Last updated on January 27th, 2026

The HRTech 2026 conference, a gathering of global HR leaders and innovators, highlighted the trends, challenges, and breakthroughs shaping the future of work. We’ve compiled 26 key HR insights from sessions, panels, and conversations with leading voices.

These insights are organized into seven themes that capture the latest trends shaping HR. Let’s take a look.

7 Key Themes Shaping the Future of HR Insights

Theme 1: Talent Acquisition Reinvented

1. Candidate experience is now AI-enhanced 

Discovery: Phenom and Paradox showcased GenAI-powered candidate communication—automated but personalized.

Why it matters: Candidate drop-offs happen when the process feels impersonal or slow. AI can help close that gap.

Action: Audit your candidate journey for speed, personalization, and human touch.

Quote: As Yvette Cameron (Oracle) noted, “The future of AI in enterprise software will become more conversational,” fundamentally changing how candidates and employees interact with HR systems.

2. Hiring is about quality, not quantity 

Quote: “The talent shortage isn’t about numbers — it’s about skills alignment.” 

Why it matters: Recruiting strategies must focus on quality hires and internal mobility, not endless sourcing. 

Action: Build “talent intelligence” dashboards that connect hiring with performance. 

Added insight: Kathi Enderes (Josh Bersin Company) challenged, “How can we make every person count more?” emphasizing outcomes over sheer headcount. 

3. Assessments go AI-first

Discovery: Platforms like SHL, Pymetrics, etc., are using adaptive AI-driven assessments to personalize difficulty and reduce bias. 

Why it matters: Fairness and scalability in hiring depend on intelligent assessment tools. 

Action: Replace one-size-fits-all assessments with adaptive, feedback-driven models. 

Quote: Robin Barbacane (Rackspace) said, “When you first create your AI tool, talk to it like an intern,” highlighting practical ways to integrate AI safely. 

4. Internal mobility is the new sourcing strategy 

Stat: 65% of companies invest in improving manager and employee mobility experiences (Aptitude Research). 

Why it matters: Moving people internally is more cost-effective and improves morale. 

Action: Create internal job boards and mobility marketplaces. 

Quote: Josh Gosliner (SAP) reminded us, “HR data can’t live in silos anymore,” reinforcing the need for connected internal talent strategies. 

Theme 2: Skills as the New Currency 

5. Skills-based strategies dominate HR agendas 

Stat: 58% of companies prioritize skills-based hiring and internal mobility.

Discovery: Platforms like Eightfold, Gloat, and SkyHive showcased live skills graphs linking learning to career paths. 

Action: Start with a skills baseline; Platforms like Tekstac make this easier by capturing learning performance data that reflects actual skill growth, helping organizations keep their skills business aligned. 

Quote: Heidi Barnett (isolved, Talent Acquisition) advised, “Think about complementary skills and help describe who a job would be perfect for.”

6. Career pathing becomes skills-driven 

Quote: Madeline Laurano noted, “Employees don’t want a static career ladder—they want dynamic growth journeys based on skills.” 

Why it matters: Retention improves when employees see a personalized path forward. 

Action: Use platforms that visualize “if you learn X, you can move into Y role.”

7. Pay transparency and skills-linked compensation rise

Discovery: Vendors like Visier, CompXL link pay to skills, not just job titles. 

Why it matters: It’s a fairness and DEI issue—and reduces bias in compensation. 

Action: Explore skills-based compensation frameworks. 

Quote: Heather Kruger (Salary.com) reminded, “Compensation is the foundation—organizations won’t get to higher-order culture dynamics if they don’t get the foundation right.”

Theme 3: Learning & Development Reimagined

8. AI-personalized learning becomes default 

Discovery: Platforms like Tekstac, Cornerstone, and Docebo embed adaptive learning journeys that adjust pacing, difficulty, and content. 

Why it matters: Personalized learning improves retention, satisfaction, and outcomes. 

Action: Shift toward adaptive learning paths tailored to performance and career goals. 

Quote: Sandra Loughlin, PhD observed, “Real learning happens in practice, feedback, and flow—not just through structured content.”

9. Skills verification is critical 

Discovery: Tools like Degreed, Credly, and blockchain-based platforms offer verifiable skill credentials. 

Why it matters: Employers want proof of capability, not just course completion. 

Action: Incorporate verifiable assessments into programs.

10. ROI in L&D is finally measurable

One of the panelists quoted: “The ROI black hole is closing AI gives us real business outcome tracking.” 

Why it matters: Learning is expected to drive promotion, performance, and retention. 

Action: Tie learning outcomes to business metrics. 

Quote: Jason Averbook emphasized, “In 2025-26, HR needs a reset. Otherwise, we’re putting digital lipstick on an analog pig.” 

Theme 4: Employee Experience & Wellbeing

11. EX platforms become central hubs 

Discovery: ServiceNow, Qualtrics, and Microsoft integrate surveys, workflows, and learning. 

Why it matters: Employees expect consumer-grade experiences at work. 

Action: Invest in EX platforms that unify communications, HR tasks, and career tools. 

