The HR and work trends that will matter in 2026

Hello 2026!

As we head into the new year, we’re hearing the same thing from HR teams everywhere.

Not panic.
More a sense that work has shifted, but the way we’re still expected to “do HR” hasn’t quite caught up.

Careers feel different.
Performance feels harder.
Leaders are stretched.
AI is everywhere.

In the latest episode of HR Disrupted, we (Lucy Adams and Karen Moran) step back and talk through four HR trends we genuinely can’t ignore in 2026.

Not shiny predictions. Just what we’re really seeing on the ground.

We explore:

• Why job-hugging, side hustles and stalled careers aren’t about laziness, but people being realistic and taking control in an uncertain world
• Why great work happens in teams, and what this means for leadership and performance
• How AI is reshaping work faster than HR systems can keep up
• Why HR’s role is shifting from managing people to designing better work

It’s a practical, human reset for the year ahead. Happy listening!