Forget 2026 trends — here are 4 timeless HR strategies that work

With new technological developments, changing ways of working, and stress levels on the rise, in 2026 it feels like HR leaders are all asking the same questions:  

“What other challenges will 2026 bring?”

“How can I prepare my team for the rest of the year?”

“What are the newest tools I need to implement?”

Every new year comes with a fresh wave of trends and predictions. But high-performing teams aren’t built on what’s trending. They’re built on what works, year after year.      

Here we’ve outlined four timeless HR strategies guaranteed to help your team succeed in 2026 and beyond — plus a checklist of practical steps you can take right now.

4 tips for high-performing teams

High-performing teams aren’t lucky. They do a few key things consistently.

In our recent study, Winning With Data: The Business Impact of Employee Feedback, we looked at more than 10 years of employee feedback data to understand what has always helped certain teams succeed. Here are the four strategies that show up again and again in our data:

1. They actively reduce stress  

Stress doesn’t just hurt wellbeing. It hurts performance.  

When you regularly ask employees how they’re doing — and act on what they say — stress levels drop. In our data, we saw an 18.9% increase in employees saying stress does not negatively affect their work after feedback was collected and followed up.  

This matters even more during change. When things feel uncertain, feedback gives you visibility. You see where pressure builds. You can respond early. That’s how you protect both performance and psychological safety.  

2. They stay flexible when things change  

Change is unavoidable. How you respond to it isn’t. Teams that stay agile are in a better position to maintain growth amid potential market challenges  

High-performing teams build flexible ways of working. They remove friction. They make collaboration easier. And they give people room to take ownership of their work.  

In our research, we found that Participation and Trust scores have a strong 0.70+ correlation. In simple terms: when people feel informed and involved, teams adapt faster.  

3. They make collaboration part of everyday work  

In 2026, the successful teams won’t just rely on individual talents. Our data found that positive work situations and clearly defined roles are predictors of better daily experiences (as reflected in consistently higher Job Satisfaction and Work Situation scores).  

For example, our report shows that when organizations act on feedback, employees are 22.4% more likely to encourage their teammates to share ideas.  

4. They invest in stable, trustworthy leadership  

Leadership remains the single strongest predictor of performance and engagement. When leadership scores rise, teams experience a 12.7% increase in trust in leaders. At the same time, employees become 20.9% more likely to proactively suggest ideas.  

People don’t need perfect leaders. They need consistent ones. Leaders who communicate clearly, follow through, and build trust over time.  

Your 2026 checklist: 6 practical actions you can take now  

There are certain HR practices that have always helped HR teams succeed, and there’s no better time than now to start implementing them.

We’ve designed this short checklist to help HR professionals prepare their teams for what’s to come and set them up for long-term performance success in 2026 and beyond:

1. Run regular employee check-ins with a clear purpose  
Schedule recurring check-ins (for example, quarterly) focused on engagement, stress, and obstacles to performance (not just performance reviews).  

2. Close the feedback loop quickly  
Tell people what you’ve learned and what will happen next. Set a clear timeframe. Even saying “we’re still exploring this” builds trust.  

‍3. Reduce uncertainty through consistent leadership communication  
Make sure leaders regularly clarify priorities, direction, and expectations, especially during periods of change.  

‍4. Track collaboration and participation over time  
Look at trends in participation, idea-sharing, and teamwork. Early signals help you act before friction or disengagement grows.  

5. Recognize and reward contributions that encourage innovation and teamwork  
Reward more than individual results. Pay attention to how teams work together and support each other.  ‍

6. Set clear expectations for contribution and improvement  
Be specific. What does good participation look like in practice? Set clear, measurable goals for idea-sharing and continuous improvement.  

Looking ahead  

The organizations that succeed aren’t the ones that chase the latest trends, offer the best benefits, or have the biggest budgets.

They’ll be the teams where people feel heard, supported, and confident they can contribute — where feedback leads to action, and where leaders create clarity instead of noise.

To explore the full dataset, case studies, and insights from the past 10+ years of study, download the full report here 🔗