Human Capital Trends: Turning tensions into triumphs
Helping leaders transform uncertainty into opportunity
In a world of constant disruption, leaders face increasingly complex decisions at the intersection of business and human outcomes. Deloitte’s 2025 Human Capital Trends report explores how leaders can move beyond indecision and outdated paradigms by adopting a more balanced approach—one that sees human performance as essential to long-term success.
Based on insights from nearly 10,000 leaders across 93 countries, it identifies the key tensions organisations must address to unlock human potential and drive lasting value.
Key insights from the 2025 report
Leaders are stuck in a ‘wait-and-see’ cycle
Faced with economic uncertainty and rapid change, many leaders are pausing decision-making or defaulting to short-term thinking. Yet inaction can be more risky than action. Leaders who actively balance business and human outcomes are better positioned to seize emerging opportunities and build sustainable advantage.
Only 6 percent of organisations are progressing on human sustainability
Despite recognising the importance of human outcomes—well-being, growth, employability—few organisations are embedding these into business strategy. A narrow focus on short-term financial results may be limiting long-term value creation.
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Organisations that are high-performing in decision-making are:
- Turning decision-making into a leadership superpower
- Organisations that are high-performing in decision-making are:
- 22× more likely to openly discuss how decisions are made
- 9× more likely to teach decision-making skills
- 7× more likely to provide tools that support high-quality decisions
Making better decisions in uncertain times isn’t just about having the right data—it’s about having the right mindset, structures, and culture in place.
Enabling progress through purposeful leadership
To thrive in a rapidly evolving world, leaders must reframe how they define success. They have an opportunity to rewrite the story of leadership—one where business value and human value are not in competition, but in concert.
