HR Trends and Predictions for 2026
December 17, 2025 1:00 PM ET
The past 12 months have brought plenty of unexpected changes to the world of HR. But what does 2026 have in store? SHRM has made seven bold predictions about the ideas that will define the year ahead for HR departments, and we'll explore them together in this live recording of SHRM's Tomorrowist podcast.
Join James Atkinson, Vice President of Thought Leadership at SHRM, and Jerry Won, Host of SHRM’s Tomorrowist podcast, as they explore what emerging trends in AI, inclusion and diversity, and more will mean for businesses. During this live Tomorrowist podcast recording, they'll discuss actionable strategies for staying ahead of the pace of change and delivering business value in a shifting market.
SHRM Knowledge Advisors will join the live webinar to answer your questions in real time—right in the chat. If we don’t get to your question during the session? No problem, SHRM members can head to SHRM Connect after this webinar to keep the conversation going with advisors for 30 extra minutes. This benefit is only for members who join the live webinar and not included later on demand.
Meet the Presenters
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James Atkinson
James Atkinson is the Vice President of Thought Leadership at SHRM, where he leads research teams uncovering key insights on the challenges and trends affecting HR and the workplace. Atkinson joined SHRM with more than 15 years of research, data, and product experience, having spent a decade in various leadership roles within the HR industry. Prior to SHRM, Atkinson was the Vice President of Data Products at Payscale, where he was responsible for the overall strategy, development, and delivery of data products for compensation professionals.
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Jerry Won
Jerry Won is the Founder and CEO of Just Like Media, an innovative storytelling company, and World Class Speakers, a speaker coaching and training company. He is a renowned keynote speaker, speaking coach, and entrepreneur. He has worked with JPMorgan, Harvard Business School, SXSW, Google, and Meta, and his insights have been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, LinkedIn, and more. In 2023, he hosted a conversation with Vice President Harris at The White House Forum for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.
SHRM certification has approved this webinar for 1 PDC toward SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP recertification. A program code will be provided at the end of the webinar.