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Conduent Incorporated has released “Humanizing HR: The 2026 State of Experience in the New World of Work,” a study conducted with Mercer surveying 765 employees and 254 HR professionals across three markets. Building on its 2023 findings, the report reveals HR teams navigating a dual challenge: modernizing operations through AI and automation while preserving the human connection employees continue to value highly.
While AI and automation have advanced HR efficiency and accessibility, the report finds that exceptional employee experiences still hinge on empathy and recognition. Employees who perceive genuine care from HR are significantly more satisfied, engaged, and committed long-term.
HR leaders are shifting from basic digital foundations to advanced strategies focused on data integration, global consistency, and actionable feedback loops. Yet the data shows technology alone is insufficient—human understanding remains essential for building trust and loyalty.
“HR technology must do more than automate – it must connect. Employees expect HR to be efficient but also empathetic. Technology can elevate satisfaction, but human understanding remains essential,” said Kimberly Marshall, Chief Commercial Officer at Conduent. “We’re helping clients deliver integrated experiences that combine AI-driven resources and support and agent care. For example, 86% of online inquiries over a 90-day period were resolved by our intelligent assistant, Conni, while 14% required the support of a knowledgeable agent. This balance drives engagement, retention, and brand loyalty.”
Conduent’s Life@Work Connect platform integrates HR, health, retirement, and wellness data into personalized journeys, powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service for secure, scalable support via Conni.
A summary of the report, “Humanizing HR: The 2026 State of Experience in the New World of Work,” is available here.
About Conduent
Conduent delivers digital business solutions and services spanning the commercial, government and transportation spectrum – creating valuable outcomes for its clients and the millions of people who count on them. The Company leverages cloud computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation and advanced analytics to deliver mission-critical solutions. Through a dedicated global team of approximately 51,000 associates, process expertise and advanced technologies, Conduent’s solutions and services digitally transform its clients’ operations to enhance customer experiences, improve performance, increase efficiencies and reduce costs. Conduent adds momentum to its clients’ missions in many ways including disbursing approximately $80 billion in government payments annually, enabling approximately 2.0 billion customer service interactions annually, empowering millions of employees through HR services every year and processing over 14 million tolling transactions every day.
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