As AI becomes part of everyday work, HR leaders have an opportunity to spend less time managing processes and more time helping people build new skills and thrive at work
Editor’s note: This content is sponsored by Sprout Solutions and was handled by BrandRap, the sales and marketing arm of Rappler. No member of the news and editorial team participated in the publishing of this piece.
For much of its history, HR has been expected to do two jobs at once. One is keeping the organization running — hiring, payroll, compliance, documentation, and the administrative work that keeps the business afloat. The other is developing people — coaching first-time managers, strengthening workplace culture, and helping employees grow in their careers.
Those responsibilities have always competed for the same finite resource: time. As AI becomes more embedded in the workplace, that dynamic is beginning to change.
That shift is reflected in the findings of the “State of HR Report 2026”, published by Sprout Solutions and BS Works. Surveying 3,500+ employees nationwide across 13 industries, the report examines how employees are using AI, where organizations are falling behind, and what those trends could mean for the future of work.
