For decades, HR teams have approached employee safety in silos—health concerns handled by one department, security issues by another, with limited coordination between them. However, according to International SOS’s 2026 Risk Outlook report, that approach is no longer sufficient. Experts predict that workforce risks will increasingly overlap, arriving simultaneously in ways that blur the previous traditional boundaries. For HR leaders, this means duty of care must shift to account for the new, converging risk environment.
The report noted that over half of respondents felt risks are becoming increasingly interconnected, and that over the past year, experts have observed that few events now occur without requiring both a health and security response, making it imperative that HR plans build in an interconnected approach to response management. This means that internal coordination will need to be streamlined and strengthened, and HR leaders and employees will need to have access to multidisciplinary experts who can verify and respond to real-time risks.
Another major challenge for HR experts in the new year will be remote work. A new trend is arising in the workforce as a result of post-pandemic work-from-home policies. The trend is known as “hush trips,” where workers are quietly working from locations their employer is unaware of. This is concerning as only 22% of organizations surveyed say they have the capacity to monitor these hush trips, and even fewer feel equipped to handle medical or security incidents that occur while employees work from undisclosed locations. Whether an employee is working remotely from an unverified location or extending a vacation and working from hotels or cafes, many of these workers will assume that their employer has the means to support them should something go wrong. However, without prior knowledge of their working location, it makes it challenging for HR to assist with crisis management, medical support, or even evacuation assistance, in extreme cases. These hush trips bring to life a new arena of duty of care. To manage this, HR may need to adjust their current travel and remote-work policies and clarify employer expectations as it relates to the level of care they’re able to provide to their employees working remotely. Clear frameworks are essential to maintain trust among the workforce while also protecting the organization.
The report also found that geopolitical, economic, and social instability are accelerating risk exposure at new levels. Top disruptors included geopolitical tensions, trade disputes, sanctions, armed conflict, and global unrest, which align with a spike in global volatility. For HR, the challenge is that global volatility filters into the workplace through employee anxiety, political tensions among staff, and exposure to disinformation that is being amplified through channels and widely shared. The global climate is taking a toll on employees, especially regarding mental health. This means it’s imperative that HR take into account all of the outside factors—such as the news cycle, geopolitical events, and potential disinformation that’s spreading across the workplace—and revamp policies that offer meaningful support to employees.
Globally, more than a billion people live with mental health conditions. In the workplace, anxiety, stress, burnout, and fatigue are the most common well-being issues that affect today’s employees, yet only 17% of organizations surveyed said mental health was one of their top concerns for 2026. This is a big disconnect that poses a great risk. Mental health conditions and stress reduce employee satisfaction and impact performance. They may also reduce the resilience the workforce maintains during crises. While mental health-related issues were previously reported mostly in North America, it is now a global phenomenon, and HR will need to pivot their plans accordingly, building out well-being strategies that address mental health-related risks as a core component of their duty of care plans.
Meanwhile, cases of extreme weather are on the rise with more unpredictable patterns that are causing security concerns and impacting mental and physical health. Shifting weather patterns pose direct threats to businesses, affecting both worker safety and the physical integrity of facilities. Organizations will need to stay up to date on weather conditions and be able to track these issues in real time. They’ll also need to stay ahead of evolving regulations as they relate to weather events, particularly heat exposure, which is a major topic among HR professionals. More than one billion workers are exposed to extreme heat, and a third of them have experienced adverse health effects. Employers will need to have extreme heat policies in place, especially those in hotter climates or with outdoor workers. Like other 2026 risks, extreme weather doesn’t stay in one lane;it creates security, health, and operational challenges simultaneously.
As technology advances, cyber threats and AI pose real risks that HR executives need to be aware of. Cybercrime was the second highest driver of uncertainty in the survey, and due to the rise of remote work, including “hush trips,” HR teams will need to take a close look at how these types of risks are being evaluated and responded to. To add to the concern, AI is only considered a critical factor for risk management by 6% of respondents, yet its impact on the workplace is high. AI is becoming more deeply embedded into workstreams, and HR will need to oversee how it’s being implemented into day-to-day operations. While AI is a valuable tool for managing risks and increasing productivity, it must be used responsibly with human oversight. Without proper guardrails, overreliance on AI could erode employee skill levels and create long-term operational risks. Maintaining oversight of how these tools are being used will help HR teams keep their organizations safe from potential cyber threats.
Given the predicted complexity and convergence of threats in 2026, HR leaders need to adopt an integrated and proactive approach that puts employee well-being and business continuity at the forefront. As health, security, climate, and digital risks become more tightly intertwined, HR leaders sit at the center of both people protection and business stability. Those who build proactive, connected plans and who prioritize transparency, preparedness, and employee well-being will not only reduce risk but strengthen trust, resilience, and organizational performance in what is becoming an increasingly complex risk landscape.
Source – https://www.hrotoday.com/news/current-features/improving-employee-safety/