The State of People Operations in 2026: Survey Insights from Social Impact Leaders
This is how social impact leaders described their organizational cultures to us in a recent survey:
"Pushing a boulder uphill." 🏔️
"Building the plane while flying it." ✈️
"Fire-drill city." 🔥
These comments made sense once we learned that only 25% have a formal People Operations strategy, and 91% lack one or more of the People Ops systems they need to scale.
We created the State of People Ops Report because in our consulting work, we constantly see ambitious orgs stalling when infrastructure can't keep pace. Many folks don't realize that People Operations isn't just HR. It's the strategic foundation that allows organizations to meet ambitious goals, navigate growth, and sustain impact over time.
Without People Ops, even the most driven companies hit a ceiling, holding them back from their mission and risking increased turnover and burnout. The first step to overcoming that is awareness, which is why we're sharing some key insights from the finalized report. Read on to learn more, and grab your copy of the full report below!
Most organizations lack critical systems, and leaders know why
Our survey revealed significant gaps in People Ops infrastructure. Almost all (91%) of these orgs lack at least one of the systems they need to grow, lead, and adapt effectively. Meanwhile, only 25% have a defined People Ops strategy — and 29% have no strategy at all. This explains why folks feel like they're building the plane while flying it.
It's also concerning that only a third (33%) of orgs report alignment between their mission, values, and internal operations. That disconnect shows up in how decisions get made, whether feedback flows honestly, and how people experience the day-to-day internal culture.
Leaders were frequently aware of what's keeping them from investing in People Ops. From limited budgets to competing priorities to lack of buy-in from leadership, or a mix of multiple barriers, many leaders felt caught in a vicious cycle.
“An investment in people IS an investment in programs. There are no programs — or impact — without smart, qualified people to make them happen.”
Without People Ops investment, talented people leave. The remaining staff has to stretch to cover the gaps. Leaders get pulled away from strategy, systems start to break down, and emergency fixes become the norm. Hiring slows down as a result, teams try to overcompensate, and people begin to burn out.
This cycle costs more in the long run than building things right the first time. Survey respondents told us about the very real costs they're experiencing: staff burnout, churn, operational bottlenecks, and hiring processes that drag on for months. When your people systems can't support your work, everything suffers.
The bright side: What's actually working right now
Despite the very real challenges, we also uncovered some positive momentum to celebrate.
More than half (58%) of social impact companies have built a feedback-friendly culture. It's paramount, especially now, that people can talk about what's working (and what's not) without fear. That openness doesn't arise by default, even in mission-driven spaces where everyone cares deeply.
Fifty percent of the surveyed orgs are also evaluating their policies for fairness and flexibility, which is always a win, and tracking retention rates. Tracking is a great thing, as it defines concrete objectives and gives you baseline data to use as a benchmark in the future. Nearly half (46%) also provide wellbeing support and are deploying inclusive hiring practices.
Additionally, 41% conduct engagement surveys, which are a great tool for providing actionable data. When you can show stakeholders that survey feedback led to specific actions or changes, and then you connect those to improved retention or other measurable improvements, you're proving that People Ops investment is worth it.
★ We want to recognize the companies making these things happen! Nearly all of us are strapped with limited resources and a thousand competing priorities, so it's encouraging to see companies making good practices the standard.
AI remains a top concern for social impact leaders
Not surprisingly, when we asked about pressing issues on the horizon, AI dominated the responses by a wide margin. Mission-driven leaders are looking to answer a fundamental question: Where does AI fit into People Ops, and what are its limits?
Our short answer: AI cannot solve true People Ops problems.
AI isn't going to build your culture, develop your leaders, or navigate the messy human dynamics that every organization faces. However, it is changing how work gets done, and many organizations are inadvertently automating the wrong things.
The key is being selective. Use AI for administrative tasks that free up capacity, like scheduling, note-taking, and coordination. Meanwhile, protect the work that requires human judgment: coaching conversations, meaningful feedback, building trust, and navigating conflict.
Get this wrong, and you risk losing the human touch that makes People Ops effective. Get it right, and you create space for leaders to do the relational work that actually builds healthy organizations.
↗ Want more AI advice? Don't worry; we'll dive deeper into this tension in an upcoming post, including specific guidance on where AI helps and where it hurts.
Check out the State of People Ops Report for full insights
This survey is our first data-backed look at People Operations across the social impact sector, and the patterns we saw align with what we see working with organizations every day. Most leaders have some idea of what they need. The challenge is figuring out how to build it with limited capacity and competing demands.
The full State of People Ops 2026 Report goes deeper into the findings, with breakdowns by organization type and size, how orgs are currently measuring People Ops impact, and what leaders identified as the most urgent issues on the horizon.
And if you're reading this and seeing yourself in the data, you're in the right place. At DevelopWell, we help organizations like yours build the infrastructure to keep up with their missions. If you'd like to discuss how to invest in building systems that can grow with the work, reach out to us below.