HR.com's HR Research Institute has unveiled its 2026 Recruitment Technology Advisory Board, bringing together respected HR leaders and talent acquisition experts to help guide new research and educational programming focused on the technologies transforming today's hiring process. The board will provide strategic insights that will shape the upcoming HR Research Institute study and a virtual event examining how organizations are leveraging recruitment technology, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve hiring outcomes.
“Recruitment technology is advancing rapidly, creating new opportunities to improve hiring efficiency and the candidate experience,” said Debbie McGrath, CEO of HR.com. “Our Advisory Board will help ensure our research and events deliver practical, data-driven insights that enable HR professionals to make informed technology decisions.”
The research and virtual event will explore the current state of recruitment technologies, including the growing impact of AI, identify which solutions organizations are using most successfully, examine how employers measure recruiting performance through technology, highlight emerging best practices, and look ahead at the next generation of recruitment innovations.
The newly formed 2026 Future of Recruitment Technologies Advisory Board features these distinguished experts: Deb Andrucuk, VP Strategic Growth, Joveo; Brian Fink, Managing Partner, The ReWork Group; Susan Hanold, Ph.D., Vice President OD, People and Change, Plan Z Solutions; Joel Kirk, Director-Talent Engagement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts; Pete Radloff, Senior Technical Leadership Recruiter, DataDog; and Jason Vogel, Senior Manager, Catalyst Executive Recruiter, PWC.
The HR Research Institute releases annual “State of the Industry” reports across a variety of HR topic areas, including last year's HR.com’s Future of Recruitment Technologies 2025-26 report on this topic. This and other free research reports and infographics can be downloaded at hr.com/researchinstitute.
The announcement underscores the rapid evolution of recruitment technology, with AI and automation becoming central to how organizations attract and hire talent. As companies face increasing pressure to improve efficiency and candidate experience, the insights from this advisory board will be critical for HR professionals looking to make data-driven decisions. The upcoming virtual event, scheduled for November 18, 2026, will provide a platform for discussing these trends and best practices, offering attendees the opportunity to learn from leading experts in the field.
“We are excited to work with such a distinguished group of professionals,” added McGrath. “Their diverse experiences across industries and roles will ensure our research reflects the real-world challenges and opportunities in recruitment technology.”
The HR Research Institute, powered by HR.com, identifies key trends and best practices to help more than 2 million HR professionals and their organizations make strategic decisions with informed and insightful research findings. The institute has published hundreds of high-quality reports across a wide array of HR topics, and its free membership offers benefits including access to over 300 exclusive primary research, state-of-the-industry reports, and infographics. These resources are published based on surveys developed with the assistance of a panel of thought leaders and industry experts on the advisory boards.
For HR professionals, this initiative signals the importance of staying abreast of technological advancements in recruitment. The research and event will likely provide actionable insights on how to integrate AI and automation effectively, measure performance, and prepare for future innovations. As the hiring landscape becomes more competitive, leveraging such insights will be key to attracting top talent.
