2025 Year-End Reflections & Future Foresight: Navigating Trust and AI in HR

foHRsight

01/01/26

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28m

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It’s New Years Day so perfect timing for this week’s episode to drop as co-hosts Mark and Naomi catch-up on their reflections on 2025 and predictions for 2026.

Key discussion topics include:

2025 Insights:

Macro trends continued from previous year with advancement in all categories
Erosion of trust worsened due to AI-related misinformation and deep fraud
AI advanced significantly beyond initial expectations
Increased nationalism and tariffs impacted global businesses
Return-to-office mandates generated headlines vs. reality
HR and IT functions began merging into "HI" ☺

Major Disappointments:

CHRO role perceived as declining in C-suite value
DEI initiatives faced significant backlash, making the topic difficult to discuss
Return-to-office policies became overly restrictive, reverting to pre-2005 monitoring practices

Proud Moments:

Approaching 10th anniversary in 2026
Celebrated 150th podcast episode
Successful collaborations, particularly "The Complete Leader" with Vanessa Chehlawi
Community growth and strategic newsletter changes

2026 Hopes:

Reduce divisiveness and find common ground
Address entry-level job concerns related to AI
Support the "tool belt generation" choosing trades over traditional academic paths
HR operating model evolution with creative solutions
AI integration becoming seamless in daily tools

We’re excited for many more episodes and guests in 2026!

Don’t forget ...

To sign up for our monthly newsletter foHRsight at http://www.futurefohrward.com/subscribe.

Mark - www.linkedin.com/in/markedgarhr/
Naomi - www.linkedin.com/in/naomititlemancolla/
future foHRward - www.linkedin.com/company/future-fohrward/

And on Instagram - www.instagram.com/futurefohrward/

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Previous Episode

undefined - Unlocking High Potential: How Top Talent Thrives—and What Holds Them Back Insights from Glain Roberts-McCabe on Engaging and Leading High Performers

Unlocking High Potential: How Top Talent Thrives—and What Holds Them Back Insights from Glain Roberts-McCabe on Engaging and Leading High Performers

December 25, 2025

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42m

This episode features Naomi Titleman meeting with Glain Roberts-McCabe, Founder & President of The Roundtable Inc.

They dive deep into high-potential talent research, exploring what engages top performers and what causes them to burn out. This episode features insights from Roundtable's latest research on high-potential leaders.

Key discussion topics include:

Defining High Potentials:

Balance between driving results and maintaining cultural alignment
Core motivational drivers: helping others, excelling, adaptability
Behavioral expectations vs. underlying motivational energy

What Engages High Potentials:

Clarity: Clear priorities and understanding of goals
Transparency: Honest career conversations and realistic expectations
Quality career discussions: Beyond linear promotion paths
Cross-functional opportunities:Leveraging adaptive strengths across organization

Major Barriers & Burnout Risks:

Firefighting mode: 45% of respondents stuck in reactive work
Unclear priorities: Moving goalposts without context
Resource constraints: Ambitious targets without adequate support
Development crowding: Operational demands overshadowing growth opportunities

Evolving Leadership Requirements:

Strategic thinking: Increased emphasis on forward-thinking capabilities
Technical depth: Leaders need subject matter expertise, not just general management

Cooperation: Willingness to trade individual agendas for organizational benefit

You can learn more about the research here:

https://goroundtable.com/the-2026-roundtable-report-on-high-potential-leaders/

And follow Glain on LinkedIn here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/glain/

Don’t forget ...

To sign up for our monthly newsletter foHRsight at http://www.futurefohrward.com/subscribe.

Mark - www.linkedin.com/in/markedgarhr/
Naomi - www.linkedin.com/in/naomititlemancolla/
future foHRward - www.linkedin.com/company/future-fohrward/

And on Instagram - www.instagram.com/futurefohrward/

Support the show

Next Episode

Breaking Barriers to Parenthood: How Jackie Hanson and Sprout Family Are Transforming Fertility Support at Work

January 8

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30m

Jackie Hanson is CEO and Co-founder of Sprout Family, Canada's first end-to-end family building platform launched in 2024. Jackie was inspiried to build her mission based company following the experience of her own parents who went through IVF.

Having itnessed firsthand how fragmented and overwhelming the fertility space is, the mission of Sprout is to improve access to parenthood and support employees through challenging fertility journeys.

Current Industry Challenges

Rising Infertility Rates driven by:

Later childbearing (average first-time mother age now almost 32)
Same-sex couples forming families requiring donors/surrogacy
Cost of living delays (student debt, housing costs)
Legal frameworks haven't kept pace with demand

Workplace Impact Statistics

40% delay treatment due to financial reasons
Average fertility patient spends 160+ hours navigating care
72% would stay longer at companies offering fertility benefits
Average IVF round costs $25,000+ ($5K drugs, $18-20K treatment)

Current Canadian Coverage Landscape

45% of employers offer fertility drug coverage (average $3,000)
Less than 5% offer comprehensive coverage (treatments, preservation, surrogacy, adoption)
US comparison: 50%+ offer $30-100K lifetime coverage

Three-Pillar Support Framework

Financial Assistance: Comprehensive coverage beyond just drugs
Digital Health & Navigation: Nurse support, provider network, virtual care
Leadership Culture: Creating safe spaces for employees to share needs

Business Case for Employers

Retention: Replacing employee costs 1.5-2x their salary
Productivity: Reduces distraction and unplanned time off
Equity: Addresses barriers affecting women and LGBTQ+ individuals disproportionately

Future Vision

Macro: More employer coverage creates demand, potentially driving down costs and expanding clinic infrastructure
Sprout: Expanding to full family wellness platform (pregnancy, postpartum, parental leave, hormonal health)

Contact Information