Quick Summary: HR Statistics
| Metric | Latest Data | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Global employee engagement rate | 20% (2025 data) | Gallup, 2026 |
| Cost of disengagement to global economy | $10 trillion annually | Gallup, 2026 |
| Average cost per hire (non-executive, U.S.) | $5,475 | SHRM, 2025 |
| U.S. job openings (April 2026) | 7.6 million | BLS JOLTS, 2026 |
| U.S. telework rate (August 2025) | 22.1% of all employed | BLS, 2025 |
| Workers using AI in some capacity | 76% (2025) | McKinsey, 2026 |
| CHROs anticipating greater AI integration | 92% | SHRM, 2026 |
| Organizations managing change effectively | 27% | Deloitte, 2026 |
| U.S. voluntary turnover rate (2024) | 13.0% | Mercer, 2025 |
Key Takeaways
- Global employee engagement fell to 20% in 2025, its lowest point since 2020, costing the world economy an estimated $10 trillion in lost productivity, according to Gallup’s 2026 report.
- Manager engagement dropped 5 points in a single year, from 27% to 22%, the steepest decline Gallup has recorded for that group since tracking began.
- The average cost to hire a non-executive employee in the U.S. reached $5,475 in 2025, with executive hires averaging $35,879, up 21% since 2022.
- 76% of workers were using AI in some form by 2025, up from 30% in 2023, yet only 27% of organizations report managing the resulting change effectively.
- U.S. voluntary turnover moderated to 13.0% in 2024, down from a post-pandemic peak of 17.3% in 2023, though it remains well above pre-2020 levels.
Employee Engagement Statistics
Global employee engagement fell to 20% in 2025, its lowest level since 2020, according to Gallup’s 2026 State of the Global Workplace report. The decline is not uniform, manager engagement dropped faster than any other group, and the economic cost of disengagement now exceeds $10 trillion annually.
For HR leaders, these numbers signal that engagement can no longer be treated as a culture initiative separate from business strategy.
Stat 01
20%
global engagement
Global employee engagement hits a five-year low
Global engagement stood at 20% in 2025, down from a peak of 23% in 2022. This is the first time Gallup has recorded two consecutive years of decline, and the drop represents tens of millions of workers who have psychologically checked out of their jobs.
↗ Source: Gallup, State of the Global Workplace 2026
Global engagement rate (2022–2025)
2022 — 23%
2024 — 21%
2025 — 20%
Stat 02
$10T
annual productivity loss
Disengagement costs the global economy $10 trillion a year
Gallup estimates that low engagement now costs the world economy roughly $10 trillion annually, equivalent to about 9% of global GDP. Each percentage point of engagement represents approximately 21 million employees, meaning the three-point drop since 2022 reflects a loss of roughly 63 million engaged workers.
↗ Source: Gallup, State of the Global Workplace 2026
Supporting figures
9%
of global GDP lost
~21M
workers per 1% point
140+
countries surveyed
Stat 03
22%
manager engagement
Manager engagement dropped 5 points in a single year
Manager engagement fell from 27% in 2024 to 22% in 2025, the steepest single-year decline Gallup has recorded for this group. Managers no longer hold an engagement advantage over the people they lead, a shift that matters because team engagement is directly tied to manager engagement.
↗ Source: Gallup, State of the Global Workplace 2026
Engagement by group (2025)
Stat 04
34%
thriving globally
Only 34% of employees say they are thriving in their lives
The share of employees reporting they were thriving rose one point from 33% in 2024 to 34% in 2025, a modest improvement. However, 40% reported daily stress, 23% reported daily sadness, and 22% reported daily loneliness, meaning wellbeing gains remain fragile and unevenly distributed.
↗ Source: Gallup, State of the Global Workplace 2026
Employee wellbeing indicators (2025)
40% report daily stress
23% report daily sadness
22% report daily loneliness
Stat 05
51%
likely to leave
Half of workers at ineffective organizations plan to leave
SHRM’s 2026 State of the Workplace report found that 51% of employees at organizations they consider ineffective at addressing workplace needs say they are at least somewhat likely to leave within the year. By contrast, 77% of employees at organizations they view as effective say it is unlikely they will leave.
