In this episode of People + Strategy, we sit down with Dawn Fay, operational president at Robert Half to unpack what the firm’s 2026 Salary Guide reveals about a cooling yet still competitive HR labor market. As wage growth moderates, Fay explores the growing tension between tighter budgets and rising expectations, where specialized skills in HR tech and analytics still command a premium. She helps to reframe the conversation beyond salary, urging HR and business leaders to rethink total rewards, flexibility, and the importance of “re-recruiting” their own teams to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving talent landscape.

Pay Equity Toolkit: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/toolkits/achieving-pay-equity-strategic-toolkit-hr-professionals

Pay Fact Sheet: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/fact-sheet/state-pay-transparency-laws-what-hr-needs-to-know

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The State of HR Compensation in 2026