Inside the CEO Mind: New SHRM Research Shares Top Priorities for 2026 Amid Anticipated Disruption
The survey, which includes more than 100 CEOs, provides an exclusive crystal ball into how CEOs are looking to shape the business landscape in 2026.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Today, new research released from SHRM, the trusted authority on all things work, workers, and the workplace, provides a provocative look at how CEOs are navigating significant technological, economic, and workforce shifts as they steer their companies toward the future. The study, 2026 CEO Priorities and Perspectives, reveals 40% of CEOs are focused on the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), among other primary objectives for the year.
The study, which surveyed 116 CEOs, found technological advancement is the most common macroeconomic challenge facing leaders, with 56% identifying it as a macroeconomic concern, surpassing traditional economic headwinds like inflation, economic uncertainty and market competition.
In addition to adopting AI, 31% of CEOs say they are focused on driving revenue growth and 27% are focused on attracting top talent.
This highlights a critical pivot where mastering technology, particularly AI, is now viewed as essential for survival and growth. While CEOs are optimistic about AI's potential to redefine value creation and create new roles, this optimism is tempered by significant concerns over AI-enabled cybersecurity threats and ethical implications.
“The speed of change inside and outside our organizations is accelerating. As CEOs, our challenge isn’t just to keep up, but to set the pace,” said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, President & CEO of SHRM. “We must lean into AI and new technologies without losing sight of our greatest asset: our people. The future will be shaped by leaders who move faster than the disruption, who invest in upskilling and reskilling, and who build future-facing workplaces ready for anything.”
Other key findings underscore an evolution in workforce strategy:
87% of CEOs anticipate a growing emphasis on digital collaboration tools and 78% anticipate growing emphasis on organizational agility in workforce management over the next 12 months.
However, 81% of CEOs expect rising labor and total workforce costs over the next 12 months, which may be driving the anticipated workforce reductions or layoffs (75%) and organizational redesigns or restructuring efforts to improve efficiency and agility (74%).
As organizations integrate AI and HI (Human Intelligence), the report indicates a strong consensus among CEOs that AI-driven upskilling and reskilling (87%) will be more prevalent over the next 12 months.
This data signals a clear need for strategic collaboration between CEOs and CHROs to manage risk and build adaptable, future-ready teams. The call for upskilling and reskilling reinforces the idea of how future competitiveness depends on implementing new technology, as well as cultivating a workforce capable of evolving alongside it.
Methodology
Insights are drawn from a survey of 116 CEOs conducted in October 2025. The survey was administered electronically through a third-party vendor. To qualify, participants were required to hold the title of CEO and have a C-level HR leader within their organization. Respondents represented many industries, sectors and organization sizes. The data were not weighted.
About SHRM
SHRM is a member-driven catalyst for creating better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together. As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM is the foremost expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today’s evolving workplaces. With nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries, SHRM touches the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families globally. Discover more at SHRM.org.
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