↗ Source: SHRM, State of the Workplace 2026
Recruitment and Talent Acquisition Statistics
The U.S. labor market has stabilized after the post-pandemic hiring surge, but filling roles remains costly and slow. Job openings climbed back to 7.6 million in April 2026 while hiring rates softened, pointing to a persistent mismatch between available talent and employer needs.
The cost and time required to hire have both increased, putting pressure on talent acquisition teams to work more efficiently with the same or fewer resources.
Stat 06
7.6M
U.S. job openings
U.S. job openings rose to 7.6 million in April 2026
The number of U.S. job openings increased to 7.6 million in April 2026, up 731,000 from the prior month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS report. Hires fell to 5.1 million over the same period, widening the gap between open roles and actual placements.
↗ Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, JOLTS April 2026
U.S. labor market snapshot (April 2026)
Stat 07
$5,475
avg. cost per hire
Average cost per hire reached $5,475 for non-executive roles
SHRM’s 2025 Benchmarking Report puts the average U.S. cost per hire at $5,475 for non-executive positions, up from earlier benchmarks. Executive hires cost nearly seven times more at $35,879, a figure that has risen 21% since 2022. These figures cover direct recruitment costs only and do not include vacancy losses or ramp-up time.
↗ Source: SHRM, 2025 Benchmarking Report
Cost per hire by role type
Non-executive
$5,475
Average direct recruitment cost per hire across all non-executive roles.
Executive
$35,879
Up 21% since 2022, nearly 7x the non-executive benchmark.
Stat 08
44
days to fill a role
The median time to fill a position sits at 44 days
SHRM benchmarks put the median time to fill at 44 days, with significant variation by role level and company size. At $500 in daily vacancy costs for a mid-level role, a 44-day fill time adds roughly $22,000 in productivity loss before a single recruiting dollar is spent.
↗ Source: SHRM, Human Capital Benchmarking
Median time to fill by role level
Stat 09
81%
using skills-based hiring
81% of companies now use skills-based hiring over traditional resumes
Skills-based hiring has become the dominant screening approach, with 81% of companies now evaluating candidates on demonstrated ability rather than credentials alone, according to SHRM’s 2026 Talent Trends Report. A further 95% of employers expect skills-based hiring to become the standard, and 75% of talent acquisition leaders believe it will overtake degree-based hiring entirely.
↗ Source: SHRM, 2026 Talent Trends Report
Skills-based hiring adoption
81%
use skills-based screening
95%
expect it to become standard
75%
say it will replace degrees
Stat 10
66%
accepted due to experience
Two thirds of candidates accepted an offer because of a positive hiring experience
CareerPlug’s 2025 Candidate Experience Report found that 66% of job applicants accepted an offer specifically because of a positive hiring process. On the other side, 36% declined offers after a negative interview experience and 26% rejected offers due to poor communication or unclear job expectations.
↗ Source: CareerPlug, Candidate Experience Report 2025
How candidate experience affects offer decisions
Employee Turnover and Retention Statistics
U.S. voluntary turnover has moderated from its post-pandemic peak, but the underlying drivers of attrition have not gone away. Employees leave when growth stalls, culture falls short, or managers fail to engage them.
The data from Mercer, BLS, and SHRM tells a more nuanced story than the headline quit rates suggest, and organizations that understand the variation by industry and tenure will set more realistic retention targets.
Stat 11
13.0%
voluntary turnover rate
U.S. voluntary turnover declined to 13% but remains above pre-pandemic levels
Mercer’s 2025 data shows average U.S. voluntary turnover declined from 17.3% in 2023 to 13.0% in 2024, a meaningful drop from the Great Resignation peak. However, the rate is still well above the pre-2020 baseline, and industry variation is significant, ranging from 8.2% in insurance to 26.7% in retail and wholesale.
