Dear Ellie, What Should I Prioritize in 2026?

Dear Ellie,

I am currently flipping through at least 5 different “2026 Trend Reports.” Every email I open tells me I need to focus on a different priority: AI integration, Gen Z retention, hyper-personalisation, skills-based hiring, or the metaverse (is that still a thing?).

I have a limited budget and a small team. If you had to pick the top initiatives that actually matter for an HR practitioner to focus on in 2026 – without the buzzwords – what would they be? I want to make an impact, not just chase the flavor of the month.

Sincerely,

Priorities, Not Possibilities

Look, trend reports are great (even we have one). But the more you consume, the more input you receive — and the less output you produce. So I’m glad you reached out. Shuffling through the noise to get to what actually matters is the real strategic work.

The “HR Industrial Complex,” like any industry, makes money by convincing you that you’re behind. It rebrands old problems (“Quiet Quitting” was disengagement; “Resenteeism” is burnout) and sells you new software to fix them.

So no, my advice isn’t going to be wildly out of the box. But it will help you refocus on what actually drives impact.

In 2026, the most radical thing you can do is ignore the shiny objects and fix the plumbing.

The companies that win next year won’t be the ones with the best AI chatbot. They’ll be the ones where employees feel safe, valued, and clear on their roles. Less turnover. More productivity. Greater innovation. Those fundamentals will always outperform trends.

If you want high impact on a limited budget, ignore the hype and focus on the fixes.

Back to Basics

1. The Manager Reset

The Problem: We promoted strong individual contributors, gave them zero management training, and now wonder why retention is low. Managers are the bottleneck for everything.

The Proof: Gallup has found that managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement. If you fix the manager, you fix the team.

The Initiative: Manager Capability Labs. Stop running generic leadership training. Host tactical clinics on the hard stuff:

• How to deliver bad news
• How to manage a hybrid team without micromanaging
• How to spot and address burnout

Do this at every level of leadership.

Bonus: Add upward feedback into your performance review process. If managers are clogging the sink, you need to see it clearly.

2. Connection Architecture

The Problem: We are more digitally connected and more socially isolated than ever. Culture doesn’t happen by accident anymore, and forcing people back into the office isn’t the solution. Work must feel meaningful and relational.

The Proof: The U.S. Surgeon General declared loneliness an epidemic, noting that a lack of social connection is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Gallup reports that engaged employees are 64% less likely to feel lonely than those who are disengaged.

The Initiative: Intentional gathering. Stop hosting awkward happy hours. Structure connection.

• Mentorship circles
• Cross-departmental problem-solving sprints
• Interest-based employee resource groups (ERGs)

Connection requires architecture now.

3. The Skills-Over-Degrees Audit

The Problem: The shelf life of a professional skill has dropped to roughly five years — and much shorter in tech. If you hire solely for what someone knows today, they could be obsolete by 2028.

The Proof: Forbes reports that among companies that adopt skills-based hiring, 90% report fewer hiring mistakes and 94% say skills-based hires outperform those selected primarily for credentials.

The Initiative: Agility mapping. Rewrite job descriptions to focus on capabilities — curiosity, adaptability, digital fluency — rather than pedigree. Hire for slope (how fast can they learn?) over intercept (what do they already know?). Then redesign your interviews to spark deeper dialogue, narrative thinking, and problem-solving.

And Now, a Word from HR… to HR

There is always a temptation to pick the initiative that sounds impressive on LinkedIn.

“We launched an AI-driven wellness metaverse!” sounds flashy at a conference (or terrifying if you read too much sci-fi).

But “we taught our managers to treat people with dignity, integrated candor into our culture, and reduced voluntary turnover” is the work that drives long-term stability and performance.

Don’t try to be Google if you’re a manufacturing plant in the Midwest.

Be the most human, most disciplined version of your organization. That is the only trend that never expires.

Stay resilient,

Ellie

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Elizabeth “Ellie” Tancreti is a seasoned HR consultant (and former Senior Recruiter, Onboarding/People and Culture Specialist) who’s faced the same challenges—and helps professionals like you get unstuck.

Bring your questions—on burnout, alignment, career pivots, leadership challenges, building culture, or any thorny questions keeping you up at night. Ask your question and get Ellie’s advice.

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