While some of these HR jobs are new workstreams, others are new positions, such as AI Ethics Leader, AI Business Partner, or HR GPT Designer, designing custom AI agents. In my article, 13 HR Jobs of the Future, I discuss how generative AI is transforming HR, not only automating processes but creating new jobs. The Brookings Institute finds the tasks involved in entry-level knowledge jobs are much easier to automate than the ones done by supervisors. The Office of Disability Inclusion trains managers to lead with empathy, improves the overall employee experience for workers with different abilities, and provides managers with easy access to a centralized workplace accommodations team. The Qualtrics Employee Experience Trends Report finds 25% of 35,000 global workers report having a long-lasting physical or mental health condition with 23% saying this impacts their daily activities.
Learning hubs integrated within the Staffbase Intranet distribute micro-modules and informative articles, helping to ensure the workforce remains aligned even as tools rapidly evolve. It’s clear that HR departments are placing emphasis on digital fluency training. As tools evolve at an unprecedented rate, HR’s most valuable asset in 2026 will be learning agility.
We use our unmatched AI-driven insights and proven expertise to design innovative solutions that help people achieve greater success at work. Always Designing for People means we’re focused on just that – people. As agentic AI is increasingly adopted across the workforce, human and agent interactions will be critical for the delivery of work, requiring HR and IT to work closely together to ensure work https://www.electionsscotland.info/5-key-takeaways-on-the-road-to-dominating-9/ gets done effectively and responsibly so that business moves forward. By combining the strengths of human intuition and the power of agentic AI, organizations can foster a collaborative environment that enhances overall efficiency. The complexity increases for employers who might be operating across different countries.
Recruitment
According to Carnegie Mellon University, platforms like ChatGPT have become popular apps for personalizing resumes, crafting cover letters, and even preparing for interviews. A significant 28% feel overwhelmed by their workload, estimating that they would need to outsource 31% of their tasks to manage effectively. This is a welcome change, considering the immense pressure HR professionals have been under. On average, AI-powered HR software now handles 34% of HR-related tasks within the companies surveyed.
However, this mobility reflects ambition and growth-seeking rather than disloyalty.
This involves the focus on making the “employment relationship” fulfilling for both management and employees.
Success depends on recognizing today’s HR developments not as challenges to manage, but as opportunities to shape the business itself.
For media inquiries or to connect with McLean & Company analysts for exclusive, research-backed insights on human resources, crisis management, and building resilient, future-ready teams, please contact communications manager Katie Tame at email protected.
That is a retention lever most HR teams can actually pull without waiting for next year’s budget.
ET Careers GenNext global edition – Expert opinions on AI, Jobs in Germany,…
Within organizations using platforms like Staffbase, AI supports distribution and analytics tasks, freeing communicators to focus on narrative, context, and trust. Using consolidated dashboards, Staffbase Smart Impact enables teams to blend engagement metrics with insights into message performance. Rather than waiting for regional or department-focused reports, HR leaders can prioritize delivering insights to relevant team leaders and managers to influence culture at the operational level. This requires HR teams to build strong hr leadership skills and become more proactive, analytical, and future-focused. The future of work will be comprised of a hybrid workforce, where humans and AI agents operate side by side as integrated teams, achieving outcomes neither could deliver alone. The results have been impressive, with over 85% of our engineering team now using AI coding tools weekly, driving a 20% productivity increase while maintaining code quality.
Anh’s expertise has been featured in top industry publications, including ERE Media, e27, theHRDirector (HRD), HR HelpBoard, Hubstaff, Lever, Recruiting Daily, SmartRecruiters, Willo, and WorkTango. Since joining SelectSoftware Reviews in 2022, she has been the go-to expert for in-depth, unbiased analysis of the latest HR and recruiting platforms. Over the past five years, Anh has built deep expertise in evaluating HR tech solutions, helping thousands of HR and talent acquisition leaders make smarter, faster buying decisions. Anh is a leading voice in HR and recruitment technology, known around the virtual SelectSoftware Reviews’ office for her even-handed, evidence-based mindset, who can often be found digging beyond the mere surface of the story.
Trend 10: Human Resources Technology Investment Accelerates
AI platforms like Workday, SAP Joule, and Microsoft Copilot are connecting data and workflows across the entire employee lifecycle, naturally blurring functional boundaries. Fintech company Klarna laid off around 700 customer service employees expecting AI agents to fully replace them. The World Economic Forum reports that 41% of employers plan to reduce headcounts in the next five years due to AI. While IT and Legal provide technical and regulatory safeguards, HR professionals must translate those safeguards into everyday practices that employees understand and trust. According to research, more than half of U.S. workers cite cybersecurity, inaccuracy, or personal privacy as top concerns about generative AI. Employer of Record (EOR) staffing services have become more widespread with the rise of remote work and the expansion of the global workforce.