↗ Source: Mercer, U.S. Turnover Survey 2025
Voluntary turnover trend
2022 — 17.3%
2023 — 15.1%
2024 — 13.0%
Stat 12
8.2%
–26.7%
–26.7%
turnover by industry
Turnover varies from 8.2% in insurance to 26.7% in retail
Industry benchmarks from Mercer show a wide spread in voluntary turnover rates. Insurance sits at the low end at 8.2%, while retail and wholesale reaches 26.7%. Organizations using the national average as a retention target without accounting for their sector risk misreading their own performance.
↗ Source: Mercer, U.S. Turnover Survey 2025
Voluntary turnover rate by industry
Lowest
8.2%
Insurance sector, where long tenure and high specialization keep quit rates low.
Highest
26.7%
Retail and wholesale, driven by part-time roles, seasonal hiring, and limited career paths.
The national average of 13.0% sits between these extremes, making industry benchmarking essential for accurate retention planning.
Stat 13
3.0M
monthly quits (U.S.)
3.0 million Americans voluntarily left their jobs in April 2026
The BLS JOLTS report for April 2026 recorded 3.0 million voluntary separations, holding broadly steady from the prior month. The overall separations rate of 3.3% per month reflects a labor market where workers are still moving, though at a slower pace than the 2022 peak when monthly quits exceeded 4.5 million.
↗ Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, JOLTS April 2026
Monthly separations rate by sector (April 2026)
Stat 14
77%
unlikely to leave
Workplace effectiveness is now a primary retention lever
SHRM’s 2026 State of the Workplace report found that 77% of workers at organizations they view as effective at addressing their needs say it is at least somewhat unlikely they will leave within the year. Among that group, 62% said it is unlikely or very unlikely. The gap between effective and ineffective organizations on this measure is now one of the clearest predictors of retention risk.
↗ Source: SHRM, State of the Workplace 2026
Likelihood of staying by perceived org effectiveness
Ineffective organizations
51%
Say they are at least somewhat likely to leave within the year.
Effective organizations
77%
Say it is at least somewhat unlikely they will leave within the year.
Stat 15
84.6%
retained after 90 days
New hire retention at 90 days dropped sharply in 2025
Only 84.6% of new hires remained employed after three months in 2025, down from 93.9% in 2024, according to HR Dive analysis. A separate finding shows 36% of new hires who left within 90 days cited a mismatch between what the role was described as during hiring and what it turned out to be in practice.
↗ Source: HR Dive, Recruiting Benchmarks 2025
90-day new hire retention rate
2024 — 93.9%
2025 — 84.6%
Remote and Hybrid Work Statistics
Remote work has stabilized as a structural feature of the U.S. labor market, not a temporary pandemic arrangement. The BLS now tracks telework monthly, and the data shows the rate has held between 18% and 24% since late 2022.
The policy debate between employers pushing for return to office and employees holding onto flexibility remains unresolved, but the numbers show hybrid has become the default model for roles where remote work is possible.
Stat 16
22.1%
U.S. telework rate
34.6 million Americans worked remotely in August 2025
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 34.6 million teleworkers in August 2025, a 22.1% telework rate across all employed Americans. The rate has held between 17.9% and 23.8% since late 2022, roughly 3.4 times higher than the 6.5% pre-pandemic baseline recorded in 2019.
↗ Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey 2025
U.S. telework rate over time
2019 — 6.5%
2020 — 35%+
2023 — 20.1%
Aug 2025 — 22.1%
Stat 17
52%
remote-capable workers hybrid
Hybrid is now the default for remote-capable workers
Among employees whose jobs can be performed remotely, Gallup found that 52% work hybrid, 28% are fully remote, and 21% are fully on-site as of early 2026. The hybrid share has held steady as the dominant arrangement for three consecutive years, making it the practical standard rather than a transitional state.
↗ Source: Gallup, Work from Home Research 2026
Work arrangement among remote-capable employees (2026)
Stat 18
38.3%
degree holders telework
Remote work access remains heavily skewed by education level
BLS data from August 2025 shows 38.3% of workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher teleworked, compared to just 3.1% of those without a high school diploma. The gap highlights that flexibility as a workplace benefit is concentrated among higher-paid, higher-educated workers, reinforcing existing labor market inequalities.
