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Research

Workplace Trends and Insights

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The State of AI in HR 2026

Discover which HR functions are most shaped by AI, persistent challenges to adoption, and the steps organizations are taking to set policy and ensure compliance. Complementing these findings, the AI in HR White Paper offers a comprehensive perspective on how responsible AI adoption can bridge legislative frameworks with organizational needs, empowering HR leaders to navigate AI-driven transformations with confidence.

2026 Global Workplace Culture Report

To help understand the core components of organizational culture and how they interact to form distinct culture types, this research provides a nuanced understanding of organizational culture and identifies eight distinct culture types, highlighting the diversity and complexity of workplace cultures across regions, industries, and organizational sizes.

2026 CHRO Priorities and Perspectives

This survey of 129 CHROs examines 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.

Labor Force Snapshot: Nonstudent Youth in the U.S.

As the next wave of people entering the world of work for the first time, nonstudents ages 16 to 24 represent a critical component of the U.S. labor force. This data brief aims to deliver key data-driven insights about the nonstudent youth population by analyzing historical trends and emerging dynamics that contribute to this group’s evolving role in the U.S. labor force.

MS International Inc. Case Study

MS International Inc. (MSI) is a leading North American distributor of flooring, countertops, wall tile, and hardscaping products. Discover how MSI’s HR strategy and team underwent a multiyear transformation, shifting from a traditional support role to an outcome-focused, strategic partner.

HR Excellence: Becoming a Talent Optimizer

To help organizations assess and elevate their impact, SHRM developed the HR Excellence (HR-X) Framework, which consists of four foundational dimensions. This report focuses on the Talent Optimizer dimension, which sits at the intersection of business strategy and workforce execution, encompassing critical practice areas such as Leadership and Manager Development, Learning and Development, Performance Management, and Employee Experience.

Empowering Talent: Disability in the Modern Workforce

As part of SHRM Foundation’s Widening Pathways to Work Initiative, this research examines the current perceptions of disability awareness and workplace accommodation, the experience of workers with disabilities throughout the talent lifecycle, and opportunities for improvements in fostering inclusive workplaces.

Worker Expectations about Automation and Generative AI Job Displacement Risk

Amidst the debate about whether/how automation and GenAI will displace employment and reshape the world of work, this data brief leverages survey data from the SHRM 2025 Automation/AI Survey to explore worker expectations about automation and GenAI job displacement risk in the near future.

Skills-First Movement: Redefining How Organizations Hire and Grow

In 2021, SHRM, the SHRM Foundation, and Walmart partnered to examine the growing role of skilled credentials in hiring. Building on that foundation, this new 2026 study examines how the concept has evolved into a broader skills-first approach — one that focuses on skills and competencies, regardless of where or how those skills were acquired.

Trends in HR Employment and Labor Demand

This SHRM data brief aims to deliver insights by analyzing historical patterns and recent developments in HR employment and labor demand, equipping stakeholders to make informed decisions and proactively address emerging challenges and opportunities.

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 research highlights how talent management leaders are closing skills gaps, strengthening pipelines, and designing forward-looking strategies to prepare their organizations for what comes next.

The Real Impact of AI in HR

AI adoption is accelerating across organizations, but new research from SHRM reveals a more complex and uneven reality within HR. Read the March 2026 EN:Insights Forum recap, which offered a preview of the latest findings from the The State of AI in HR in 2026 report.

2026 Will Test HR

In 2026, CHROs are navigating an environment marked by economic uncertainty, sustained transformation, and accelerating expectations around leadership, culture, and technology. Read the recap of the January EN:Insights Forum, which spotlighted findings from SHRM’s 2026 CHRO Priorities and Perspectives report.

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.

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Workplace Trends and Insights

The State of AI in HR 2026

2026 Global Workplace Culture Report

2026 CHRO Priorities and Perspectives

New Research

Labor Force Snapshot: Nonstudent Youth in the U.S.

MS International Inc. Case Study

HR Excellence: Becoming a Talent Optimizer

Empowering Talent: Disability in the Modern Workforce

Worker Expectations about Automation and Generative AI Job Displacement Risk

Skills-First Movement: Redefining How Organizations Hire and Grow

Trends in HR Employment and Labor Demand

State of the Workplace 2026

Talent Management Executives Priorities and Perspectives

EN:Insights Forums

The Real Impact of AI in HR

2026 Will Test HR

Cautious Recalibration in 2026

Employment in an Automated Era

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