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HR Trends Report 2026

Leading Through Change: Human-Centric and Future-Ready

  • The accelerating pace of AI adoption, combined with a rapidly evolving legal, social, and political landscape, is contributing to an increasingly complex environment.
  • HR must deliver on their top priorities: developing leaders and enabling innovation.
  • HR needs to lead the organization through change, strengthen the foundations of people leadership, drive strategy through culture, and collaborate with key cross-functional partners to deliver on priorities.

Executive Summary

Critical Insight

  • HR must lead proactive scenario planning and change management efforts to help the organization anticipate disruption and build resilience.
  • Delivering on HR’s top priority, leadership development, requires embedding continuous learning into the culture, making development nonnegotiable.
  • In a world of constant change, strategy must be anchored in lived values and supported by leadership accountability to foster trust, agility, and sustained performance.
  • Expanding HR’s strategic influence depends on formalizing its strategy and strengthening cross-functional partnerships to drive organizational success.

Impact & Result

  • Explore the key trends shaping HR’s priorities, including HR in 2026: Leading Through Change, Strengthening the Foundations of People Leadership, Harnessing Culture for Strategic Impact, Driving Success Through HR Collaboration, and Preparing for Emerging HR Trends.
  • Understand where best to use limited resources by using the data and analysis in McLean & Company’s HR Trends Report 2026 and inform your HR strategic plans.

Research & Tools

1. Prepare for key trends shaping the HR landscape in 2026.

Explore the trends that will shape the HR landscape in 2026 and beyond.

HR Trends Report 2026 enlarged preview