CAHRS Top 10 June 2026
GenAI & HR
Charting the Future
CAHRS
Participants of the “Charting the Future: GenAI & HR” working group explored how Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly transforming the HR function and broader workplace. Key themes emerged across the day, including the importance of AI fluency, cross-functional accountability between Human Resources (HR) and Information Technology (IT), scalable operating models, and thoughtful change-management to support adoption. The discussion emphasized the fact that GenAI is likely to augment rather than simply replace HR work, enabling HR professionals to focus more on strategic activities while reshaping workforce skills, roles, and employee experiences.
Global Workforce
How it Will Look by 2100
Human Resource Executive
New analysis from the Pew Charitable Trusts, drawing on United Nations (UN) population projections, reveals sweeping demographic shifts by 2100 with direct implications for global workforce strategy. The global median age is projected to climb from 31 to 42, intensifying pressure on organizations to redesign career frameworks for longer-working populations. Europe faces accelerating workforce scarcity, while South and Southeast Asia are emerging as high-growth talent markets beyond India and China.
For a more timely discussion on diversity, have a look at the latest ILR School research on LGBTQ+ allyship.
HR Survey
Findings Show 47% of Managers say They Are Working Harder
Gartner
Gartner surveyed 2,947 employees and managers and found that 47% of managers say more is expected of them and they must work harder today than a year ago, even as 66% view their primary responsibility as managing people rather than driving business priorities. The research argues that a ‘people‑first’ management approach, intensified during the pandemic, has left many managers overextended and caught in a loyalty trap, prioritizing individual employee interests over organizational performance.
Global Workplace Report
Leaders Have Better Lives but Worse Days
Gallup
New data from Gallup's 2026 State of the Global Workplace report reveals a paradox at the top of organizations: Leaders report higher engagement and life satisfaction than those they manage, yet are significantly more likely to experience negative daily emotions compared to individual contributors. The status and purpose of leadership elevate overall wellbeing, while high-stakes decisions and social distance take a measurable daily toll. When leaders are engaged, their negative emotion rates drop dramatically, with a 21-point difference in loneliness between engaged- non-engaged leaders.
For a look at how to create positive employee experiences, take time to watch the CAHRScast on Employee Value Proposition Capabilities.
HR leaders
Visible at the Executive Table – but are They Truly Influential?
Human Resource Director
Although HR leaders are now more visible at the executive table, their influence over critical business decisions remains inconsistent. Many are consulted on people implications but still struggle to be seen as equal strategic partners. Capabilities that distinguish influential HR business partners include strong business acumen, data‑driven insight, the courage to challenge peers, and a track-record of shaping measurable outcomes.
NBER Research
The CEO Seat
Age Fades as Barrier
HR Dive
Recent research from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) reveals a striking "age paradox" in the corporate world: while the average age of newly appointed Chief Executive Officers (CEO)s has jumped from 47 to 55 since 2000, ageism remains a pervasive barrier for the broader workforce. As companies face increasing economic turbulence and regulatory complexity, boards are placing a premium on generalist skills and accumulated experience that only longer career paths can provide. However, this appreciation for "seasoned leadership" rarely trickles down, with nearly two-thirds of workers aged 50 or older reporting persistent bias, ranging from assumptions of tech-illiteracy to exclusion from training opportunities.
Data Overload
Cutting Into Profits
Korn Ferry
The 2026 Global Talent Analytics Survey reveals a critical "data paradox" where an automated overload of fragmented workforce intelligence is actively undermining executive decision-making and eroding corporate profits. Despite operating an average of three to ten disparate talent platforms, only 5% of organizations have fully integrated systems, leading 71% of leaders to abandon unreliable data in favor of gut instinct for high-stakes choices like succession and promotion. This lack of data precision not only incurs significant financial risk but also creates a strategic credibility gap for HR functions.
Do you Need a Chief AI Officer?
CAHRS Partner IBM Shares how Tech is Changing Boardrooms
CNBC
A new report from CAHRS Partner IBM reveals that 76% of organizations have established a Chief AI Officer (CAIO) role, signaling a shift from AI as a tech initiative to a fundamental driver of enterprise-wide execution. Amidst this transformation, the influence of the CHRO is projected to grow significantly by 59% because cultural hurdles and AI literacy have replaced technological limitations as the primary barriers to adoption. This shift presents a pivotal opportunity for HR functions to offload operational burdens through automation and ascend as strategic leaders focused on talent redesign and organizational culture.
Weekly Pay
Workers Want More Frequent Compensation
HR Brew
Starbucks has announced a strategic shift from biweekly to weekly pay for its "partners" starting in August 2026, marking a significant departure from standard United States payroll practices. This decision is part of a broader turnaround strategy aimed at improving the employee experience and directly addresses growing worker anxiety over high inflation and cost-of-living pressures. HR leaders are increasingly viewing more frequent compensation as a vital tool for improving employee cash flow and financial stability.
Future of Work
Model 2.0
CAHRS
The “Future of Work Model 2.0” CAHRScast examines how major technological, economic, demographic, and social disruptions are reshaping work and the HR function. The updated model emphasizes that the Future of Work is no longer driven solely by technology, but also by changing employee expectations, human-technology collaboration, organizational redesign, and evolving psychological contracts between employers and employees. The presentation highlights HR’s expanding strategic role in helping organizations adapt through workforce transformation, new operating models, agile capabilities, and stronger alignment between business strategy and talent practices.
ILR School HR Studies Associate Professor Rebecca Kehoe reframes job hopping as we continue to look at the changing world of work.