↗ Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey August 2025
Telework rate by education level (August 2025)
Stat 19
65%
would leave over RTO
65% of Gen Z and millennial workers would leave if forced back to the office full time
Deloitte’s 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey found that 65% of respondents in those two generations would leave their current job if a full return-to-office mandate were imposed. For employers relying on younger talent, RTO policies carry a direct and measurable attrition risk that offsets any perceived cultural or productivity benefit.
↗ Source: Deloitte, Gen Z and Millennial Survey 2025
Response to full return-to-office mandate
Would leave
65%
Gen Z and millennials who say they would quit if forced back to office five days a week.
CEOs expecting full RTO by 2027
83%
Share of global CEOs who anticipate a full return to in-person work by 2027, per KPMG.
Stat 20
24%
of new job postings hybrid
Hybrid job postings grew from 9% to 24% of all new U.S. roles since 2023
Robert Half’s analysis of over 423,000 U.S. job postings shows hybrid listings grew from 9% of all new postings in early 2023 to 24% by Q4 2025. Fully on-site postings fell from 83% to 66% over the same period. A further 12% of new postings in Q4 2025 were listed as fully remote.
↗ Source: Robert Half, U.S. Job Posting Analysis 2025
U.S. job posting mix by work arrangement (Q4 2025)
AI in the Workplace Statistics
AI adoption at work has moved from experimentation to mainstream use, but the gap between deployment and readiness is widening. Organizations have rolled out tools faster than they have built the cultural and structural foundations to use them well.
The data from McKinsey, Deloitte, and SHRM points to a consistent pattern: the technology is available, but most organizations are not yet getting the returns they expected from it.
Stat 21
76%
of workers using AI
76% of workers were using AI in some capacity by 2025
McKinsey research found that 76% of workers reported using AI in some form by 2025, up from just 30% in 2023. The jump reflects grassroots adoption driven largely by employees bringing their own tools to work rather than waiting for formal organizational deployment.
↗ Source: McKinsey, How AI Is and Isn’t Changing the Future of Work, April 2026
Share of workers using AI at work
2023 — 30%
2024 — 55%
2025 — 76%
Stat 22
88%
organizations using AI
88% of organizations use AI in at least one business function
McKinsey’s 2025 State of AI survey found that 88% of organizations now use AI in at least one business function, up from 78% a year earlier. Despite this wide deployment, only around one-third report that their AI programs have begun to scale beyond pilots, and just 1% describe their rollouts as fully mature.
↗ Source: McKinsey, The State of AI 2025
AI deployment maturity across organizations
Stat 23
1.6x
more likely to miss ROI
Tech-first AI approaches are 1.6 times more likely to fall short of expected returns
Deloitte’s 2026 Global Human Capital Trends report, based on surveys of more than 9,000 leaders across 89 countries, found that organizations taking a technology-first approach to AI are 1.6 times more likely to miss their expected returns compared to those that prioritize human-centered design. Only 6% of leaders report making meaningful progress in designing human and AI interactions deliberately.
↗ Source: Deloitte, 2026 Global Human Capital Trends
AI transformation readiness gaps
Stat 24
92%
CHROs accelerating AI
92% of CHROs anticipate greater AI integration in workforce operations
SHRM’s 2026 CHRO Priorities and Perspectives report, based on a survey of 129 senior HR leaders, found that 92% expect AI integration in workforce operations to increase this year. A further 84% expect upskilling in AI-specific skills to rise, yet only 39% of HR functions have formally adopted AI to date.
↗ Source: SHRM, CHRO Priorities and Perspectives 2026
CHRO expectations on AI in HR (2026)
92%
expect more AI integration
84%
expect AI upskilling to rise
39%
have formally adopted AI in HR
Stat 25
1 in 3
workers hit by 15+ changes
One in three workers experienced 15 major organizational changes in a single year
Deloitte’s 2026 Global Human Capital Trends report found that one-third of workers surveyed experienced 15 or more major changes in the past year alone, with direct effects on wellbeing, workload, and engagement. Only 27% of organizations say they manage change effectively, and just 7% report they are leading in helping their workforce adapt continuously.
