The HRCI Research Hub brings together original studies, workforce polling, reports, and expert analysis, so you can act on what's happening now and prepare for what's next.
The State of HR Featured ReportsManaging the Changing Workplace: A Framework for HR
From return-to-office decisions and hybrid work to contractors and other non-traditional workers, this HRCI report explores the latest research and how HR can use data to make more informed, evidence-based workplace decisions.
Original research and expert analysis on the issues shaping HR today, from workforce safety and emerging technology to DEI and employee well-being.
From career paths to culture, this research identifies what actually separates HR professionals who are just getting by from those who are truly fulfilled—and what leaders can do to close that gap and build a more committed team.
This research uncovers where professional development is falling short, from misaligned training priorities to gaps in AI readiness, and what it takes to build a workforce equipped for what's next.
From bullying, political tension to substance use and violence prevention, this research covers workplace safety—what the data reveals, what's at stake, and what you can do to reduce risk and build a more resilient organization.
From rising absenteeism to safety risks, HRCI research reveals how extreme weather is reshaping workforce management and what HR can do now.
The State of HR
Based on HRCI’s survey of thousands of HR professionals, the State of HR report examines the issues defining the profession today. From AI and workplace culture to talent, leadership, and career growth, the report reveals how HR teams are adapting to change and preparing for the future. Explore the data, trends, and insights shaping the world of work below.
Download the Full ReportState of HR Spotlight Reports
Half of HR professionals work in environments marked by polarized viewpoints, and 4 in 10 describe their stress as extreme or high. Find out what the data reveals about conflict, mental health, and what it means for your organization.
HR professionals are broadly optimistic about their field — but over 4 in 10 are considering careers outside of it. Explore what's driving both the enthusiasm and the tension, and what it takes to build a team of true HR believers.
71% of HR professionals use AI regularly, yet more than half say implementing new technology is the area they feel least prepared to handle. See where the preparation gap is widest and what needs to change now.
83% of HR professionals believe remote work benefits organizations—but the debate is far from settled. Get the data on where HR stands on flexibility, productivity, and the return-to-office conversation.
More Insights for HR Professionals
Explore the issues shaping HR today and get the data you need to lead with confidence, make informed decisions, and move the profession forward.
Recovery friendly workplaces reduce absenteeism, improve retention, and strengthen workplace culture—yet most organizations haven't made meaningful progress. This HRCI and Fors Marsh research reveals why: stigma, undertrained HR teams, and weak leadership buy-in top the list. Understand where the gaps are and what organizations that get it right do differently.
Earning an HRCI certification builds earning power. Within four years, the median HRCI certificant earns 33% more than they did before getting certified. That's double the salary growth of comparable HR professionals over the same period. See what the data shows about the career and financial impact of HRCI certification.
HR is ready to lead, but is the organization ready to let it? This 2024 HRCI and MindEdge research report surfaces a striking disconnect: while 88% of HR professionals believe HR should drive business strategy, only half say leadership agrees. Add in underfunding, understaffing, and persistent burnout, and the case for rethinking HR's role has never been stronger.
AI is reshaping the workplace, and HR professionals are watching closely. This HRCI and MindEdge survey of HR practitioners reveals how the profession is navigating AI adoption, persistent burnout, rising turnover, and the evolving push and pull of remote work. Find out where your peers stand, and what the data means for the work you do every day.
Browse our complete library of research reports, guides, and frameworks. Whether you're building a business case, navigating a workforce challenge, or staying ahead of what's next, the intelligence you need is here.
Over three-quarters of HR professionals use AI weekly, but most have had little to no training. Learn how to build real confidence and capability starting today.
Explore how HR can turn AI adoption into a strategic advantage—balancing innovation with ethical responsibility.
This research-backed guide gives HR professionals the data and practical steps to build a recovery-friendly culture that reduces risk and supports your people.
The report explores the realities of managing DEI programs in today’s climate—where values alignment, stakeholder trust, and business performance are all on the line.
This report provides critical insights and actionable strategies for HR leaders to foster a more harmonious and productive work environment.
HRCI webinars go beyond the basics. Each session unpacks the trends, data, and real-world strategies HR professionals need to lead with confidence today and adapt to what's coming next.
News and perspectives on the issues driving the HR profession forward.
When I talk with HR professionals, a version of the same question keeps coming up: "Why do some people thrive in this work while others burn out or check out?"
