Thought Leadership
Gartner outlines four priorities for HR leaders in 2027. According to a survey, only a quarter of executive teams agree on who is responsible for AI agents.
Market research firm Gartner has outlined four priorities that Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) should address in 2027. They were presented by Mark Whittle, Vice President Analyst at Gartner, at the Gartner HR Symposium/Xpo in London. The findings are based in part on a Gartner survey of 297 CHROs conducted in July 2026 and a survey of 203 CEOs and other executives conducted in May 2026.
Speed Instead of Efficiency
According to Gartner, business demands are changing faster than HR departments can execute them.
“Many HR functions are trying to close this gap with the business by doubling down on process efficiency. That makes HR faster at executing, but not faster at delivering value.”
Mark Whittle, Vice President Analyst at Gartner
Leading organizations are therefore adopting principles from product management.
Responsibility for AI Agents Unclear
According to Gartner, AI agents in enterprises do not only handle tasks, but also systematically hand off ambiguous cases, discretionary decisions, and error resolution to employees. In the July survey, only 24 percent of CHROs stated that their executive team agrees on who is responsible for AI agents. Gartner recommends that humans retain control over AI, enforce values, and intervene when necessary.
Fewer, but Differentiating Skills
67 percent of CHROs report higher expectations for employee productivity. At the same time, companies are cutting parts of middle management and hiring fewer entry-level employees. Gartner advises focusing on a small set of skills that differentiate the company from competitors, and placing greater emphasis on willingness and capacity to learn during hiring rather than relying solely on existing knowledge.
Executives Under Pressure
In the May survey, 63 percent of CEOs and other executives stated that they are fundamentally restructuring their operating model to achieve faster financial returns from AI. According to Gartner, top management often fails to meet these expectations due to entrenched ways of working, weak team performance, and knowledge gaps. HR departments should therefore support leaders in deliberately abandoning outdated behaviors and workflows and replacing them with new ones.
(Editorial Team)
