This data brief highlights key findings from SHRM's 2026 benchmarking data on talent management. As organizations navigate evolving business priorities and workforce needs, effective talent management is critical to developing, engaging, and retaining talent while aligning employee performance and career progression with organizational goals. This data brief provides HR leaders with benchmarks to make smarter talent management decisions and accelerate talent in ways that support business goals.
Inside the 2026 Talent Management Executives Benchmarking Report
- Data from over 4,600 organizations
- Trends in the median percentage of HR budgets dedicated to Talent Management, span of control, and promotion rate
What the Data Reveals
| 1: The median percentage of total HR budgets dedicated to talent management declined 5 percentage points since last year. | 2: Organizations in the information, finance and insurance, real estate, and management industry were more likely to have formal rather than informal succession plans, unlike most other industries. |
| 3: Middle managers oversaw a median of seven direct reports in 2026, up from six in 2025, although spans of control varied considerably by industry. | 4: The median promotion rate fell to 4% in 2026, down from 6% in 2025, returning to historical levels. |
| 5: The median promotion rate varied considerably by industry. | 6: More than 1 in 4 organizations (28%) conduct organizational network analyses, most commonly by surveying employees about collaboration and communication (60%). |
| 7: In 2026, organizations most often relied on lagging indicators to assess engagement, with exit interviews (82%) and voluntary turnover rate (76%) being the most commonly used method and metric. | |
The insights presented in this data brief offer a look into shifting dynamics within the Talent Management landscape in 2026.
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