HRCI decided to stop speculating and look for a real answer. What the data showed us was instructive, and possibly not what most leaders would expect.
Compensation, benefits, and other incentives matter, but they don't move the needle the way most organizations assume. Our research points to factors that may be less tangible: professional development, a visible career path, adequate resources, and a culture that genuinely values HR.
HR teams are absorbing some of the most disruptive workplace forces we've seen in generations—return-to-office friction, anxiety over artificial intelligence, a shifting regulatory environment, and geopolitical polarization and conflict. Understanding what truly drives fulfillment can help ensure we are appropriately attracting, recognizing, and retaining the "people responsible for our people."
We started with HRCI's 2026 State of HR report, which examined how HR professionals feel about their job and their field. The top-line numbers were encouraging: 76% of respondents said they enjoy working in HR, and 64% are hopeful about the future of the profession. But underneath that, stress levels are high, workloads are growing, and more than a quarter of respondents said they have no clear career path.
To understand what was driving those differences, we asked our data specialists to go deeper. We wanted to know what separates genuinely fulfilled HR professionals from everyone else, and what workplace conditions create that distinction. That work became our latest white paper, The Secret Ingredients of Workplace Fulfillment.
Our data specialists began by defining a group we call HR Evangelists: people who enjoy working in HR, who would recommend the field to others, and who aren't considering leaving the profession. About 37% of respondents met all three criteria.
I wanted to understand what set them apart—and what, if anything, leaders could do about it.
Initial results showed clear patterns. HR Evangelists are more likely to be managers and more likely to work in departments that are stable or growing. Departments with steady or rising budgets and staffing produce HR Evangelists at a rate of 45%, compared with 35% in departments showing signs of decline.
We wanted to understand the conditions leaders could shape, so we looked specifically for variables within a manager's reasonable control—ones with a measurable impact on whether someone becomes an HR Evangelist.
Four themes emerged: preparedness, purpose, relevance, and support. None of them surprised me... but what did was how clearly the data showed their weight.
Preparedness. The single most powerful driver of HR Evangelist status is whether someone feels they have access to relevant, high-quality professional development. Those who describe their department as completely prepared are nearly three times more likely to qualify as HR Evangelists than those who feel minimally prepared.
Purpose. Being an HR Evangelist is closely tied to believing you have a future in this profession. When people see (or are shown) a path forward in their organization, it changes how they show up. When that vision doesn't exist, it shows too.
Relevance. HR Evangelists want to make a difference, and HR Evangelist status correlates strongly with whether leadership visibly values HR and whether people believe their department operates strategically. The honest picture here is sobering: only 22% of HR professionals feel highly valued by leadership, and just 37% consider their department a strong or essential strategic contributor. Building a more visible, strategic, and relevant HR function has been a rallying cry in our profession for years, and this data gives us one more reason to stay focused on it.
Support. Forty percent of HR professionals report extreme or high stress. Lower stress is meaningfully associated with HR Evangelist status. If our people are overworked or understaffed, the other factors are less impactful.
It can feel overwhelming to address all four themes at once. The good news is that the factors with the most impact are also the ones most directly within a manager's control.
Invest in relevant, high-quality HR training. Many managers give their teams latitude to choose their own development. While some flexibility is important, those individual choices aren't always well aligned with team or enterprise needs. A better approach is to proactively vet options. Curate a range of formats, price points, and time commitments, and resist the temptation to equate cost with quality.
Strengthen HR career pathways. HR professionals are constantly pulled in several directions, but that doesn't negate that HR is its own distinct and important function with real growth potential. Define the challenges your team needs to solve, lay out the skills and experience required to meet them, and make clear that building those skills leads somewhere.
These themes reinforce each other—and can undermine each other when they're out of balance. A manager who invests in development without clarifying career paths may end up with professionals who are skilled but directionless. One who elevates HR's strategic voice without addressing workload may increase pressure rather than engagement. The leaders who build the most fulfilled teams treat these elements as a system.
HR has never needed strong, committed professionals more than it does right now. This research tells me that those professionals don't appear by accident; they're built, deliberately, by leaders who understand what matters to the people doing this work.
About the Author Amy Schabacker Dufrane, Ed.D., SPHR, CAE, is CEO of HRCI, where she drives strategic conversations about building high-performing HR teams. An award-winning thought leader at the intersection of talent strategy and continuous learning, Dr. Dufrane is a celebrated keynote speaker on the human side of successful business strategy.
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