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Research

Workplace Trends and Insights

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2026 CHRO Priorities and Perspectives

SHRM surveyed 129 CHROs to examine their priorities for 2026, the challenges they face, and their views on emerging workplace trends. The findings provide a comprehensive view of the strategies shaping the 2026 HR agenda and offer actionable insights to help HR leaders and HR professionals guide their organizations toward sustained success.

CHRO Economic Outlook

After a period of stabilization in Q3 2025, HR executives have grown more cautious in Q4 2025 as optimism fades and fair or negative assessments rise. The latest shift marks the third consecutive quarter of notable swings in sentiment, underscoring continued uncertainty in the broader economy.

CHRO Employment Outlook

HR executives are closing out 2025 with a more cautious view of the employment landscape. After modest gains in Q2 2025, employment assessments have fallen to their most negative levels on record. As the labor market cools and economic pressures intensify, executives are preparing for a difficult start to 2026 marked by uncertainty.

State of the Workplace 2026

Drawing on insights from over 2,000 U.S.-based workers and more than 1,800 HR professionals, including more than 350 in a vice president role or higher, this research provides a snapshot of the current state of the workplace, offering valuable insights to inform and shape organizational strategies for 2026 and beyond.

Talent Management Executives Priorities and Perspectives

Drawing on insights from 416 talent management executives across industries and company sizes, this report examines their top priorities for the year ahead. It also explores the challenges they face amid economic uncertainty and evolving employee expectations, as well as the trends reshaping the function.

Workplace Mental Health Studies

SHRM, in partnership with the SHRM Foundation, Business Roundtable, and Stand Together, takes you inside four pioneering companies that are rewriting the playbook on workplace well-being. See how strategic investments in your people pay off in engagement, resilience, and productivity — and get the blueprints you need to build a healthier, high-performing workforce.

Latest Civility Index Findings

To understand the current state of civility and its impact across the U.S., SHRM launched the Civility Index at the beginning of 2024. This ongoing exploratory research initiative aims to track trends in civility within U.S. society and workplaces. See the latest findings here.

Hiring and Retention Difficulty Indexes

The Hiring and Retention Difficulty Indexes measure retention and hiring difficulty based on HR executives’ responses to paired questions about the difficulty of hiring and retaining employees over the prior 12 months and the next 12 months. For HR leaders looking ahead, our latest findings point to a significant slowdown in the U.S. labor market, though this downward pressure on recruiting and retention will depend heavily on the type of talent.

2026 CEO Priorities and Perspectives

To understand how CEOs are navigating this landscape, SHRM Thought Leadership surveyed 116 CEOs, identifying their foremost priorities and challenges as well as expected trends for the year ahead. The findings reveal a clear mandate for visionary leadership capable of integrating technology, financial performance, and human capital strategy.

The Complex Realities for Women in the Workplace

To remain competitive and drive innovation, organizations must harness the full potential of their workforce. Women, who represented nearly half of the employed population in February 2025, play a critical and transformative role in today’s labor market. This research report highlights seven key realities shaping women’s experiences at work, and offers actionable guidance.

Redefining Talent with the 65-and-over Workforce

Since 1948, the number of Americans ages 65 and older has increased by 457%, exponentially more than any other age group, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Workers 65 and older are now the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. workforce, making it essential for HR professionals to understand the dynamics of this growing talent pool.

L&D Executives Priorities and Perspectives

This research explores L&D executives’ top priorities for workforce and leadership development in the year ahead, the challenges they face, and their expectations for the evolving L&D and workplace landscape. This research sheds light on how these leaders are addressing skills gaps and building forward-thinking strategies to prepare their organizations for the future.

Cautious Recalibration in 2026

In SHRM’s Q4 2025 CHRO Outlook, HR executives are reporting a cooling labor market, restrained economic sentiment, and a workforce whose expectations continue to rise even as organizations pull back. Read the November EN:Insights Forum recap to learn why 2026 will be about cautious recalibration.

Employment in an Automated Era

Are AI and automation destined to replace human labor? The latest SHRM research shows a more nuanced picture: Most workers aren’t in imminent danger of being displaced. But HR leaders can’t become complacent. Read more in the the October EN:Insights Forum recap.

L&D Priorities and Perspectives

The September EN:Insights Forum, “L&D Executives: Priorities and Perspectives,” provided a sneak peek to recently released SHRM research analyzing L&D leaders’ priorities for the next 12 months, their biggest challenges, and identifies emerging workplace trends.

Emerging HR Technology Skills

AI-driven transformation is accelerating across the HR landscape, making technology skills a must-have for today’s HR leaders. The August EN:Insights Forum drew on SHRM’s latest research analyzing millions of HR job postings from 2015 to 2025 to spotlight the urgent need for upskilling.

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