HR pulse report

HR pulse report 2026: Inside the people profession is the CIPD’s new annual snapshot of the people profession, supported by talent and coaching consultancy Talking Talent.

While these findings are based on UK data, the broader trends and implications should be of interest wherever you are based.

Download the report, scroll down to explore the key findings and watch the video.

Explore the report

HR pulse 2026 | report

Download the report

PDF document 3.2 MB

About the author

Rebecca Peters, Senior Policy and Practice Adviser, joined the CIPD research team in 2019, with experience as both a practitioner and a researcher in health and wellbeing at work. Now, Rebecca’s focus at the CIPD is developing HR practice and capability through research-driven projects. Rebecca has a master’s degree in occupational psychology and applies psychological theory to the workplace to create positive change, where both people and businesses can thrive.

About Talking Talent

Talking Talent is a coaching-led consultancy that targets what’s really holding talent back. Not surface fixes. Not cosmetic change. The structural, behavioural and cultural patterns that can sabotage performance. We coach leaders to lead more effectively. We support working parents, carers and returning talent so skills aren’t lost and potential isn’t left behind. And we understand that whole-person wellbeing, the blur between life and work and everything people carry with them, isn’t a distraction from performance. It’s central to it. Through individual and group coaching, we turn insight into action. No jargon. No theatre. Just sharp thinking, honest conversations and behavioural change that sticks.

We should talk about that.