WASHINGTON — As the workplace undergoes rapid technological and organizational change, professional development has become one of the most important investments organizations can make in their HR teams, according to a new report from HRCI®. Yet 81% of HR professionals say their organizations do not spend enough on professional development for HR, despite growing demands driven by artificial intelligence, remote work and an increasingly complex workplace.
"How we train and learn matters," said Dr. Amy Dufrane, CEO of HRCI, the global career partner for the HR profession. "Our ability to meet the future depends on it. Professional development is not just 'nice to have.' It is essential to manage a workforce that will look and behave very differently with each passing year."
Meeting the Future: The Vital Role of Professional Development examines how HR professionals approach learning and development, where they feel most and least prepared and what organizations can do to build stronger, more future-ready teams.
It also identifies a strong connection between professional development and workplace fulfillment, finding that high-quality professional development is the strongest actionable driver of long-term happiness at work among HR professionals.
Key findings include:
Technology represents one of HR's greatest preparedness gaps. Half of HR professionals say implementing new technologies is the area where they feel least prepared, yet fewer than one-third identify technology as a top professional development priority—highlighting a disconnect between the skills organizations need and where learning investments are being made.
"HR professionals love to learn, and organizations should capitalize on that," Dufrane said. "This means more than just increasing spend or adding opportunities. It means aligning training and development with strategic needs in the organization so that we are acquiring the skills needed to adapt. Organizations that do this correctly will have a real edge moving forward."
The report encourages organizations to take a more intentional approach to professional development by aligning learning with business priorities, creating curated learning pathways, building individual development plans, embedding learning into everyday work and increasing feedback across teams. Effective professional development requires thoughtful planning, not simply larger budgets, and can help organizations strengthen retention, engagement and long-term business performance.
The report draws on findings from HRCI research involving thousands of HR professionals, including the 2026 State of HR survey, which generated more than 4,500 responses.
Meeting the Future: The Vital Role of Professional Development is available for download now.
About HRCI
HRCI is the career partner for the human resource profession, supporting HR professionals and the organizations that rely on them. Through applied learning, professional connection, and globally trusted standards, HRCI helps HR thrive as the workplace evolves. For decades, HRCI has set the standard for HR excellence, building a community of certified professionals in over 150 countries. By connecting strategy to practice, HRCI equips HR leaders with the real-world knowledge to drive business forward and shape the Future of Work. Learn more at hrci.org.
About Dr. Dufrane
Dr. Amy Dufrane is a global leader in human resources and workplace management. As CEO of HRCI, the career partner for the HR profession, she brings decades of experience in human capital management and employee wellness to interviews and media appearances. Dufrane helps set the standard for HR, serving as the international secretariat for global HR standards through ISO, the International Organization for Standardization. Her honors include the Global Impact Award of Distinction from the Bowman Foundation for Workplace Equity and Mental Wellness and the Globee Award for Women in Business. She is a four-time member of the annual Top 100 HR Tech Influencers list by HR Executive magazine. Under her leadership, HRCI was named a 2024, 2025 and 2026 Top Workplace by WTOP News and the 2023 ISA Business of the Year.
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