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People Risk 2026

Your guide to managing the top people and business-related risks to transform risk into strategic advantage. Data and insights from over 4,500 risk and HR professionals.

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Understand, prioritize, and manage people risks for resilience and competitive advantage in 2026

AI, cyber, geopolitics, and climate uncertainty are disrupting markets, supply chains, work, and well-being—and undermining employees' ability to thrive. Risk and HR leaders, like you, face an unprecedented pace of change, complexity, and interconnected risks, challenging your ability to respond and protect your organizations’ resilience.

The People Risk 2026 report shares the top 25 people risks ranked by 4,517 risk and HR professionals with data and insights from 26 markets and 12 key industries. 

The research findings reveal that risk and HR leaders are aligned for 8 out of the top 10 risks, and show organizations:

  • How to unlock cyber and AI value across your workforce.
  • Why you need to strengthen supervisory and leadership skills as a risk control.
  • How to shift from cost cutting to cost efficiency.
  • How to make smarter use of data to strengthen governance.
  • Why and how to intervene before health risks escalate.

Pre-register for the 2026 People Risk Report

Launching in late April 2026 – pre-register now.

Pre-register

The human edge: Transforming risk into strategic advantage

Inside the People Risk 2026 report, you’ll find the guidance that risk, finance, human resources, and health and safety professionals need to know to limit organizational exposure and mitigate risk.

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Five imperatives for addressing people risk:

The AI hustle: Unlocking real business value

As artificial intelligence reshapes expectations of work and accelerates organizational change, it is also redefining risk — and what it takes to remain competitive. While many employers remain focused on the dangers that AI can bring — from data loss to hallucinations — a far greater threat is emerging: failing to convert AI investment into meaningful productivity, innovation, and performance gains.

3x

When HR is involved in crafting AI strategy, organizations are 3x more likely to have the skills and capabilities needed to design, build, test, and deploy AI solutions at scale.

Surviving the fast lane: The new leadership challenge

The nature of organizational risk is changing — and leaders sit at the intersection between a volatile world and their organization’s response. As these pressures intensify, leadership capability has become a critical control at the heart of effective risk management. When leaders lack the skills to adapt quickly, inspire a diverse workforce, and create understanding in the face of ambiguity, risks spread quickly across the organization.

11

Inadequate supervisory and leadership skills triggers or worsens more risks (11) than any other risk. 

Frayed loyalty: The growing risk of employee financial insecurity

Employees’ financial vulnerabilities are no longer just a personal issue. Financial insecurity has become a material organizational risk — one that directly affects productivity, retention, and behavior. In our research, employee financial insecurity ranks within the top ten risks for all regions and as the #4 people risk globally, reflecting the growing pressure employees face as living costs outpace wage growth.

55%

55% say risks related to lack of transparency, fairness and inclusion would have a catastrophic or high impact on their organization.

Quest for clarity: Regaining control in a time of complexity

Managing rewards and benefits is becoming significantly more complex. Rising health and benefit costs, shifting regulations, growing expectations of transparency, and expanding cyber exposure are all converging at a time when risk and HR teams are being asked to deliver more, with fewer resources and less margin for error.

1/3

(34%) of HR/risk professionals are concerned about making benefit decisions without considering the health and financial impact on employees.

Hidden health risks: Emphasizing what really matters

Workforce health and safety provides the foundation of organizational performance. Employees cannot perform, adapt, or innovate if they are injured or unwell — or if they feel unsafe at work. Yet, despite the pandemic ending just three years ago, health-related risks and the importance of preventive actions appear to be receding from view — overshadowed by more immediate concerns such as cyber threats, AI disruption, and geopolitical instability.

2 in 5

(39%) Risk/HR professionals feel that preventive cancer education and screening program are highly effective. 

When risk and HR professionals collaborate and think innovatively, your people and your business can thrive. Complete the form, explore the research.

Report FAQs

The People Risk 2026 report is a critical resource for risk professionals, including anyone involved in an HR function in their organization and with responsibility for managing business and people-related risks.  It is an essential resource for those involved in the growth and success of their business and helps inform decision-making when prioritizing and mitigating workforce-related risks.

The People Risk 2026 report is a resource for risk and HR professionals with responsibility for managing business and people-related risks. It is of particular relevance to HR buyers in functions related to risk, finance, AI, cyber, ERM, safety and health, resilience, and security, as well as those in more traditional claims, insurance, human resource (HR), benefits, total rewards, well-being, and compensation roles related to managing people risks.

This report equips risk and HR functions with actionable insights necessary to navigate current and future uncertainties for 12 different industries, across regions and markets. Key industries include: communications, media and technology; construction and real estate; consumer goods; energy, including renewables; financial services; healthcare; higher education; life sciences; manufacturing; professional services; public sector/government; and retail/wholesale.

  1. Conduct a cross-functional risk review – Bring together risk, HR, technology and operational leaders to review the insights and collectively determine the top people risks for your organization. 
  2. Quickly assess risk maturity and gaps – Consider your organization's risk maturity for each of the five pillars of risk and identify gaps or ineffective mitigations that leave your organization and workforce exposed. 
  3. Fix major risks and turn them into strengths – Work with internal or external experts to manage key, complex risks, using the research to transform risk into strategic advantage for your organization. 

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