The Top 5 Human Resource Management Challenges for 2026
The HR function has become a source of strategic guidance for decisions in every part of the business. But the elevated role also comes with new challenges—learn how to solve them below.
Editorial Strategist, HR
Read BioMaria Valero is the editorial strategist for HR topics on Workday’s thought leadership team. She loves to develop content that is helpful and relevant to people leaders' pain points, opportunities, and industry moments to help create a consistent drumbeat of conversation and connection.
Before joining Workday, Maria led global integrated marketing campaigns, where she discovered that thought leadership was her favorite part of that work.
She holds a bachelor's degree in business marketing from the University of Washington.
The HR function has become a source of strategic guidance for decisions in every part of the business. But the elevated role also comes with new challenges—learn how to solve them below.
The world of work is changing fast. To succeed, leading organizations and future-ready professionals are making a commitment to upskilling and lifelong learning to prepare for new jobs and skills requirements of the future.
Change is happening fast, and organizations must reskill, redesign, and meet the moment—or be at risk of falling behind. With competing priorities running rampant, these three key areas can help build a future-ready workforce of tomorrow.
The future of AI in the workplace is collaborative for humans and AI. As traditional roles and workflows become more automated, new opportunities are emerging for human workers to use AI tools.
Employee engagement drives productivity, retention, and innovation—but it remains invisible without the right metrics. To make engagement an advantage, HR leaders need the right engagement KPI to turn insights into strategic action.
Distinguishing between recruiting and talent acquisition unlocks both immediate hiring success and strategic workforce development. Master this balance to plug critical skill gaps and build the relationships that fuel tomorrow’s growth.
Strategic workforce planning turns uncertainty into opportunity by aligning your talent strategy with evolving business objectives. With a structured framework, companies can anticipate gaps and make data-driven workforce decisions with confidence.