Today, HR faces significant challenges, including proving its value and ROI to the business, sustaining workforce engagement and retention, and guiding organizations in the ethical and effective adoption of new technologies. To address these evolving demands and deliver greater strategic impact, SHRM launched a research initiative centered on a critical question: What must the HR function of the future look like to maximize its value and drive measurable business outcomes? Leveraging SHRM’s HR Excellence (HR-X) Framework, the initiative analyzed HR maturity data from over 1,200 organizations and 2,000 U.S.-based workers, uncovering the profound influence of HR maturity on key outcomes such as financial performance, employee retention, and engagement.