LIVE on Tape from WorkHuman 2026

John and Jackye bring you a taped highlights edition straight from WorkHuman 2026. They unpack the conversations, themes, and on-the-ground takes that defined this year's gathering of HR and people leaders, and translate it all into what it actually means for the way work gets done now. Key Takeaways: What HR leaders are actually worried about in 2026, in their own words The shift from recognition as a perk to recognition as a performance system How AI is changing the day to day for people teams, beyond the hype cycle Why employee experience is being rebuilt around trust, not tools The growing gap between executive narratives and frontline reality Practical signals that a workplace culture is healthy, or quietly breaking Where talent strategy is heading as the labor market tightens again How the best companies are turning recognition into retention The questions HR leaders are bringing back to their CEOs What to watch for in the second half of 2026 Keywords: WorkHuman, employee recognition, employee experience, HR strategy, talent management, workplace culture, leadership, AI in HR, retention, people analytics