The HR Research Institute, powered by HR.com, has announced the formation of its 2026 Employee Productivity and Engagement Advisory Board, bringing together senior HR leaders, workforce strategy experts, and engagement specialists to guide upcoming research and a virtual event. The initiative aims to address one of the most critical challenges organizations face today: improving productivity and engagement in a rapidly evolving workplace shaped by hybrid and remote work and the rise of generative AI.
The Advisory Board will help shape a 2026 research initiative and a virtual event focused on translating insights into practical strategies for HR leaders. Key areas of exploration include how organizations define and measure engagement, which HR and management practices have the greatest impact, how productivity and performance are viewed across different contexts, and how engagement, productivity, performance, and retention interconnect to drive better business outcomes.
The newly formed board features distinguished experts from major corporations and organizations: Deepti Chaudhary, Senior HRIS Manager at Dover Corporation; Madeline Des Jardins, Global Senior Director of Internal Communications & Employee Engagement at WalkMe; Janiece Ferrell, Global Program Manager for Talent Supply Chain, Workforce Planning, Effectiveness and Efficiencies at Dell Technologies; Bridgett Hart, Vice President of Employee Experience at Ibex; Shipra Kamra, Vice President of People Team (Head of HR - Global) at Responsive; Susana Kelly, Employee Experience & Engagement Analyst at Numeracle; Sandra Loughlin, Chief Learning Scientist at EPAM Systems Inc.; Cassandra Lowery, Global Human Resources Manager at Liminal; Lauren Mutz, Director of Employee Experience & Engagement at Daiichi Sankyo Inc.; Jason Richmond, Chief Culture Officer at Ideal Outcomes, Inc.; Kristen Ruttgaizer, Chief People Officer (on sabbatical); and Siri Svay, Program Manager for Culture and Engagement at IAT Insurance Group.
“We are thrilled to bring together such an outstanding group of experts to guide this important work,” said Debbie McGrath, CEO of HR.com. “Their real-world experience will help HR leaders better connect productivity and engagement in a time of rapid change, and we look forward to the impact this collaboration will bring to the HR community.”
The research findings will inform both a survey and a virtual event titled “HR.com's State of Employee Productivity and Engagement Virtual Event” scheduled for August 19, 2026. The HR Research Institute annually releases “State of the Industry” reports in various HR topics, including last year’s report HR.com's State of Employee Productivity and Engagement 2025, which covered the same subject. These and other free research reports and infographics can be downloaded at hr.com/researchinstitute.
HR.com and its HR Research Institute are recognized as the #1 source for HR research, read by more HR professionals than any other. The institute identifies key trends and best practices to help over 2 million HR professionals make strategic decisions. By leveraging the expertise of the Advisory Board, the institute aims to provide actionable insights that can help organizations navigate the complexities of modern workforce management.