↗ Source: Deloitte, 2026 Global Human Capital Trends
Organizational change readiness (2026)
Workers hit by change overload
1 in 3
Experienced 15 or more major organizational changes in the past year.
Organizations managing change well
27%
Say their organization manages change effectively, per Deloitte’s global survey.
Learning, Development, and Skills Statistics
The skills gap is no longer a future problem; it is a current operational constraint. SHRM, LinkedIn, and Deloitte all point to the same pattern: organizations know their workforces lack the skills needed for the next phase of work, but most are not building the systems to close that gap at the pace required.
Learning and development has moved from a retention benefit to a core business function, and the organizations treating it that way are pulling ahead.
Stat 26
58%
HR leaders affected
58% of HR leaders say skills shortages have caused project delays
SHRM’s 2026 Talent Trends Report, drawn from a survey of 2,094 HR professionals, found that 58% say skills shortages have caused project delays in the past year. A further 51% report that projects have been canceled entirely as a result. The functions most affected are those tied directly to talent strategy and organizational performance.
↗ Source: SHRM, 2026 Talent Trends Report
Business impact of skills shortages
Projects delayed
58%
HR leaders who say skills shortages caused project delays in the past year.
Projects canceled
51%
HR leaders who report projects were canceled entirely due to talent gaps.
Stat 27
86%
of organizations
86% of organizations cannot clearly see their current skills or mobilize talent in real time
LinkedIn’s 2026 Talent Velocity Advantage Report found that 86% of organizations say they cannot clearly identify their existing skills, cannot mobilize talent when needed, and cannot keep pace with AI-driven change. Only 14% of leaders report their organization is on track, and those companies are already recording measurably better hiring, retention, and learning outcomes.
↗ Source: LinkedIn, 2026 Talent Velocity Advantage Report
Talent velocity readiness split
Not on track
86%
Cannot see skills, mobilize talent, or keep pace with AI-driven change.
On track
14%
Have mature learning cultures, skills visibility, and integrated talent systems.
Stat 28
49%
L&D professionals concerned
49% of L&D professionals say executives are worried employees lack the right skills
LinkedIn’s 2025 Workplace Learning Report found that 49% of talent and learning development professionals agree their executives are concerned that employees do not have the skills needed to execute business strategy. The report identifies this skills anxiety as a key driver of increased L&D investment, even as resource constraints and manager bandwidth limit how much development actually happens.
↗ Source: LinkedIn, Workplace Learning Report 2025
Top barriers to career development (L&D professionals)
Stat 29
79%
adopting skills-based approach
79% of companies are adopting a skills-based approach to hiring, training, and careers
TalentLMS’s 2026 L&D Report found that 79% of HR managers say their company is now adopting a skills-based approach across hiring, training, and career development. A further 62% are already automating tasks with AI to address talent shortages, and 84% believe generative AI will help close skills gaps over the next two years.
↗ Source: TalentLMS, L&D Report 2026
Skills-based organization adoption
79%
skills-based approach adopted
62%
automating tasks via AI
84%
say AI will close skills gaps
Stat 30
46%
CHROs cite leadership dev
Leadership development is the top CHRO priority for the second consecutive year
SHRM’s 2026 CHRO Priorities and Perspectives report found that 46% of CHROs cite leadership and manager development as their top priority, marking the second straight year it has ranked first. Employee experience ranked second at 29%, while workplace culture came in third at 31%, up sharply from 15% in 2025.
↗ Source: SHRM, CHRO Priorities and Perspectives 2026
Top CHRO priorities for 2026
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statistics
The business case for DEI remains strong and well-documented, but progress at the leadership level has been slow relative to the workforce overall.
McKinsey’s multi-year research across more than 1,000 companies consistently links top-quartile diversity to above-average profitability, while BLS data shows representation gaps at senior levels persist across every demographic group. For HR leaders, the data points to a clear execution problem rather than a motivation problem.
