Future Forward Institute

New Gallup research shows that AI adoption in the workplace is accelerating, but most organizations are still early in understanding what real transformation looks like. While many employees report productivity gains from AI, the research also points to growing disruption, workforce shifts, and uncertainty around jobs and workplace change. One important takeaway: technology alone is not transformation. How leaders communicate, build trust, and support employees through change still matters deeply. Read the research here:

This report from the Aspen Institute reinforces something that often gets overlooked in conversations about organizational performance: investing in people is not separate from organizational success. It is foundational to it. The publication explores how stronger job quality, employee support, and workplace practices can improve staff engagement, retention, and long-term organizational sustainability, particularly within mission-driven institutions. This is a reminder that the strength of an organization is deeply tied to the experience and well-being of the people behind it. Read the publication here:

Recognition is often treated as a “nice to have” in the workplace. This research makes a much stronger case: it is a business strategy. In this Workhuman and Gallup report, the data connects employee recognition directly to productivity, engagement, retention, safety, and organizational performance. One finding that stood out to me: organizations that doubled the number of employees who felt recognized for good work saw an estimated 9% increase in productivity. At a time when many organizations are navigating change, burnout, and uncertainty, this research offers an important reminder that culture and performance are deeply connected. Explore the report here:

Nearly 50,000 workers. 48 countries. 28 industries. PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2025 offers one of the clearest snapshots of how employees around the world are experiencing work today. The findings explore how workers are thinking about AI, skills development, trust in leadership, job security, motivation, and workplace transformation. For leaders navigating workforce transformation, this research offers important insights into what employees need in order to adapt, contribute, and thrive. Explore the findings here: https://lnkd.in/eMyuVDjk

What happens when organizations become highly optimized for performance, but employees increasingly feel unseen inside the system? Workhuman’s 2026 Humans at Work Barometer found that rising pressure, mental exhaustion, weak recognition systems, and growing gaps in trust are shaping how people experience work today. The report also highlights a widening disconnect between leadership and employee experiences around AI, visibility, and organizational support. One of the strongest insights in the report is that many organizations can measure financial performance in real time, yet struggle to see contribution, burnout, growth potential, and employee experience with the same clarity. The challenge for leaders may not simply be managing performance, but building organizations where people feel recognized, supported, and visible as change accelerates. Learn more in Workhuman’s 2026 Humans at Work Barometer:

Research from the The Brookings Institution highlights an important shift in how organizations may need to think about AI and workforce development. The conversation is no longer only about which jobs AI may change. It is also about how workers build skills, gain experience, and move into better opportunities over time. The report explores how many workers without four-year degrees rely on “Gateway” roles to advance their careers and how AI could reshape those pathways depending on how the technology is adopted and integrated into work. The findings suggest that AI strategy and economic mobility are becoming increasingly connected. Organizations and regions that invest in learning, adaptability, and skill development may be better positioned to expand access to opportunity in an AI-driven economy. Learn more:

We’re excited to partner with Innovation Resource Center for Human Resources on research focused on helping managers build stronger workplace cultures through small, practical behavior shifts grounded in evidence. This work reflects a broader question we’re exploring at: how do we help leaders create workplaces where people feel trusted, connected, and able to thrive while strengthening organizational performance at the same time? Looking forward to sharing more as the work develops.

Many organizations communicate strategy clearly. Far fewer create systems that help employees feel connected to it in their day-to-day work. Workhuman’s Alignment Research Study highlights an important insight: employees who receive recognition tied to strategic initiatives are significantly more likely to understand organizational priorities and feel personally invested in them. The findings suggest that recognition plays a larger role than appreciation alone. It reinforces culture, signals priorities, and helps translate organizational strategy into everyday behaviors across teams. In a rapidly changing workplace, alignment is not built through communication alone. It is strengthened through consistent reinforcement of the behaviors and contributions organizations want to see repeated.

The real value of AI may not come from replacing human decision-making, but from improving the quality of the choices humans are able to see, evaluate, and act on. MIT Sloan Management Review’s research on Intelligent Choice Architectures explores how organizations are beginning to use AI to surface hidden trade-offs, expand strategic options, and strengthen judgment across increasingly complex environments. As AI becomes more embedded in the workplace, the long-term advantage may belong to organizations that design better decision environments, not just faster workflows.

SHRM’s new 2026 Talent Trends Report reveals an important shift in how organizations may need to think about talent: The companies struggling most are often searching externally for skills they have not invested in building internally. As hiring challenges persist and skills gaps widen, the report points to a growing reality: recruiting alone is no longer a sustainable workforce strategy. The organizations that will thrive in the future of work are likely the ones creating clear pathways for learning, mobility, mentorship, and growth, not just better hiring funnels. Talent is no longer only about acquisition. It is about development, adaptability, and opportunity at scale. Read the report here: