HR capacity declines for the first time in ten years, while the CHRO’s strategic role continues to grow
By Dirk Buyens
Professor of Human Resources Management
By Silke Van Gansbeke
Junior Researcher, People Management & Organisation
The results of the HR Barometer 2026, the 12th edition of the leading study conducted by Hudson (part of Randstad) and Vlerick Business School, reveal that HR departments in Belgium are under increasing pressure. For the first time in a decade, HR capacity has declined significantly. At the same time, increasing demands are placed on the CHRO (Chief Human Resources Officer), who is expected to act as a strategic business partner at board level and to guide organisations through change. The study, conducted among the CHROs of 132 of the 250 largest organisations in Belgium, maps the most important priorities, levels of mastery, and the expected evolution of the HR function.
Growing pressure on HR resources
A striking conclusion this year is the decline in HR capacity. The median HR ratio has dropped for the first time in ten years to one HR staff member per 73 employees, compared to one per 66 employees last year. This signals growing pressure on HR departments to continue delivering strategic value with fewer resources.
The key priorities for 2026 are Leadership Development, Talent Management and Strategic Workforce Management. Notably, traditional priorities such as Selection & Recruitment and Learning & Development have dropped out of the top three, although organisations continue to perform strongly in these areas.
Increasing confidence
At the same time, HR Directors are showing increasing confidence. Reported mastery has improved across almost all HR domains (except for hybrid working), pointing to an ongoing professionalisation of HR departments. However, key blind spots persist. Critical and emerging priorities such as Digital Transformation, HR Analytics and Strategic Workforce Management continue to show lower levels of mastery and remain the most important improvement areas.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in HR is also gaining priority, but for many departments its application remains largely experimental. A lack of digital skills and limited resources are consistently identified as the main obstacles preventing HR from becoming future-ready.
The growing strategic role
The role of the CHRO is changing at a rapid pace. Surveyed CHROs and HR Directors anticipate an even stronger shift of HR towards a strategic role (26%), a human/coaching role (23%) and a change agent role (21%). Already, 89% of organisations include the CHRO as a formal member of the executive board or top leadership team, while 91% of boards clearly acknowledge the CHRO as a strategic business partner.
Looking ahead, future success will require CHROs to play an even stronger guiding role in organisational transformation. This will require further development on their part. The three most critical skills identified are strategic thinking (71%), transformational leadership (54%), and influencing and inspiring others (48%).
“We are witnessing a paradoxical movement: the business is asking for more strategic guidance than ever, while HR teams are simultaneously being scaled down. This decline in HR capacity forces HR teams to focus radically on efficiency and digitalisation. While mastery of HR processes continues to improve, without an acceleration in AI and data analytics, HR risks becoming trapped in operational reality,” says Ellen Volckaert, Senior Manager R&D at Hudson.
Crucial expectations around ‘reskilling’ and ‘upskilling’
In addition, CHROs expect HR to make a crucial contribution over the next five years in the area of reskilling and upskilling the workforce, in order to meet the expectations of top management.
To become future-ready, organisations are already investing in the development of company culture and in managing continuous change. However, when it comes to reskilling and upskilling, HR will still need to bridge a significant gap in the years ahead.
Prof. Dirk Buyens, Professor of Human Resources Management at Vlerick Business School, adds: “With the rise of AI and continuously evolving skill requirements, reskilling and upskilling are no longer a choice but a strategic imperative. For the CHRO, the role must move beyond a purely advisory function. It is now up to HR to take ownership of the actual transformation of human capital and to actively help shape the workforce of the future.”
About the HR Barometer
The HR Barometer is a research project initiated by the Vlerick Strategic Talent Management Centre at Vlerick Business School. This expertise network focuses on knowledge building and sharing within HR and Talent Management. Together with 30+ member organisations from various sectors, the research centre closely monitors already for the twelfth time effective HR practices and key developments in the field.
About Hudson
Hudson helps organisations and their employees – experts, executives and business leaders alike – to develop and express their full potential. We offer specialised solutions in permanent recruitment, talent management (assessment centres, coaching & development, salary surveys, job classifications, etc.), interim management and HR tools. The latter were developed by our own internationally renowned R&D department. Our HR solutions are not only aimed at companies that want to get the best out of their employees, but also at professionals who are looking for a reliable HR partner to support them in their career development. Hudson’s services guarantee high added value at all stages of the HR life cycle. With clients ranging from SMEs to multinationals, both in the private and public sectors, our company has built a reputation for professionalism and excellence in HR consultancy for more than 40 years. Hudson has formed part of Randstad Group Belgium since December 2021.
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