Read this detailed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statistics
Stat 31
36%
more likely to outperform
Top-quartile ethnic diversity companies are 36% more likely to outperform on profitability
McKinsey’s research across more than 1,000 companies in 23 countries found that those in the top quartile for ethnic diversity are 36% more likely to achieve above-average profitability relative to their national industry median. Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 25% more likely to outperform. The performance advantage is strongest when diversity exists at the executive level.
↗ Source: McKinsey, Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters
Profitability outperformance likelihood by diversity quartile
Gender diversity (top quartile)
25%
More likely to achieve above-average profitability vs. bottom-quartile peers.
Ethnic diversity (top quartile)
36%
More likely to achieve above-average profitability vs. bottom-quartile peers.
Stat 32
81
women promoted per 100 men
Only 81 women are promoted to manager for every 100 men at the same level
McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace 2025 research found that for every 100 men promoted from entry level to manager, only 81 women make the same move. For women of color, the figure drops to 73. This gap at the first step into management, often called the broken rung, compounds through every subsequent level and is the primary structural reason women remain underrepresented in senior leadership.
↗ Source: McKinsey, Women in the Workplace 2025
Promotions to manager per 100 men promoted
Stat 33
39%
of U.S. workforce
39% of the U.S. workforce now represents ethnic and racial minorities
Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2025 shows that ethnic and racial minorities now make up 39% of the U.S. workforce, up from 35% in 2020. Despite this increase in overall representation, leadership diversity lags significantly, with women and people of color holding a much smaller share of C-suite and senior management roles than their workforce presence would suggest.
↗ Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey 2025
U.S. workforce racial and ethnic composition (2025)
Stat 34
76%
consider DEI when job hunting
76% of job seekers say a company’s DEI commitment influences their decision to apply
LinkedIn research found that 76% of employees and job seekers consider workforce diversity when evaluating employers. Among Gen Z specifically, 86% are more likely to stay with employers that actively support DEI initiatives, according to Catalyst’s 2025 research. Organizations scaling back visible DEI efforts face a measurable talent attraction and retention risk with younger workers.
↗ Source: LinkedIn; Catalyst, Risks of Retreat 2025
DEI influence on talent decisions
76%
consider DEI when evaluating employers
86%
Gen Z more likely to stay with DEI employers
Stat 35
11%
of Fortune 500 CEOs are women
Women hold 11% of Fortune 500 CEO roles, a record high but still a small fraction
As of 2025, 55 of the 500 largest U.S. companies by revenue are led by women, representing 11% of the list and a record high according to Fortune. Only 9 Fortune 500 companies have a Black CEO. Women of color make up just 1 in 16 C-suite leaders overall, reflecting how the representation gap compounds at the intersection of gender and race.
↗ Source: Fortune, Fortune 500 Women CEOs 2025
C-suite representation gaps (2025)
Employee Wellbeing and Burnout Statistics
Burnout is no longer a fringe issue affecting a subset of workers. The data from DHR Global, Gallup, and SHRM consistently shows that the majority of the workforce is carrying some level of burnout, and its effects on engagement, productivity, and retention are measurable.
The organizations making progress are those treating wellbeing as an operational input rather than a standalone HR program.
Stat 36
83%
workers experiencing burnout
83% of workers report at least some degree of burnout in 2026
DHR Global’s 2026 Workforce Trends Report, based on a survey of 1,500 corporate professionals across North America, Europe, and Asia, found that 83% of workers feel at least some degree of burnout, consistent with the 82% recorded in 2025. Burnout is most pronounced in retail at 62%, healthcare at 61%, and tech at 58%.
↗ Source: DHR Global, Workforce Trends Report 2026
Moderate to extreme burnout by industry (2026)
Stat 37
52%
say burnout drags engagement
52% of workers say burnout is directly dragging down their engagement
DHR Global’s 2026 report found that 52% of workers say burnout negatively affects their engagement, up from 34% in 2025. The jump of 18 percentage points in a single year signals that burnout has crossed from a personal health issue into a direct organizational performance problem that HR leaders can no longer address through wellness programs alone.
↗ Source: DHR Global, Workforce Trends Report 2026
Burnout impact on engagement (year over year)
2025 — 34%
2026 — 52%
Stat 38
40%
report daily stress
40% of employees globally reported experiencing daily stress in 2025
Gallup’s 2026 State of the Global Workplace report found that 40% of employees reported daily stress, 23% reported daily sadness, and 22% reported daily loneliness across 160 countries. These figures held even as the share of employees reporting they were thriving edged up to 34%, pointing to a workforce where surface-level satisfaction coexists with significant underlying strain.
↗ Source: Gallup, State of the Global Workplace 2026
Daily negative emotions reported globally (2025)
Stat 39
58%
HR professionals overextended
58% of HR professionals report working beyond their limits
SHRM’s 2026 State of the Workplace report found that 58% of HR professionals say they are working beyond their capacity, a figure that has remained consistent across 2023, 2024, and 2025. A further 55% say their teams are operating with insufficient staff. The people responsible for managing employee wellbeing are themselves among the most overextended workers in the organization.
↗ Source: SHRM, State of the Workplace 2026
HR team capacity challenges (2026)
Working beyond limits
58%
HR professionals who say they regularly work beyond their capacity.
Understaffed teams
55%
HR professionals and executives who say their teams operate with insufficient staff.
Stat 40
71%
cite development as top driver
Professional development is the top driver of employee engagement in 2026
DHR Global’s 2026 Workforce Trends Report found that 71% of workers cite professional development as the top driver of their engagement, ahead of remote and hybrid work at 63% and access to generative AI tools at 55%. The finding is consistent with McKinsey and LinkedIn data showing that meaningful work and career growth remain the most stable predictors of whether employees stay engaged regardless of broader market conditions.
↗ Source: DHR Global, Workforce Trends Report 2026
Top drivers of employee engagement (2026)
Conclusion
Global employee engagement has now fallen for two consecutive years, manager burnout is accelerating, and the gap between AI deployment and workforce readiness is widening across nearly every sector. At the same time, voluntary turnover has moderated, hybrid work has stabilized as a structural norm, and organizations in the top quartile for diversity consistently outperform their peers financially.
The picture is not uniformly bleak, but the data makes clear that the organizations gaining ground are those treating engagement, skills development, and culture as operational priorities rather than HR programs running in parallel to the business.
For HR leaders, the most actionable signal across all of this research is straightforward: the gap between what workers need and what organizations deliver is now the primary driver of both attrition risk and lost productivity.
Sources
| Source | Publisher | Year | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| State of the Global Workplace 2026 | Gallup | 2026 | ↗ View source |
| State of the Workplace 2026 | SHRM | 2026 | ↗ View source |
| 2026 Talent Trends Report | SHRM | 2026 | ↗ View source |
| CHRO Priorities and Perspectives 2026 | SHRM | 2026 | ↗ View source |
| Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), April 2026 | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2026 | ↗ View source |
| Current Population Survey, Telework Data | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2025 | ↗ View source |
| 2026 Global Human Capital Trends | Deloitte | 2026 | ↗ View source |
| The State of AI 2025 | McKinsey | 2025 | ↗ View source |
| How AI Is and Isn’t Changing the Future of Work | McKinsey | 2026 | ↗ View source |
| U.S. Turnover Survey 2025 | Mercer | 2025 | ↗ View source |
| Workforce Trends Report 2026 | DHR Global | 2026 | ↗ View source |
| Talent Velocity Advantage Report 2026 | 2026 | ↗ View source | |
| Workplace Learning Report 2025 | 2025 | ↗ View source | |
| L&D Report 2026 | TalentLMS | 2026 | ↗ View source |
| Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters | McKinsey | 2020 | ↗ View source |
| Women in the Workplace 2025 | McKinsey | 2025 | ↗ View source |
| Risks of Retreat Report 2025 | Catalyst | 2025 | ↗ View source |
| Fortune 500 Women CEOs 2025 | Fortune | 2025 | ↗ View source |
| Candidate Experience Report 2025 | CareerPlug | 2025 | ↗ View source |
| Gen Z and Millennial Survey 2025 | Deloitte | 2025 | ↗ View source |
| U.S. Job Posting Analysis 2025 | Robert Half | 2025 | ↗ View source |
