HR.com has announced the formation of its 2026 Advisory Board on Employee Retention, a group of senior HR executives and talent experts tasked with informing new research and a virtual event focused on improving employee retention and organizational performance. The board's insights will directly shape the 2026 HR Research Institute survey and the programming of a virtual event scheduled for November 10, 2026.
“The organizations that retain top talent are those that continuously adapt to the changing needs of their workforce,” said Debbie McGrath, CEO of HR.com. “We're excited to bring together this exceptional group of advisors to share their expertise and help HR leaders build more effective retention strategies.”
The upcoming virtual event will explore today's biggest retention challenges, emerging workplace trends, and practical strategies for reducing turnover. Attendees will gain research-backed insights into topics such as organizational culture, employee well-being, leadership, benefits, flexible work, AI, and the proven practices of organizations that excel at retaining talent.
The newly formed advisory board includes 11 distinguished experts: Douglas Brown, founder of Manage2Retain; Mary Damas, VP of Recruiting and Employee Engagement at ServiceLink; Dick Finnegan, CEO of C-Suite Analytics; Teri Frangie, Chief Human Potential Officer at Frangie-Young Solutions; Barrie Goodman, HR Consultant and founder of FelbarrsHR; Andy Hall, founder of Andy Hall Coaching LLC; Larren Oliver, VP of Human Resources, Talent & Retention at Excalibur Data Driven Performance Management; Lisa Reinhardt, Senior Manager of Learning & OD at The CCS Companies; Sonja Talley, president of CORE HR Solutions, LLC; and Natalie Wintermark, Chief People & Culture Officer.
The HR Research Institute, powered by HR.com, releases annual “State of the Industry” reports across various HR topics. Last year's report, HR.com's State of Employee Retention 2025-26, provides a foundation for this year's efforts. Free research reports and infographics are available for download at hr.com/researchinstitute.
HR.com positions itself as the #1 source for HR research, serving more than 2 million HR professionals. The HR Research Institute has published hundreds of reports across a wide array of HR topics, with research based on surveys developed with the assistance of thought leaders and industry experts on its advisory boards. The announcement underscores the importance of continuous adaptation in retaining top talent, as workforce needs evolve.
