The world of talent acquisition is constantly changing – and 2025 has been no exception to the rule. Talent acquisition (TA) leader expectations are only mounting, with requirements to reshape workforces to build resiliency and efficiency both short- and long-term. This has led many to turn to AI, automation, and data analytics to perform in-role and deliver strategic value for their organizations.
Many discussions are shaping around how to stay relevant with growing lists and shrinking budgets. As we enter 2026, it’s important to know where to lean in, and where to withdraw when efforts aren’t being met with results. This reimagining of talent leaders will define 2026 – on doing more, smarter, with the data and storytelling to prove success.
Here are the trends impacting talent leaders for 2026, and how you can prepare:
Stakeholders are focused on gaining maximum value out of AI’s capabilities today rather than mere hype. For TA leaders, that means leveraging the right tools to add value, like routine administrative tasks like screening resumés in your company's ATS and establishing a chatbot for candidate communications. It’s important to not focus on the volume of tools but strategically utilizing the right tools to produce purposeful outcomes that go beyond TA.
Whether simplifying workflows, scheduling interviews, or optimizing job descriptions through language learning models (LLMs), it’s key when implementing AI that human connection still remains at the forefront. For example, when crafting outreach messages for automated chatbot responses and emails, you can still ensure the tone is warm and inviting and reflective of your company’s employer branding so it emulates real-time conversations.
When implemented strategically, AI has the power to accelerate hiring and success in your organization beyond TA.
Because of ever-evolving expectations, it’s important to stay open and adaptable to what defines success in your organization. For example, rather than time-to-hire as a major metric, TA leaders can shift the conversation to quality-of-hire to reinforce long-term success. Connecting new hire performance within their first 90-120 days to business outcomes bolsters your recruitment strategy and broadens conversations around what led to hiring great fits for the company. That way, it can continue to be replicated, while improvements and adjustments can be made along the way.
Additionally, positive wins will also lead the way for investing in lasting outcomes around retention and ongoing improvements rather than focusing too much on expediency and immediate results. It’s important for TA leaders to reevaluate these shifts for both a more sustainable workforce not only in recruitment, but the rest of the organization as well. It’s no simple feat to balance quality and speed, but reevaluating what metrics are scrutinized in 2026 will help shift conversations around both tangible and intangible outcomes.
The skills conversation has been an ongoing one, and for good reason. With ever-changing business priorities, the rise of multigenerational workforces, and AI tools changing team structures, more and more people will need to be reskilled and upskilled over time. Rather than relying on what someone’s studied or achieved, a skills-based approach evaluates someone’s potential to continue learning and growing in new areas over time. This is a massive opportunity for TA leaders to seize a skills-first approach as a way to directly align with the business’s capabilities and priorities. If your organization hasn’t yet embraced a skills-first approach, a great way to start is to run a pilot in a department or specific area that’s manageable with current resources and time. This helps create excitement around the project and make progress into other areas that require a shift, such as systems, culture, and capability.
Skills-based hiring isn’t a one-time switch – it’s a complete transformation in how people are hired, skilled, and trained. This happens at every touchpoint of someone’s journey as a candidate and employee, which requires alignment across all areas of the business. With consistency, alignment, and long-term persistence that leadership all support, a skills-first approach is not only possible, it’s a pathway to thinking more strategically about workforces, and will continue to be a major part of TA planning in 2026.
Sharing dashboards is no longer enough – it’s about how you translate those numbers into actionable results that prove value across the business. Rather than sharing the number of new hires in a given month, add context, options, and impact through storytelling on how they became a hire. What led them to choosing you over other companies? Was there a certain communication feature, such as SMS communication or even employee stories on the careers website page, that differentiated you?
Telling business-relevant stories with talent intelligence will no doubt feed right into strategy and reinforce TA's value. This gives you a competitive edge throughout the entire recruitment process, from sourcing relevant candidates in specific areas or even making informed decisions on where to open a new facility or office. From there, you’ll be armed with plenty of information to answer “so what?” when asked how incumbent hires and new employees are laddering back to the overall workforce strategy and success.
We have a thorough report on how you can get started in your skills-based journey, no matter where you are in the process. Learn more here about ways to start a skills-based pilot project and establish a taxonomy to better understand where skills gaps exist in your company.
While workforce strategy has become pivotal as a TA leader to weave it into everything you do, championing workplace culture is equally important. Not because there’s a profitable metric connected to it, but because of its long-term benefits to your organization. Right now, despite having fewer resources, leaning into your company’s value propositions and authenticity will do wonders for attracting and retaining people. Because of ongoing uncertainties, prioritizing wellness, learning and development, and internal mobility must continue to be top of mind. Fostering workplace community not only helps with overall wellness, but also facilitates safety and inspiration in everyday ideating. It also furthers collaboration – which has the power to boost productivity and profitability.
It’s not easy balancing short-term and long-term wins, but investing in your people’s development and growth is always a way to invoke loyalty and dedication back. It’s in this relationship where magic truly can nurture new ideas and ways of doing things in spite of fewer resources and time.
Proving success is a constantly moving target in business today. The key is leaning into your people and using data and AI to reinforce value and long-term sustainability into all parts of the business. With bigger goals and shortening deadlines, these are the major trends for 2026 we’re seeing in the market that you can leverage to stay ahead and stay sustainable. At the core, building resiliency, adaptability, and coordinating growth will all be pivotal areas for opportunity moving forward. It’s all about leaning into what’s right and what’s most strategically advantageous for your company.