The State of HR Compensation in 2026

About this episode

Dawn Fay discusses the insights from Robert Half's 2026 Salary Guide regarding the HR labor market and compensation trends.

In this episode of People + Strategy, we sit down with Dawn Fay, operational president at Robert Half to unpack what the firm’s 2026 Salary Guide reveals about a cooling yet still competitive HR labor market. As wage growth moderates, Fay explores the growing tension between tighter budgets and rising expectations, where specialized skills in HR tech and analytics still command a premium. She helps to reframe the conversation beyond salary, urging HR and business leaders to rethink total rewards, flexibility, and the importance of “re-recruiting” their own teams to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving talent landscape. Pay Equity Toolkit: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/toolkits/achieving-pay-equity-strategic-toolkit-hr-professionals Pay Fact Sheet: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/fact-sheet/state-pay-transparency-laws-what-hr-needs-to-know Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and…

People in this episode

Guest: Dawn Fay

Topics covered

• HR compensation
• salary guide
• labor market
• total rewards
• pay equity
• HR technology

Keywords

• HR compensation
• salary guide
• labor market
• total rewards
• pay equity
• HR technology
• flexibility
• re-recruiting

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Robert Half, SHRM, Pay Equity Toolkit, Pay Fact Sheet

More episodes of People and Strategy

• Before You Quit: What 20 Years at Kellogg Taught This Executive · June 12, 2026 · 34 min
• A Former Spy Shares HR's Critical Role in Workplace Security · May 29, 2026 · 32 min
• Tailoring HR Strategy: A CPO's Role in Fashioning C-Suite Success · May 15, 2026 · 33 min
• The New Reality: Legally Compliant I&D for HR · May 1, 2026 · 34 min
• Navigating Uncertainty in the Boardroom · April 17, 2026 · 27 min
• The Connection Crisis at Work · March 20, 2026 · 29 min