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 guiding new research and a virtual event focused on improving employee retention, increasing performance, and driving organizational success. The board’s insights will directly inform the 2026 HR Research Institute survey and virtual event programming, according to a press release.
“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 virtual event, titled HR.com's State of Employee Retention 2026 Virtual Event, is scheduled for November 10, 2026. It 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 2026 State of Employee Retention Advisory Board features distinguished experts including 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 a variety of HR topic areas, including last year's HR.com's State of Employee Retention 2025-26 report on this topic. These and other free research reports and infographics can be downloaded at hr.com/researchinstitute.
For business and technology leaders, this announcement signals a continued focus on employee retention as a critical strategic priority. With turnover costs estimated at significant percentages of salary, the insights from this advisory board and the upcoming event could provide actionable data to help organizations reduce attrition, especially in sectors facing talent shortages. The inclusion of AI as a topic suggests that technology will play a role in retention strategies, potentially through predictive analytics or enhanced employee experiences. The board’s diverse expertise, spanning recruitment, engagement, and culture, indicates a holistic approach to retention that goes beyond compensation to address work-life balance and leadership effectiveness.