12. Managers are the new power users 

Gartner found that among HR decision-makers, leader and manager development remains the number one priority. 

Action: Give managers AI copilots for feedback, coaching, and visibility. 

Quote: Bill Pelster, Amber Grewal, and Jaclyn Zhuang shared that managers may lead both people and digital agents, emphasizing hybrid leadership skills. 

13. Mental health tech grows mainstream 

Discovery: Vendors like Modern Health and Spring Health integrate AI for personalized well-being nudges. 

Why it matters: Burnout is a top turnover driver. 

Action: Embed well-being into daily workflows. 

Quote: Ami Graves said, “Without trust and strong leadership skills in our companies, the technology and AI implementations that we want to implement will fail.” 

Theme 5: HR Strategy & Compliance

14. Payroll innovation is back 

Discovery: ADP and CloudPay offer real-time pay and AI-driven anomaly detection. 

Why it matters: Payroll errors erode trust quickly. 

Action: Evaluate tools for speed, fairness, and reliability. 

Quote: Pim Altena (Remote) warned, “Trust has a timestamp,” highlighting the link between accuracy and credibility. 

15. Trust is the new HR currency 

Quote: Josh Bersin emphasized, “Without trust, none of this tech matters.” 

Action: Communicate openly about AI and data usage.

16. HR Tech spend is accelerating 

Stat: 75% of companies plan to increase HR tech budgets. 

Action: Build a strong ROI narrative. 

17. Vendors consolidate, but innovation thrives 

Discovery: Big HR tech players are expanding fast: Workday acquired Sana, Deel bought Assemble, Paychex snapped up Paycor, Dayforce went private with Thoma Bravo, and HiBob added Pento and Mosaic—while startups keep innovating in niche areas like payroll, AI, and skills taxonomies. 

Action: Pilot with smaller players when innovation matters. 

Theme 6: GenAI & The Future of Work 

18. GenAI moves from hype to workflows 

Discovery: Workday, Phenom, and Eightfold showcased enterprise-ready GenAI features. 

Why it matters: 64% of HR leaders see GenAI as essential. 

Action: Start with low-risk, high-impact areas. 

Quote: Nickle LaMoreaux (IBM) said, “It’s HR’s moment in the sun,” urging leaders to seize AI opportunity proactively. 

19. Responsible AI is the competitive advantage 

Quote: Josh Bersin: “Transparency, bias management, and trust will define which vendors win.” 

Action: Audit AI explainability. 

20. From chatbots to copilots 

Discovery: Microsoft Copilot in Viva, Workday’s AI agent features. 

Action: Train teams to collaborate with AI as a partner. 

Quote: Kyle Forrest emphasized, “You can’t slap AI solutions on top of existing processes,” underlining the need for integration. 

Theme 7: The Future of HR Leadership

21. HR leaders as transformation architects 

Action: Upskill HR teams on data literacy, AI fluency, change management. 

Quote: Patrick Leddin, PhD, asked, “Do I move towards the change, or do I move towards stability?”—guiding leaders to embrace uncertainty. 

22. DEI strategies shift from programs to platforms 

Discovery: Textio, Unitive, and certain ATS platforms integrate inclusive language and bias detection. 

Action: Audit tools for bias. 

23. Hybrid work tech stabilizes 

Discovery: Microsoft, Zoom, Slack show hybrid tools as core utility. 

Action: Invest in tech that supports hybrid collaboration. 

24. Data privacy becomes HR’s responsibility 

Action: Collaborate with legal and IT; secure sensitive employee data.

25. Employees expect skills transparency 

Discovery: Platforms show employees their skill gaps and potential career paths. 

Action: Give employees access to their own skills data. 

26. HR must lead, not follow 

Quote: Josh Bersin: “This is HR’s time. Don’t wait for tech vendors to define the future — build it yourself.” 

Why it matters: Being proactive shapes culture, tools, and strategy. 

Quote: Sarah Hodges (UKG) added, “HR tech is the bridge between ideas and outcomes,” reinforcing the strategic impact of HR. 

Turning HR Insights into Action

At Tekstac, we see HR Tech 2026 as more than an event; it’s a reflection of how innovation, skills, and strategy are converging. And that’s exactly where our focus lies. The conference brought together industry’s best minds, covering HR insights, innovations, and technology to help organizations stay ahead of change and build the future-ready workforce of tomorrow. 

FAQs on HR Insights

1. What are HR Insights?

HR insights are data-driven, strategic understandings derived from workforce, talent, and performance data that help organizations improve hiring, learning, engagement, productivity, and business outcomes. 

2. What are the 7 pillars of HR?

The 7 pillars of HR include talent acquisition, learning and development, performance management, employee engagement, compensation and benefits, workforce planning, and HR analytics, all working together to drive organizational growth. 

3. What are the 4 types of HR analytics?

The four types of HR analytics are descriptive (what happened), diagnostic (why it happened), predictive (what will happen), and prescriptive (what should be done), enabling data-driven HR strategies.

4. How do HR insights impact business strategy?

HR insights help organizations align talent, skills, and leadership with business goals, enabling faster decision-making, improved productivity, and sustainable workforce transformation.