Now in its 29th year, the report draws on more than 10,000 responses from HR professionals at 6,038 organizations, a 29% increase in participating organizations over last year
PENSACOLA, Fla., Nov. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Sapient Insights Group, known for the industry's most expansive, non-sponsored HR systems survey, has released the findings of its 2026-2027 HR Systems Survey, now in its 29th year. The resulting 450-page report is based on more than 10,000 responses from HR professionals representing 6,038 organizations worldwide.
The report's highly anticipated Voice of the Customer ratings rank buyers' overall vendor satisfaction and user experience across 23 HR technology categories. The report also details implementation plans for the coming year and, for buyers looking to switch solutions, the vendors included in RFPs. All Voice of the Customer data is broken down by company size, giving prospective buyers insight into the solutions used or considered by companies like theirs.
Several factors set this year's report apart:
• Record participation. The number of participating organizations grew 29%, from 4,670 to 6,038. The larger data set gives Sapient analysts stronger data validation and clearer trend spotting across company sizes, industries, and regions.
• New areas of study. The survey adds Compliance Management to the HR Blueprint, application-level outcome questions, payment models for applications and AI, and finance applications covering Core, Expense, and Planning.
• More of the "why." The survey asks more "why" questions throughout, so the results show not just what organizations are doing but the reasons behind their choices.
The report includes extensive trend analysis and covers operational topics critical to successful implementations and business outcomes, such as systems governance, organizational structures and staffing, budgeting, and adaptive change management.
"AI has moved from an experiment to a business priority. 55% of organizations now use AI in HR, well above the 44% forecast last year. But using AI isn't the same as getting results from it. More than a third of AI users (36%) are adopting it ahead of their HR processes and data, and their outcomes look about the same as organizations using no AI at all," said Stacey Harris, Managing Partner and Chief Research Officer. "This report also goes well beyond AI. We look at how organizations are paying for their technology, how they measure outcomes at the application level, and why they make the choices they do. That gives HR leaders a practical, data-based view of the market rather than the hype."
Other findings in this year's report include:
• AI is now cited by 12% of organizations that cut staff, up from 1% last year, though business performance (35%) and restructuring (31%) remain the leading reasons for workforce reductions.
• Only 8% of AI users measure AI's value by headcount reduction, while 75% measure time saved.
• Executives now lead 31% of HR system selections, up from 25% in 2024, while nearly every change management practice used during implementations declines this year, with the steepest drops in manager and employee engagement.
Availability:
The 2026-2027 HR Systems Survey report is available for purchase for $1,800. Sapient also offers specific report segments for $500-800 each. The complete Voice of the Customer results are available here.
About the 2026-2027 HR Systems Survey:
Now in its 29th year, Sapient Insights Group's HR Systems Survey is the longest-running, most comprehensive survey of the HR technology landscape, and the only fully objective, non-sponsored study of its kind. This year, HR professionals representing 6,038 organizations around the globe took part.
The survey continues to grow with the HR technology market and now covers 23 technology categories. The annual report includes in-depth analysis of each category, along with current and future adoption rates, customer retention, replacement plans, and projected vendor growth. It also breaks down the demographics of HR organizations, system governance, system strategy and implementation, business and talent outcomes, technology spending, and much more.
About Sapient Insights Group:
Sapient Insights Group is a certified women-owned, privately-owned consulting, research, and advisory firm. The company works with organizations in the areas of HR and finance technology; HR strategy and transformation; leadership and culture; change management; talent management; mergers and acquisitions; and project management. The company's HR Systems Survey is the HR profession's most trusted source for objective data on the HR technology market and insights to guide buyer investments and vendor product development and marketing. For more information, visit www.sapientinsights.com.
Media Contact
Allison Williams, Sapient Insights Group, 1 4043044748, Allison@sapientinsights.com, https://sapientinsights.com/
SOURCE Sapient Insights Group
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