CAHRS Top 10 February 2026
- HR Leaders Heading Into 2026
What Issues are top of Mind?
CAHRS
CAHRS Academic Director and William J. Conaty Professor Brad Bell shared the results of the 6th Annual CAHRS survey on HR leaders' top priorities for the new year. CAHRS members were asked to describe the three to five HR issues that are top of mind for their organizations looking ahead in 2026. Most prevalent were talent management, artificial intelligence integration, and transformation.
- CHRO Compensation
What it Tells Us About a Firm’s Human Capital Strategy
Harvard
According to a Harvard study, Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) compensation is a powerful signal of how seriously a company treats human capital strategy. Firms that pay their CHRO closer to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) levels show stronger talent management, better employee sentiment, and higher innovation. Investors also respond more positively when CHRO pay reflects strategic influence, indicating that rewards alignment shapes workforce and business outcomes.
- The EEOC's Crackdown on DEI
Understanding its Implications for HR in 2026
The HR Digest
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced plans to investigate companies in 2026 for employment practices that consider race, sex, or other protected characteristics under Title VII. The agency will examine diversity policies, including those rebranded as "inclusivity" or "belonging," along with hiring, promotion, and marketing initiatives. Employee Resource Groups based on race or gender may also face scrutiny. Programs functioning like Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) could be considered illegal regardless of their name. In response, several major corporations have eliminated their DEI programs and reporting.
Take a look at the tools based on research from the Yang-Tan Institute (YTI) in “Tools you can use and More: Year-in-Review for YTI”.
- The Strategic Partner Surge
Why CHRO Appointments Skyrocketed in 2025
HR Daily Advisor
In 2025, global CHRO appointments surged to 127 in the first three quarters, up from 94 the prior year, driven largely by CEO transitions seeking strategic HR partners. Technology firms led the increase. CHRO tenure is rising, but leaders face high expectations. A majority of new CHROs are first timers promoted internally, often with broader business backgrounds to support transformation agendas.
- The Global ‘Job Hugging’ Epidemic
What’s Driving it?
Human Resources Director
“Job hugging,” where employees stay in roles they might otherwise leave, is becoming a global trend driven by economic uncertainty, layoffs, and slower hiring markets. Workers are prioritizing stability over career moves as inflation, geopolitical risk, and AI disruption increase perceived job insecurity. While retention rates may appear strong, engagement and motivation can suffer. Human Resources (HR) leaders are encouraged to address this by improving career development, internal mobility, and meaningful work to prevent stagnation and hidden disengagement among employees who stay by necessity rather than choice.
JR Keller, Cornell University ILR School Associate Professor and Faculty Director of the Executive Master of Human Resource Management program looks at the flip side of “job hugging” in the podcast episode "Should you let your top Employee Leave?"
- The CHRO Position
What it Will Take in 2026
HR Executive
Becoming a CHRO in 2026 and beyond will require far more than traditional HR expertise. The role is expanding to include enterprise strategy, AI and data fluency, workforce transformation, and board-level influence. Future CHROs are expected to act as business leaders who connect talent, technology, and culture, while balancing human judgment with analytics and navigating constant change across skills, work models, and employee expectations.
- A Business Case for AI
Building one That Your CFO Will Approve
Workday
CAHRS partner company Workday suggests how HR and business leaders can build a CFO-ready case by reframing workforce challenges such as vacancies, slow hiring, and turnover as measurable business risks. By linking people metrics to revenue, cost, and productivity outcomes, AI can be positioned not as a technology expense but as a strategic lever for growth and performance.
- Pay Hike Budgets
Employers peg Them at 3.5% for 2026
CFO
Employers budgeted 3.5% average salary increases for this year, down from 4.1% in 2023, as the labor market has stabilized with unemployment now exceeding job openings for the first time since 2021. According to Mercer's 2025 survey of more than 1,000 organizations, roles receiving 5%+ pay hikes dropped sharply from 650 in 2023 to just 87 last year. The research highlights a critical gap: 83% of companies still distribute raises uniformly rather than strategically differentiating based on performance, leaving significant opportunities untapped for more effective compensation management.
- Artificial Intelligence
What it Means for the Future of Work
IBM
Experts at CAHRS partner company IBM say that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the future of work by transforming tasks, skills, and roles rather than simply replacing jobs. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, by 2030, AI will create 170 million new roles while displacing 92 million jobs—a net gain of 78 million positions. IBM emphasizes that responsible AI adoption—focused on transparency, trust, and human oversight—is critical to ensuring productivity gains while creating more meaningful and inclusive work experiences in the AI-driven economy.
Recent research examines the disruption of labor markets further in ILR Review’s “Robots and Non-Participation in the United States: Where Have All the Workers Gone?”
- Corporate Wrongdoing
It Proves Costly to Businesses
Cornell Chronicle
Latest Cornell ILR School research found that corporate stakeholder violations, including fraud and environmental harm, significantly increase employee turnover. Departures are higher when sanctions are broad, frequent, or unprecedented, and affected employees tend to move to firms with stronger ethical records. The findings show that talent losses impose substantial economic costs beyond legal penalties and reputational damage.