Despite initial concerns and high spending on AI tools, businesses are realizing the need for AI-savvy entry-level talent to navigate this complex transition and maximize their investments. Demand for AI talent remained strong, especially for experienced professionals. This indicates a strategic focus on inclusive workforces even as the job market remains cautious. IT and Consulting sectors are at the forefront of this inclusive recruitment drive. Women lead diversity hires, with significant growth in PwD representation. This trend highlights a strong employer focus on inclusive workplaces.
AI is Here to Help Overworked HR Teams, Not Replace Them
For instance, generative AI algorithms can help create job descriptions and postings by analyzing vast datasets to determine the most effective wording to use. Generative AI is a transformative force in HR, streamlining talent acquisition, employee engagement, and workforce management. According to Dave Millner, founder and consulting partner at HR Curator, “This is an exciting time to be in HR, and if challenge, innovation, change and personal growth are of interest to you, then stick around.” To make keeping up with those changes more straightforward, we’ve consulted industry leaders and experts to learn the top HR trends, empowering you to make informed organizational decisions. Let’s delve into the key HR trends for 2025 and how they are transforming the modern workplace. From the widespread adoption of hybrid work models to the integration of AI and predictive analytics, staying ahead means understanding and embracing these trends.
Disputes over employee or independent contractor status continue to put employers at legal risk, especially as companies adjust workforce models in response to economic pressure and labor availability. Employee classification remains a key litigation risk for employers – especially those using contract labor or flexible staffing. Leave litigation more often arises when employers struggle to coordinate paid sick leave, family leave, and other protected time off in real-world situations. While respondents anticipate fewer traditional discrimination and harassment claims, they expect employment law risks to focus on how policies are designed, enforced, and applied to employees.
Agentic AI Moves From Automation to Action
Organizations’ focus on AI (including but not limited to AI in HR) is shifting from AI pilot projects to enterprise-wide rollouts, with an accompanying demand for proof of clear value and ROI. We then share our perspectives on what HR teams should consider as they look to help their companies anticipate and prepare for these trends. This shift reinforces the importance of ai-driven HR insights and modern skills for HR professionals navigating the future of work HR landscape.
AI and Flat Structures Are Reshaping Leadership
While the focus has been on how workers will face a learning curve, leaders will also need to adapt as AI expands across the organization. As tech jobs become ubiquitous, employers will expect all workers to have some level of digital expertise. More companies need to follow the lead of IKEA, which reskilled 8,500 customer service agents for new roles as virtual interior design consultants. Instead, it is due to whether workers have been trained to use generative AI and their attitudes toward privacy and trust.
The 7 HR Trends That Will Impact Businesses in 2026 and Beyond
While some of these HR jobs are new workstreams, others are new positions, such as AI Ethics Leader, AI Business Partner, or HR GPT Designer, designing custom AI agents. In my article, 13 HR Jobs of the Future, I discuss how generative AI is transforming HR, not only automating processes but creating new jobs. The Brookings Institute finds the tasks involved in entry-level knowledge jobs are much easier to automate than the ones done by supervisors. The Office of Disability Inclusion trains managers to lead with empathy, improves the overall employee experience for workers with different abilities, and provides managers with easy access to a centralized workplace accommodations team. The Qualtrics Employee Experience Trends Report finds 25% of 35,000 global workers report having a long-lasting physical or mental health condition with 23% saying this impacts their daily activities.
Learning hubs integrated within the Staffbase Intranet distribute micro-modules and informative articles, helping to ensure the workforce remains aligned even as tools rapidly evolve. It’s clear that HR departments are placing emphasis on digital fluency training. As tools evolve at an unprecedented rate, HR’s most valuable asset in 2026 will be learning agility.
We use our unmatched AI-driven insights and proven expertise to design innovative solutions that help people achieve greater success at work. Always Designing for People means we’re focused on just that – people. As agentic AI is increasingly adopted across the workforce, human and agent interactions will be critical for the delivery of work, requiring HR and IT to work closely together to ensure work https://www.electionsscotland.info/5-key-takeaways-on-the-road-to-dominating-9/ gets done effectively and responsibly so that business moves forward. By combining the strengths of human intuition and the power of agentic AI, organizations can foster a collaborative environment that enhances overall efficiency. The complexity increases for employers who might be operating across different countries.
Recruitment
According to Carnegie Mellon University, platforms like ChatGPT have become popular apps for personalizing resumes, crafting cover letters, and even preparing for interviews. A significant 28% feel overwhelmed by their workload, estimating that they would need to outsource 31% of their tasks to manage effectively. This is a welcome change, considering the immense pressure HR professionals have been under. On average, AI-powered HR software now handles 34% of HR-related tasks within the companies surveyed.
