From EOY Wins to 2026 Momentum: Insights from Top People Leaders

As 2025 winds down, most People and HR leaders are racing to finish strong while already thinking ahead to next year’s goals. To help navigate this critical transition, CandorIQ hosted a live roundtable with three industry leaders who have seen it all:
Jessica Winder, Chief People Officer at Winder Law Firm and Founder of Hidden Gem Career Coaching;
Alex Seiler, Chief People Officer at Quantum Health and longtime HR advisor; and
Mark Putrus, Chief People Officer at Nativo.
The conversation was moderated by Haris Ikram, Co-Founder and CEO of CandorIQ.

Together, they unpacked what’s working for People teams right now, where leaders are feeling the most pressure, and how HR can plan smarter for 2026.

The Current Climate: “Everyone’s Hair Is on Fire”

The panel opened by acknowledging the collective exhaustion many People teams are feeling.
Jessica summed it up bluntly: “Everyone’s hair is on fire right now.” Between shifting economic conditions, new regulations, and the emotional toll of constant change, HR leaders are operating in a near-constant state of triage.

Mark added that it’s not just the pace—it’s the unpredictability: “We’ve never seen so many stops and starts. You’re working toward compliance in one direction and suddenly have to pivot overnight.”
Alex noted that beyond headcount constraints, there’s also “capacity fatigue”—leaders are being asked to deliver more with fewer people and less time.

Burnout isn’t just an individual issue—it’s an organizational one that needs to be factored into 2026 planning.

Redefining Leadership (and Why Fewer Want It)

One of the most striking themes: the leadership pipeline is shrinking.
Jessica observed that many younger professionals no longer aspire to climb into management roles. “People are opting out of leadership—they just don’t want the stress,” she said. “They’ll leave with no job rather than stay in a role that drains them.”

Mark challenged the group to consider why: “We’ve made leadership an unattractive proposition. Are we giving people a fair shot? Are we holding up our end of the bargain?”

Alex added that this shift demands new thinking around career paths and engagement. “We can’t assume everyone wants the same trajectory we did. Our people strategies have to evolve with workforce expectations.”

What’s Working Now: Realism, Flexibility, and Data

When it comes to headcount and compensation planning, Jessica’s approach is simple: stay grounded in reality.
“Cut the grandiose modeling. Focus on what’s real—what roles need to be filled, what you can actually deliver,” she said.

Alex described the fatigue of endless planning cycles and urged teams to adopt scenario planning instead of chasing a “perfect” plan: “Have clear trigger points. It gives teams confidence and reduces the constant re-planning.”

Mark emphasized flexibility through what he calls the liquid workforce—leveraging fractional and contingent talent to stay agile. “Stop trying to fit today’s talent into yesterday’s models,” he said. “Fluid compensation frameworks are how we stay competitive.”

All three agreed that data and tools like CandorIQ play a vital role. As Jessica noted, “Having real data in one place changes everything—you can make faster, more confident decisions.”

Bridging HR and Finance: From Adversaries to Allies

A recurring theme was the importance of rebuilding trust between HR and Finance.
Alex shared that the best collaboration comes from transparency: “I always showed the trade-offs—what I was investing in and what I was pulling back. It builds credibility.”
Jessica recalled her strongest partnership with a CFO as one built on mutual respect and shared accountability: “He came to my people meetings, I went to his finance meetings. Our teams worked together.”
Mark agreed: “When your finance partner starts coming to you for advice, that’s when you know you’ve built real trust.”

Looking Ahead: Building for Agility, Not Stability

As the discussion turned to 2026, the panel agreed that it’s time to stop treating every year like a crisis.
“If every year is unprecedented, maybe that’s the precedent,” Alex said. “We have to build for change, not stability.”

That means rethinking how companies structure work, measure performance, and plan for skills. The workforce of the future will be fluid, tech-enabled, and increasingly human-centric.

Mark put it simply: “If AI really lives up to its promise, our quality of life should improve—not decline. Let’s use technology to reclaim our humanity.”

Quick Wins to Close Out 2025

Before wrapping, each panelist shared their must-do advice for the final stretch of the year:

• Document decisions and rationale. Your future self will thank you (Alex).
  
  
• Be honest about capacity. If you’re at 100%, something has to come off the list (Alex).
  
  
• Revisit compensation promises. Make sure what you’ve committed to is actually deliverable (Jessica).
  
  
• Use Q4 to reset outdated practices. Refresh frameworks now so Q1 isn’t chaos (Mark).
  
  

Final Thoughts

The consensus: People leaders can’t control the chaos—but they can plan smarter for it. By grounding plans in data, aligning HR and Finance, and embracing flexibility in how work gets done, 2026 doesn’t have to start from scratch.

As Haris Ikram closed, “There was so much good advice here—from what’s not working to what’s next.” Our goal at CandorIQ is to help HR and Finance teams turn these insights into action—and make planning collaborative, not combative.

Watch the full discussion

🎥 From EOY Wins to 2026 Momentum: A People Leader Roundtable
Watch the full replay [here →] https://youtu.be/BMDp1GBwBZw