What are the 5 trends that will mark people management in 2026?

The discussion about the future of work no longer focuses on technology, but on how people and organizations adapt to it.

That was the main conclusion of People Day 2025, which brought together business leaders, academics and specialists in organizational culture to analyze the challenges that will define talent management in the coming years.

From the multiple presentations, five trends emerged that will mark the human resources agenda in 2026: human leadership, well-being, continuous learning, purpose and positive energy. They all agree on one point: technology advances, but talent will continue to be the center.

Human leadership. Management based on listening and coherence replaces vertical schemes. “At Central there are no hierarchies, there is integration; we listen more than we order, because innovation comes from the team,” said Virgilio Martínez, chef and founder of the Central restaurant, considered the best in the world.
Continuous learning. For Vidal Flores, corporate HR manager of the EFE Group, the organizations that survive will be those that learn faster than their environment. “Talent, leadership and culture are the three key fronts. In the face of uncertainty, constant learning is the most powerful tool to sustain competitiveness,” he stated.
Comprehensive well-being. After the pandemic, well-being stopped being a benefit and became a strategy. “We live in the era of the rise of human resources. Culture is the essence of the organization and the basis of its sustainability,” said José Carlos Ascarza, global manager of Human Talent at the AJE Group. His message was complemented by Rubén Sánchez, CEO of Grupo San Antonio, who stressed: “The true differential will be in the ability to connect data with empathy and maintain the human sense in each decision.”
Purpose and motivation. The lack of challenge can also be draining. Happiness Scientist Estefanie Martens, founder of The Happiest Project, warned about boreout, a phenomenon caused by monotony and disconnection from personal goals. “Unlike burnout, this discomfort does not arise from overwork, but from lack of purpose,” he explained.
Positive energy and self-leadership. Emotional management and mental well-being will be key competencies. This was emphasized by Jorge Rosas, former director of Human Resources at Disney and CEO of WeWow: “Leading oneself is the first step to inspiring by example. Recovering energy requires combining faith, purpose, passion and commitment.”

“Technology will continue to evolve, but human leadership will continue to be irreplaceable. Organizations that prioritize purpose, well-being and learning will be the ones that manage to inspire their teams and sustain their growth over time,” said Sebastián Ausin, country manager of Buk in Peru.