ET Careers GenNext global edition – Expert opinions on AI, Jobs in Germany,…
Within organizations using platforms like Staffbase, AI supports distribution and analytics tasks, freeing communicators to focus on narrative, context, and trust. Using consolidated dashboards, Staffbase Smart Impact enables teams to blend engagement metrics with insights into message performance. Rather than waiting for regional or department-focused reports, HR leaders can prioritize delivering insights to relevant team leaders and managers to influence culture at the operational level. This requires HR teams to build strong hr leadership skills and become more proactive, analytical, and future-focused. The future of work will be comprised of a hybrid workforce, where humans and AI agents operate side by side as integrated teams, achieving outcomes neither could deliver alone. The results have been impressive, with over 85% of our engineering team now using AI coding tools weekly, driving a 20% productivity increase while maintaining code quality.
Anh’s expertise has been featured in top industry publications, including ERE Media, e27, theHRDirector (HRD), HR HelpBoard, Hubstaff, Lever, Recruiting Daily, SmartRecruiters, Willo, and WorkTango. Since joining SelectSoftware Reviews in 2022, she has been the go-to expert for in-depth, unbiased analysis of the latest HR and recruiting platforms. Over the past five years, Anh has built deep expertise in evaluating HR tech solutions, helping thousands of HR and talent acquisition leaders make smarter, faster buying decisions. Anh is a leading voice in HR and recruitment technology, known around the virtual SelectSoftware Reviews’ office for her even-handed, evidence-based mindset, who can often be found digging beyond the mere surface of the story.
Trend 10: Human Resources Technology Investment Accelerates
AI platforms like Workday, SAP Joule, and Microsoft Copilot are connecting data and workflows across the entire employee lifecycle, naturally blurring functional boundaries. Fintech company Klarna laid off around 700 customer service employees expecting AI agents to fully replace them. The World Economic Forum reports that 41% of employers plan to reduce headcounts in the next five years due to AI. While IT and Legal provide technical and regulatory safeguards, HR professionals must translate those safeguards into everyday practices that employees understand and trust. According to research, more than half of U.S. workers cite cybersecurity, inaccuracy, or personal privacy as top concerns about generative AI. Employer of Record (EOR) staffing services have become more widespread with the rise of remote work and the expansion of the global workforce.
Despite initial concerns and high spending on AI tools, businesses are realizing the need for AI-savvy entry-level talent to navigate this complex transition and maximize their investments. Demand for AI talent remained strong, especially for experienced professionals. This indicates a strategic focus on inclusive workforces even as the job market remains cautious. IT and Consulting sectors are at the forefront of this inclusive recruitment drive. Women lead diversity hires, with significant growth in PwD representation. This trend highlights a strong employer focus on inclusive workplaces.
AI is Here to Help Overworked HR Teams, Not Replace Them
For instance, generative AI algorithms can help create job descriptions and postings by analyzing vast datasets to determine the most effective wording to use. Generative AI is a transformative force in HR, streamlining talent acquisition, employee engagement, and workforce management. According to Dave Millner, founder and consulting partner at HR Curator, “This is an exciting time to be in HR, and if challenge, innovation, change and personal growth are of interest to you, then stick around.” To make keeping up with those changes more straightforward, we’ve consulted industry leaders and experts to learn the top HR trends, empowering you to make informed organizational decisions. Let’s delve into the key HR trends for 2025 and how they are transforming the modern workplace. From the widespread adoption of hybrid work models to the integration of AI and predictive analytics, staying ahead means understanding and embracing these trends.
Disputes over employee or independent contractor status continue to put employers at legal risk, especially as companies adjust workforce models in response to economic pressure and labor availability. Employee classification remains a key litigation risk for employers – especially those using contract labor or flexible staffing. Leave litigation more often arises when employers struggle to coordinate paid sick leave, family leave, and other protected time off in real-world situations. While respondents anticipate fewer traditional discrimination and harassment claims, they expect employment law risks to focus on how policies are designed, enforced, and applied to employees.
Agentic AI Moves From Automation to Action
Organizations’ focus on AI (including but not limited to AI in HR) is shifting from AI pilot projects to enterprise-wide rollouts, with an accompanying demand for proof of clear value and ROI. We then share our perspectives on what HR teams should consider as they look to help their companies anticipate and prepare for these trends. This shift reinforces the importance of ai-driven HR insights and modern skills for HR professionals navigating the future of work HR landscape.
AI and Flat Structures Are Reshaping Leadership
While the focus has been on how workers will face a learning curve, leaders will also need to adapt as AI expands across the organization. As tech jobs become ubiquitous, employers will expect all workers to have some level of digital expertise. More companies need to follow the lead of IKEA, which reskilled 8,500 customer service agents for new roles as virtual interior design consultants. Instead, it is due to whether workers have been trained to use generative AI and their attitudes toward privacy and trust.