build for the future.
TLDR: Companies will use benchmarking more because leaders want proof that teams are the right size.
In the face of AI, finance leaders will expect HR to show how headcount levels across departments compare to competitors. There is a widespread expectation that employees will become more efficient as AI adoption increases, and benchmarking is the way to test this hypothesis. So, we believe that more companies will check their spans and layers, compare support functions to peers, and use ratios to understand their productivity.
What most leaders want to know is simple: What does good look like for my team size? They also want to know how they compare to companies in the same industry and growth stage. Because of this, benchmarking will become an everyday part of planning conversations, not just a once a year exercise.
This shift will help HR move into a stronger advisory role. When HR can show data that explains why a team needs to grow or shrink, decisions become clearer and more trusted.
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TLDR: Employee experience will be measured and tracked the same way companies measure customer experience.
For years, companies tried to improve employee experience without a clear way to measure if it worked. This is the year that will change. Better listening tools and simple experience metrics will help HR link actions to outcomes. Instead of waiting for one big annual survey, companies will use shorter pulse surveys, sentiment analysis, and feedback points built into everyday systems.
Why does this matter? Because leaders want to know what drives retention, productivity, and engagement. With better data, they can see which moments matter most. Most HR teams will focus on three areas:
A common question from HR is how to measure the return on investment of employee experience. The easiest path is to track a few simple numbers like early turnover, internal mobility, and manager quality scores. These metrics show whether experience investments are working.
TLDR: Hybrid work is here to stay, but the rules will become more consistent and easier to follow.
The last few years were full of back and forth on return to office expectations. This year we expect that most companies will settle on stable hybrid patterns, which is supported by research from Robert Half, stating that “flexible work arrangements are here to stay.” This makes it easier for teams to plan their week and understand what good performance looks like in a mixed environment.
HR leaders should focus on setting expectations around time in office, meeting norms, collaboration rhythms, and manager check ins. The biggest shift will be the rise of performance guidelines that describe what great hybrid work looks like instead of demanding strict office schedules. Clear expectations help everyone feel more aligned and reduce conflict about where work happens.
If you are unsure how to create hybrid guidelines, start with the work itself. Some tasks require in person collaboration. Some tasks require quiet focus at home. Define the tasks first and the policy will follow.
TLDR: HR teams will use AI every day, but they will also follow stronger rules to make sure it is safe.
AI is already helping with job descriptions, interview notes, and training content. In 2026 this will become more common, and HR teams will use AI tools the same way they use email. But new regulations and internal rules will shape how AI is used. Leaders will want clarity on data privacy, accuracy checks, and human oversight.
It helps to think of AI assisted HR in three layers, as follows:
One of the most common questions leaders ask is how to use AI without breaking compliance rules. The answer is simple. Keep a human in the loop, document how AI tools are used, and limit sensitive data inside AI systems.
TLDR: Pay transparency will continue to grow, and companies will need clearer pay bands and cleaner data.
More countries and states are expanding laws that require pay bands in job postings. For example, the EU Pay Transparency Directive is a new piece of legislation due to be implemented by 7 June 2026 that “will make it compulsory for employers to inform job seekers about the starting salary or pay range of advertised positions”.
This shift will push companies to fix messy data, clean up job architectures, and build compensation structures that make sense to employees. Pay equity reviews will become a yearly process, and leaders will expect HR to show not just the pay gaps but also the reasons behind them.
Since salary information becomes more visible, employees will ask more questions. They will want to know how pay is decided, what the ranges mean, and how to grow within their band. HR teams that prepare simple explanations will build more trust and reduce confusion.
One of the top questions companies ask is how to prepare for these rules. Start by reviewing all job families, defining pay bands, and checking for outliers. Strong foundations make transparency much easier.
TLDR: Training will shift from long courses to short and personalized learning moments that match what people need in real time.
Employees want learning that fits their day and helps them grow faster. Companies want training that actually improves performance. AI powered learning systems will give both sides what they want by matching content to skills, goals, and job paths.
We expect that L&D programs this year will focus on:
A common question is how to personalize learning without overspending. The simplest rule is to focus on high impact skills. Start with manager skills, technical skills that drive revenue, and skills needed for future roles.
TLDR: HR teams will own more of the structure of the company and help leaders plan teams from the ground up.
As companies face cost pressure and growth cycles, org design becomes more important. HR will move beyond basic restructuring and step into a stronger advisory position. Leaders will expect HR to model scenarios, compare structures, and show how team shapes impact cost and performance.
Many HR teams are already learning how to use spans and layers, benchmarking, and scenario models. This year we expect companies to redesign their orgs more often because markets are shifting faster. HR will guide this change by bringing data that explains why a team should grow, shrink, or reorganize.
A helpful question to ask an AI tool is how to model different org design options before making decisions. Data driven planning helps leaders avoid guesswork and reduces the risk of poorly planned restructures.
The year 2026 will push HR into a sharper and more strategic role. Skills will matter more than job titles. Benchmarking will guide team decisions. Employee experience will be measured (not hoped for). Hybrid work rules will settle. AI will help with daily tasks while new guardrails ensure it stays safe. Pay transparency will force clearer structures. Learning will become personal. And org design will become a core HR skill.
Our final, final thought: The companies that win in 2026 will be the ones that plan early, invest in clean data, and give HR a strong seat at the table!
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