As 2026 begins, many organisations are resetting priorities and expectations for the year ahead.
Recent thinking around HR and CHRO priorities points to a clear shift. AI is no longer a side topic for HR. It is pushing changes in operating models, decision making and how human effort is best applied. At the same time, leaders are being asked to rethink how work is designed in a human and machine environment, how change is led under constant uncertainty, and how culture shows up in daily work rather than in statements or values decks.
What stands out is that these themes are not entirely new. Workforce planning, leadership development and culture have always mattered. What is different now is the level of pressure to connect them directly to business outcomes, not just HR activity.
For HR leaders in 2026, the challenge is less about adding more initiatives and more about making deliberate choices. What should be simplified. What needs to be redesigned. And where consistency matters more than speed.
The year ahead will reward clarity over complexity.