HR leaders on navigating the evolving workplace landscape in 2025

According to the latest Gartner Survey, leader and manager development tops the priority list for the largest share of HR leaders in 2025 for the third consecutive year. Other key focus areas include organisational culture, strategic workforce planning, change management, and adoption of HR technologies.
As we step into 2025, here is how HR leaders are reimagining their strategies to address challenges and seize opportunities in an ever-evolving workplace. From leveraging AI and redefining leadership to enhancing employee well-being, the focus is to build resilient, future-ready organisations. Here’s a look at the top priorities shaping the HR agenda this year:
Leveraging technology
Tech intervention has drastically reshaped HR functions, demanding a blend of strategic integration and human-centric approaches. Moumita Kurup, VP & Head of HR, Sasken Technologies, emphasizes HR leaders must embrace these disruptions and design strategies to help organisation navigate while maintaining a human-centric approach.
“One of the major focus areas for HR this year would be to leverage technology to identify and reduce the manual interventions, enhance employee experience, and implement strategies to attract, develop, and retain top talent.”
As we approach a new era of workplace transformation, Jharna Thammaiah, Director & India site People & Places Leader, Intuit, says HR leaders must be the driving force behind a strategic trilogy of change in 2025. “Technology integration will be the cornerstone of this evolution, shifting from mere adoption to purposeful, seamless implementation. Emerging technologies like Gen AI and ML are transforming workflows and redefining workplace dynamics. Workplace trends studies show that AI-powered platforms and predictive analytics make operations more efficient and improve employee experiences. This is helping to fuel creativity and enhance productivity in hybrid work environments,” explains Jharna.
According to Danielle McMahan, Chief People Officer at Wiley, in 2025, one of the greatest challenges for HR leaders will be balancing the power of AI with the need for human-centered skills.
AI has evolved from being a support tool to a strategic enabler. “As AI takes on more technical tasks, skills like empathy, adaptability, and effective communication will become even more critical,” adds Danielle.
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Skill and leadership development
Amid rapid change and transformation, investing in upskilling, reskilling, and leadership development is crucial for equipping teams to manage change effectively and take on greater responsibilities, driving organizational success
According to a Korn Ferry survey, learning and development opportunities (34%) emerges as the most favoured factor in choosing a new employer/job or role in India. Generative AI will continue to revolutionise work, enabling both automation and augmentation of tasks. The emphasis will be on using AI to empower employees, fostering creativity and innovation, rather than merely replacing roles. However, organizations must ensure that AI deployment respects privacy and builds trust.
Workplaces are evolving into boundaryless ecosystems where technology and human capabilities converge. “A key trend is the prioritisation of human sustainability, which reframes workforce strategies to create value for employees as individuals, not just as contributors to organisational goals. This involves fostering well-being, equity, skill development, and purpose, ensuring workers leave better off than when they started,” says Mitalee Dabral, Country HR Leader - Wayfair India TDC.
Amit Prakash, CHRO, Marico Limited recognises that business growth is directly linked to the growth of team members. “It's about proactively creating resilient, future-ready organisations that can thrive in the year ahead and beyond. “The gig economy and project-based roles are redefining the way we approach talent management, necessitating more flexible and adaptive systems. Our priorities will be to deepen our efforts in capability building, drive sustainable practices across the organization, and continue fostering a culture where every employees thrives.”
Talent retention
In 2025, HR leaders must prioritise: retaining and nurturing company culture, fostering internal mobility to enable talent retention, and embracing new technologies for process efficiency.
In a job market marked by low attrition and reduced hiring rates, employee involvement, and retention become more challenging than ever due to low morale. To tackle this, Mohammed Sohail, Associate Director - Talent Acquisition & Global HR Operations, Zoho Corp, suggests HR leaders focus on improving workforce engagement levels. He believes that promoting a strong organisational culture can promote a sense of belonging and provide purpose for employees. The stronger the company's core values are reflected across each decision, the higher the employee engagement, both in turn fostering a virtuous cycle.
Simultaneously, internal realignment, mobility, and promotions should be leveraged wherever possible to ensure better retention. Realigning roles during times of pivot, offering new career growth opportunities, and promoting from within are ways the company can ensure their employees feel valued at the workplace and see a future there.
“The workplace is undergoing a significant transformation, with a potential productivity crisis on the horizon. In the coming years, the global economy is expected to face a notable shortage of qualified talent to meet the increasing volume of work. Without the right talent, sustaining business growth will be challenging, making talent acquisition and retention more critical than ever. CHROs must recognize the scale of this challenge and take proactive measures to ensure that organisations are prepared to address the demands of a more complex workforce,” says Nancy Hauge, Chief People Experience Officer at Automation Anywhere.
In 2025, Agentic AI will play a pivotal role in reshaping HR practices by streamlining operations, enhancing decision-making, and improving employee experiences. CHROs must become experts in agentic AI and strategically integrate it to meet the needs of a more flexible, values-oriented workforce to close the looming productivity gaps.
Lastly, the era of one-size-fits-all employee development is quickly diminishing. With the new generation entering the workforce, CHROs must prioritize creating bespoke engagement and development programs. “By offering tailored solutions, they can empower employees to take control of their professional journeys, fostering greater satisfaction, performance, and long-term organisational success,” highlights Nancy.
Embracing technology, another key priority will be vital to streamlining HR processes, improving productivity, and enhancing the employee experience
Employee well-being
Holistic employee wellness and comprehensive well-being programs remain key focus areas for HR in 2025. Employee well-being is evolving beyond traditional wellness initiatives into a more comprehensive, multidimensional approach that recognises human potential in a digital-first world. According to a MediBuddy report, 90% of employees associate wellness initiatives with increased loyalty. This highlights the need for organisations to adopt strategies that prioritise mental health, work-life integration, and psychological safety, particularly in hybrid and remote work environments. Transitioning from reactive to proactive support systems is critical to placing the human experience at the forefront," explains Jharna."
“Additionally, microcultures will redefine organisational culture, as teams and functions adopt tailored ways of working that align with overarching goals. This approach nurtures agility and personalisation, enhancing engagement and fostering a balance between efficiency and human connection,” says Mitalee.