2/5/2026 10:17:34 AM | less than a minute read

Charity leaders’ 2026 to‑do list: what HR and leadership teams must prioritise now

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Lisa Basch

Principal HR Consultant

Get in touch

Lisa Basch

Principal HR Consultant

The Charity Times analysis highlights a perfect storm facing the charity sector in 2026, but for HR leaders, the implications are even more acute. Charities are entering the year under intense financial pressure, rising demand, staff burnout, and rapid technological change.

With budgets tightening and operational costs rising, charities are being pushed towards:

recruitment freezes;
restructures and role redesign;
service reductions; and
programme efficiency reviews.

For HR, this means supporting teams through uncertainty, strengthening internal communications, and ensuring workforce planning remains humane but realistic.

Employee wellbeing has become a critical organisational priority. High burnout levels mean charities must focus on:

sustainable workloads;
improving culture; and
investing in wellbeing initiatives.

Digital transformation and AI, as always, remain central strategic themes. Leaders are under pressure to use AI and digital tools to improve fundraising, efficiency, and service delivery.

The key takeaway is that 2026 is a year that demands intentional leadership, realistic prioritisation, and deep care for your people.

At Stone King we have a team of experts ready to help you achieve your goals in 2026. If you'd like to discuss your organisations circumstances, please get in touch today.

Understandably running a charity amid escalating costs, surging demand and reduced funding will dominate charity leaders’ thoughts in 2026, but there are still a raft of other priorities that will demand attention. Many of these, such as around improving diversity and green commitments, have arguably been put off for too long in recent years. The spectre of staff burnout also remains. Efforts to boost employee wellbeing will be vital in the coming year to improve workforce retention rates, especially among those already in stressful frontline roles.

www.charitytimes.com/...