The year 2026 brings new challenges for HR departments. Employers must adapt to new pay transparency regulations, while at the same time increasing the effectiveness of employee benefit packages and developing effective talent retention strategies. Global reports (Aon, Deloitte, WEF) as well as Polish studies (including Hays and Randstad) show that HR is on the brink of a major transformation—spanning organizational culture, tools, and legal regulations. At Aon Poland, we have analyzed the key trends based on data from the latest market reports.
TREND 1. Pay Transparency
At the end of 2025, the long-awaited draft law implementing the EU directive on pay transparency into the Polish legal system was published. The “secrecy of pay” is becoming a thing of the past. For the Polish market, this is not only a legal change, but also a cultural revolution. In Poland, salaries have long been a taboo topic—we neither like nor know how to talk about money.
Beyond the obvious requirements employers must address to comply—such as clear job architecture, pay criteria, and monitoring the gender pay gap—there is an often underestimated issue: communication. Ensuring appropriate information flow and the way messages are delivered will be critical to the success of this change. Communication will undoubtedly be one of the main areas HR departments will focus on in 2026.
TREND 2. Smarter Employee Benefits
For several years now, employers have been struggling with rapidly rising employee benefit costs, especially in private healthcare. Double-digit medical inflation, present since the pandemic, is taking a heavy toll. At the same time, employee benefits are evolving from a “must-have” package into a strategic HR tool.
Not long ago, private healthcare or group life insurance were competitive advantages—today they are basic market standards. The data confirm this: 93% of Polish employers offer sponsored medical care, and 84% provide life or accident insurance. Globally, the picture is similar—life insurance and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are among the most commonly implemented minimum benefits in multinational corporations (both offered by 73% of companies worldwide)[1]. This shows that companies around the world provide employees with a basic “security package”: health, life, and fundamental financial protection.
In recent years, Poland has seen an expansion of benefits often exceeding the standard. However, rising costs have forced employers to scrutinize the effectiveness of these solutions more closely. It is well known that well-supported employees are more productive and loyal—employers are now measuring this more precisely and translating it into savings. That is why benefit solutions should not be a patchwork of random ideas from different stakeholders, but rather a coherent strategy, with their impact on employees measured and analyzed regularly.
TREND 3. Employee Mental Wellbeing
Mental wellbeing has become a key element of the employer value proposition. Just a few years ago, psychological support was rarely considered a benefit—today, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) (anonymous consultations with psychologists, support hotlines) are being introduced on a mass scale.
Globally, EAPs are among the most common elements of benefit packages (again, 73% of companies include EAPs in their minimum offering)[1]. In Poland, 41% of companies already provide formal employee support programs. At the same time, training and workshops on stress management, mindfulness programs, and initiatives promoting work–life balance are growing in popularity.
The pandemic and remote work accelerated these changes—employers see clearly that overload and burnout directly undermine productivity. According to ZUS data, mental and behavioral disorders are among the five most common causes of employee sick leave, and their share continues to rise (2023: 11%, 2024: 12.6%)[9]. As a result, wellbeing budgets are no longer seen as a luxury, but as an investment with tangible returns (lower absenteeism, higher engagement).
TREND 4. Preventive Healthcare
Rising private healthcare costs and an increasing number of sick-leave days per insured employee are pushing HR departments to focus more strongly on prevention. This trend aligns naturally with employee wellbeing and policies encouraging employees to return to offices.
An increasing number of employers are organizing preventive health screenings and educational initiatives for employees. A clear shift is visible—from ad hoc actions to planned annual calendars of preventive initiatives. Such programs fit perfectly into a comprehensive benefits strategy and a thoughtful talent retention plan.
The range of possibilities is wide: from webinars on healthy nutrition or workplace ergonomics, through cooking workshops, blood tests, massages, and even mobile saline inhalation rooms.
TREND 5. Technology and AI in HR
Finally, another key trend deserves attention: HR process automation and the use of artificial intelligence. In 2025, only 10% of companies in Europe declared full readiness to use AI in HR, and AIHR points out that many HR departments struggle to implement new technologies[7].
Yet there is no escaping these tools—from recruitment (ATS systems using AI to screen CVs), through HR chatbots answering employee questions, to predictive analytics (e.g., models identifying employees at high risk of leaving). In 2026, HR professionals will need to combine “humanity” (empathy, ethics) with data (data-driven HR).
Technology can support retention—algorithms can identify declining engagement and suggest interventions—but if misused, it can also be harmful (surveillance concerns, algorithmic bias). This is why HR’s role as a guardian of AI ethics is emerging. Organizations that properly train HR teams in using new tools will gain a competitive edge (more efficient processes, better people decisions). Equally important will be building employee trust in these tools—through algorithm transparency and assurances that AI supports, rather than secretly evaluates, employees.
Summary
In 2026, HR will become an area of intense change and strategic importance for organizations. On one hand, hard legal regulations (pay transparency) will force concrete actions. On the other, soft factors (employee expectations regarding development, culture, and values) will determine success in attracting and retaining talent.
One thing is certain: HR has never been closer to the business decision-making center than it is now. The effectiveness of HR will determine whether organizations build the adaptability needed for the future.
What does this mean in practice for Polish employers? Above all, a proactive approach is required. Companies that invest today in data analysis (e.g., pay audits, benefits benchmarking) and employee dialogue will be several steps ahead of the competition tomorrow. Expert knowledge supported by data—such as insights from Aon reports—enables better decisions: how to close pay gaps, which benefits genuinely increase employee satisfaction, and how to plan skills development.
2026 can be a year of strengthening this advantage—if HR challenges are treated not as obstacles, but as opportunities to improve organizations. After all, as one of the fundamental management principles says:
“Take care of your employees, and they will take care of your business.”
Sources
[1] Global minimum benefits standards are becoming the new normal, Aon
[2] Aon Employee Benefit Survey 2024
[4] Pay transparency in job offers – amendment to the Labour Code
[5] 2025 Global Pay Transparency Study, Aon
[6] Gi Group Holding – Labour Market Barometer, Edition 19
[7] HR challenges in the era of labour market transformation
[8] Sick leave report 2024, ZUS
Source: https://ceo.com.pl/trendy-i-wyzwania-dla-dzialow-hr-w-2026-roku-48164
