PNC mandates 5-day RTO starting May 4

Whispers about a return to full-time office work have been stirring at PNC since CEO Bill Demchak said in a December fireside chat that remote work “hurts” companies.

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • Jan. 16, 2026

‘No Other Choice’ reflects the job market right now, data shows

The Park Chan-wook thriller about a man who takes out his job competition may be over-the-top, but it gets to the heart of what job-seekers are going through, data shows.

By Caroline Colvin • Jan. 16, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Top trends in employee development

Amid hiring freezes, employee development may be more important than ever.

By HR Dive staff

Culture dissonance and AI among top workplace challenges in 2026

As companies embrace new technology, CHROs will need to focus on personal interactions in order to counteract these impacts, according to Gartner.  

By Lara Ewen • Jan. 16, 2026

Butterball piece-rate employee can’t revive wage claim, 4th Circuit says

The turkey loader’s claim of withheld pay was invalid, the North Carolina federal court and 4th Circuit agreed.

By Caroline Colvin • Jan. 15, 2026

This week in 5 numbers: Companies see 50 more applicants per role

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including how likely candidates are to score an interview from an online application.

By Ginger Christ • Jan. 15, 2026

Nearly 40% of top execs say they weighed quitting in the past year

A third of respondents cited the desire for a better work-life balance as their primary reason for wanting to leave. Other motivations included burnout, stress and the need for promotion.

By Alexei Alexis • Jan. 15, 2026

In 2026, workers want tangible job security and professional agility, Adecco finds

Only a third of organizations invest in data needed to understand how employees can transition into new internal roles, according to the report.

By Laurel Kalser • Jan. 15, 2026

Front-line supervisors are often promoted without leadership skills, Gallup says

Employees tend to “rise to a level of respective incompetence,” being promoted “until their performance declines,” a report found.

By Lara Ewen • Jan. 15, 2026

SHRM research finds ‘chasm’ emerging between supportive, unsupportive employers

In response, HR departments told the organization they will prioritize leadership and management development this year.

By Ryan Golden • Jan. 14, 2026

Gender pay gap in healthcare still exists, analysis shows

Despite being overrepresented in the field, women in healthcare are still paid less than their male peers, according to Premier Law Group data analysis.

By Caroline Colvin • Jan. 14, 2026

Companies are hiring faster from a deeper talent pool

Three-month retention rates have dropped, but full-year retention rates have nearly doubled, according to new data from Employ.

By Lara Ewen • Jan. 14, 2026

Recruiters are doing more ‘legwork’ to find candidates, Glassdoor finds

Even as recruiter sourcing increases, online applications led to 1.5 times as many job offers compared to all other sources combined, Glassdoor said.

By Kathryn Moody • Jan. 14, 2026

SCOTUS asks White House to opine on shipbuilders’ no-poach dispute

Employees in the case alleged that several companies maintained an “unwritten rule” not to hire each other’s naval engineers and conspired to suppress wages.

By Ryan Golden • Jan. 13, 2026

Employees say narrative-based performance reviews are the fairest

Workers aren’t always sure how to improve when given numerical feedback, the study found.

By Ginger Christ • Jan. 13, 2026

How Sprouts gamifies employee training

Swapping out longer learning modules for “bite-sized” games has improved associate performance, the grocer shared at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show.

By Peyton Bigora • Jan. 13, 2026

Front-line workers say pay and flexibility are top 2026 priorities

Nearly half of those surveyed said there were two separate cultures at their workplaces: one for front-line employees and one for everyone else.

By Lara Ewen • Jan. 13, 2026

If AI kills the entry-level job, employers may not be ready for what comes next

The technology so far hasn’t eliminated such roles, experts told HR Dive, but it may be creating a massive talent gap that will be difficult to overcome.

By Kathryn Moody • Jan. 13, 2026

In the age of AI, REI is turning to its human employees to win

The retailer’s “green vest” associates serve as a key differentiator both in stores and online, according to CEO Mary Beth Laughton.

By Caroline Jansen • Jan. 12, 2026

What does a learning leader look like in 2026?

A report from the Association for Talent Development paints a portrait of today's L&D professional — but the role also may be ripe for evolution.

By Caroline Colvin • Jan. 12, 2026

Employers plan to hire ‘aggressively’ in 2026 — but only for certain roles

More than half of hiring managers also said that layoffs are on the table, particularly in early 2026 as companies rebalance their talent stacks.

By Lara Ewen • Jan. 12, 2026

Salary increases are top of mind for workers amid economic anxiety

Most employees said they planned to stay at their jobs in 2026, but burnout and layoffs have workers concerned, according to a Monster report.

By Lara Ewen • Jan. 9, 2026

December jobs report wraps up a year of uncertainty

“The next phase of the job market will be defined less by headline growth and more by where work is truly needed,” one leader said.

By Kathryn Moody • Jan. 9, 2026

This week in 5 numbers: Lonely workers say they miss more work

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including the number of companies who cite a lack of relevant experience among candidates as a major barrier to hiring.

By Ginger Christ • Jan. 8, 2026

Workers use time saved by AI to improve their roles, Indeed finds

Studies repeatedly identify employer encouragement and training as key to AI transformation.

By Laurel Kalser • Jan. 8, 2026

GameStop floats CEO pay entirely tied to performance

Ryan Cohen would have to reach sky-high goals to receive the lucrative compensation, a setup resembling Elon Musk’s at Tesla.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 8, 2026