Lorrie Lykins, Vice President of Research, Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp)

2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for organizations—marked by accelerated innovation, evolving workforce dynamics, and the expanding influence of AI across business and people strategy. Each year, the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) draws on the collective insights of CHROs and senior leaders spanning talent, learning, talent acquisition, impact and belonging, total rewards, people analytics, and the future of work to identify the forces most likely to shape the year ahead. In this session, i4cp Vice President of Research Lorrie Lykins will take a deeper dive into findings from i4cp’s 2026 Priorities & Predictions report, highlighting how top-performing organizations are preparing to lead through both disruption and opportunity, including:

• Four predictions that will define the HR profession in 2026
• The top priorities of CHROs and other functional leaders
• Strategic actions organizations can take to stay ahead in a year of transformation

Program Format: Virtual

Program Agenda:

• Welcome & Announcements - 8:00 am
• Program - 8:15 am
• Meeting Wrap-up - 9:30 am

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Attendance and fees: HRLF members may attend all programs free of charge (no alternates or substitutions allowed). Nonmembers may attend SPARK Series programs for a fee. Nonmember registration requests must be submitted in advance; no on-site registrations can be accepted . Nonmember attendance is capped at eight (8) corporate nonmembers and two (2) service provider nonmembers per event, and registration priority is given to HRLF members and their nonmember guests. See our Event Policy for additional information on pricing and attendance.

About the Speaker

Lorrie Lykins is Vice President of Research at the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), a global human capital research organization. A recognized thought leader, speaker, and author, she brings deep expertise in organizational culture, employee experience, talent strategy, employer branding, crisis communications, and inclusion and belonging.

Lorrie’s career spans decades of research, writing, and speaking at the intersection of business and people strategy. Before joining i4cp, she served as a research analyst and editor at the Human Resource Institute (HRI) and was a correspondent and columnist for the St. Petersburg Times and the Tampa Bay Times. She has also taught courses in research, journalism, and rhetoric as an adjunct professor at Eckerd College.

Her insights have been featured in Fortune, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and numerous other publications. She is a contributor to several books, including ATD’s Handbook for Training and Talent Development (2022) and The ASTD Leadership Handbook (2010). Lorrie holds degrees from Eckerd College and Queens University of Charlotte.