Webinar Summary - Getting HR in Shape for 2026

Empowering Leaders, Anchoring on Listening, and Using Technology with Intention

Culture C | Webinar Is your employee listening strategy keeping up

Getting HR in Shape for 2026

A webinar hosted by CultureC with guest perspectives from Nectar and Znario

January 29, 2026 - Webinar Summary

As organizations head into 2026, HR teams are being asked to carry more responsibility with fewer resources — while also helping leaders navigate ongoing change, rising expectations, and rapidly evolving technology.

This conversation brought together Craig Forman (CultureC), Anita Grantham (Nectar), and Natalie Egan (Znario) to explore how HR leaders can stay grounded, human-centered, and effective in the face of those pressures.

Below is a summary of the key themes and moments from the session.

The evolving role of HR in 2026

Craig opened the session by acknowledging what many HR teams are experiencing firsthand: smaller teams, increased expectations, and a growing responsibility to carry the organization’s culture forward.

A central theme of the conversation was that technology alone is not the solution. Instead, the focus needs to be on how technology can support human work, rather than replace it — particularly when it comes to leadership, trust, and communication.

Listening surfaced early as a critical capability. Not as a one-time initiative, but as an ongoing anchor during periods of transformation.

Listening as an anchor during change

Throughout the conversation, all three speakers emphasized that listening plays a stabilizing role when organizations are navigating uncertainty or change.

However, the discussion also highlighted a common gap: many organizations are collecting employee feedback, but failing to clearly communicate what they’ve heard or what will happen next. When feedback disappears into a void, trust erodes and participation drops.

The group discussed the importance of closing the loop — helping employees understand how their input is being used, even when immediate action isn’t possible.

Supporting managers through difficult conversations

Natalie introduced Znario, a scenario-based training platform designed to help managers practice and navigate difficult conversations.

She walked participants through a live example, “Close to Quitting,” where a manager is faced with an employee sharing that a colleague feels overwhelmed and may be considering leaving. Participants were asked to choose how they would respond, highlighting how different instincts and confidence levels show up in real time.

The demonstration reinforced that managers often want to do the right thing, but lack space to practice judgment in low-risk environments — and that well-designed tools can help bridge that gap.

Confidentiality, trust, and co-creation

Anita emphasized the importance of confidentiality as a foundation for trust. Leaders, she noted, need to be clear about what confidentiality means and how they can support employees without breaking it.

The conversation explored the tension leaders often feel between wanting to help and needing to protect trust — and how coaching employees through their options can sometimes be the most effective path forward.

Co-creation also emerged as a key theme: involving employees in shaping solutions, rather than imposing them, leads to stronger buy-in and more sustainable outcomes.

Where employee listening efforts break down

The group discussed several common mistakes organizations make with listening programs:

Collecting feedback without a clear plan for action
Failing to communicate outcomes or next steps
Treating listening as a one-time effort rather than an ongoing practice

Craig shared his frustration with organizations that invest in surveys and data collection but stop short of meaningfully engaging with the results — undermining both trust and the value of the data itself.

The takeaway was clear: listening only works when it is paired with intention, communication, and follow-through.

Using technology to strengthen human judgment

Rather than positioning technology as a replacement for human interaction, the discussion focused on how it can be used to bring people back together, strengthen relationships, and support better decision-making.

Natalie and Anita both emphasized that technology is most effective when it enhances human judgment — helping leaders slow down, reflect, and respond thoughtfully — rather than speeding everything up or automating away complexity.

Craig reinforced the importance of intentional facilitation in making this balance work.

Closing reflections and what’s next

Toward the end of the session, Craig introduced his new book, Listen Up, which expands on the themes discussed and offers a framework for building stronger listening practices inside organizations.

He closed by thanking participants for their engagement and encouraging continued connection — including registering for the next webinar focused on AI and organizational readiness.