HR Trends Report 2026

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.

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Our Advice

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 and 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.

HR Trends Report 2026 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.

About McLean & Company

McLean & Company is an HR research and advisory firm providing practical solutions to human resources challenges via executable research, tools, diagnostics, and advisory services that have a clear and measurable impact on your business.

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Contributors

Sanjay Singh, CHRO, CMS Info Systems Ltd
Michele Campion, CHRO, ESAB
Ryan Martin, CPO, Healthcare Outcomes Performance Co. HOPCo
Karen Smith, SVP & CHRO, Bruce Power
Greg Shelton, EVP People & Culture, General Counsel, AGC Biologics
Javier Feliciano, Executive Vice President & Chief People Officer, Meritage Homes
Teresa Coelho, Global CP&SO, Accumin
Michael Kushner, Chief People Officer, MetroPlusHealth
Kelly Murphy Almerico, Assistant Vice President-Employee Experience at Ochsner Health
Miriam Ibrahim, Associate Vice President, Talent & HR Business Partnering, Centennial College
Ato Taylor, VP, Human Resources, Wacker Chemical Corporation USA
Missy Strong, Senior Lead, People Experience, Pigment
Michel Boucher, Vice President Human Resources, Royal Canadian Mint
Chris Collins, Head of Human Resources, The Citco Group Limited
David Hawthorne, Chief People Officer, Anchor Point Management Group
René Ramirez, Chief Executive Officer, HomeFirst
1,626 survey respondents in the HR Trends Survey 2026