By Bill Benson and Jeff McGraw

Wow – two-thirds of the year is over. It is a great time to pause, evaluate and potentially, re-align. 2025 market uncertainty, fear of inflation and high interest rates has slowed hiring as well as investments in leadership development and other strategic HR initiatives. We are anticipating this fog lifting with 2026 being clear sailing. The time is now to make sure you are hitting your stride going into the new year. Here are eight considerations to strengthen your organization heading into 2026:

1️. Mid-Year Talent Review

Why it matters: Your people are your engine. High-performing teams can drift if priorities or development paths change.
Actions:

• Identify high performers and emerging leaders—are they in the right roles?
• Flag underperformers and create improvement or realignment plans.
• Reassess team capacity to meet year-end goals.

2️.  Succession Planning

Why it matters: Critical roles without prepared successors create risk—especially in family businesses.
Actions:

• Confirm key positions have identified successors.
• Verify successors are gaining needed experience.
• Adjust development plans to close skill gaps.

3️. Leadership Development Programs

Why it matters: Programs launched in Q1 may no longer reflect evolving business needs.
Actions:

• Review program effectiveness: are participants applying learnings?
• Refresh curriculum to close skill gaps.
• Encourage mentorship and cross-functional exposure.

4️. Retention Strategies

Why it matters: Losing top talent is costly and often occurs mid-year.
Actions:

• Assess engagement through surveys or direct feedback.
• Ensure career growth, recognition, and development paths are clear.
• Review compensation and benefits to mitigate attrition risk.
• Conduct retention interviews with current employees.

5️. Culture Alignment

Why it matters: Misaligned culture slows execution and innovation.
Actions:

• Conduct a “culture check” to ensure values and behaviors support business goals.
• Identify gaps or friction points and plan interventions.
• Reinforce desired behaviors through recognition and leadership examples.

6️. HR Data & Analytics

Why it matters: Metrics turn intuition into actionable insight.
Actions:

• Review turnover, performance ratings, engagement, and workforce demographics.
• Identify trends or hotspots that need intervention.
• Use data to make evidence-based decisions for talent and leadership.

7️. Organizational Growth & Change

Why it matters: Growth initiatives fail when talent and leadership aren’t aligned.
Actions:

• Evaluate whether current teams can support planned expansions or initiatives.
• Identify leadership gaps or skill shortages.
• Develop recruitment, training, or support strategies to close gaps.

8️. Strategic Planning for 2026

Why it matters: Early planning reduces surprises and ensures a strong January start.
Actions:

• Map talent, leadership, and succession priorities for next year.
• Identify high-impact initiatives and required resources.
• Align budgets, development plans, and KPIs for a seamless start.

The close of summer is a natural pause for reflection—and a strategic opportunity to align your organization’s people and leadership with your vision. Addressing these eight areas now positions your company for a strong finish to 2025 and sets the stage for a thriving 2026. WilliamCharles Search Group partners with organizations to identify, develop, and retain the right leaders for long-term success. Let’s explore how we can help you strengthen your leadership pipeline and talent strategy.