Setting Your People Strategy for 2026

As Alberta businesses look ahead to 2026, one thing is clear: the companies that performed best this past year weren’t reacting to staffing issues, they were planning for them. 

Across construction, manufacturing, agriculture and other field-based industries, workforce challenges continued to dominate conversations in 2025. Labour shortages, early turnover, burned-out supervisors, and inconsistent onboarding all took a toll on productivity and profitability. 

At the same time, many employers made meaningful progress by tightening their people practices, clarifying expectations, and investing in leadership at the supervisor level. 

The lesson heading into 2026 is simple: most companies don’t have a hiring problem, they have a planning problem. 

What a “People Strategy” Really Means in Hands-On Industries 

A people strategy doesn’t need to be complicated or corporate. In construction, manufacturing, agriculture and other field-based operations, a people strategy is simply your plan for getting the right people with the right skills at the right time, and keeping them long enough to make an impact. These industries rely on predictable staffing, safe operations, and strong front-line leadership. When any of those break down, the ripple effects are immediate: missed deadlines, safety risks, overtime costs, and frustrated crews.

A strong people strategy focuses on five core areas that consistently separate reactive companies from prepared ones. 

1. Workforce Planning: Stop Hiring When You’re Already Short 

One of the biggest challenges we continue to see is reactive hiring. Many businesses only start recruiting once someone resigns or a project is already understaffed. The reality? From the time an employee gives notice to the time a new hire is productive, you could easily be looking at 6 weeks or more. 

Effective workforce planning means looking ahead and asking: What projects are coming up? What are our seasonal peaks and slowdowns? Who may retire, move roles, or need recertification? Where do we always seem to scramble for coverage? 

Using production schedules, project forecasts, and seasonal cycles allows employers to anticipate labour gaps instead of constantly firefighting them. Industry research from organizations like CPHR Alberta continues to show that proactive workforce planning is one of the strongest predictors of operational stability. 

2. Clarifying Roles and Expectations Reduces Turnover 

One of the clearest lessons from 2025: unclear roles drive turnover. Employees perform better when they understand what success looks like. When expectations are vague or constantly changing, frustration builds quickly, especially in hands-on roles where crews rely on each other. 

Strong people strategies include: Clear job descriptions. Defined responsibilities and workflows. Performance expectations tied to the role. Training paths and skill progression. This clarity doesn’t just improve performance, it reduces early exits, miscommunications, and conflict between supervisors and crew members. 

Job clarity and compensation transparency are also becoming major retention tools, particularly for younger workers who want to understand the “why” behind their role, not just the task list. 

3. Realistic Recruitment Beats the “Wish List” Hire

Another common challenge this year was unrealistic hiring. Posting for a “perfect” candidate often leads to longer vacancies, rushed decisions, or misaligned hires. Instead, strong people strategies focus on hiring for the role you actually need today, not an idealist version of it. That means being upfront about physical demands and working conditions, shift schedules and overtime expectations, and required certifications vs trainable skills. 

Many Alberta employers also had success building relationships with apprentice programs, trade schools, and local referral networks. This approach shortened time-to-hire and improved candidate fit, especially in skilled trades and manufacturing roles. 

4. Structured Onboarding Drives Early Retention 

One of the clearest wins this year came from companies that formalized onboarding. Businesses using 30/60/90-day onboarding plans, training checklists, and scheduled supervisor check-ins consistently saw faster time productivity, fewer early resignations and stronger safety compliance. 

Effective onboarding includes clear safety expectations from day one, documented training checklists, introductions to key team members and regular supervisor touchpoints. Even simple systems: shared checklists, calendars, or basic apps, helped reduce errors and confusion. As workforce research from manufacturing and workforce strategy groups like PeopleWorx highlight early structure matters more than volume of information. 

5. Supervisor Development Is the Biggest Retention Lever

If there’s one lesson that stood out most clearly in 2025, it’s this: Supervisor quality is the single biggest driver of engagement, safety and retention. 

Many high-performing workers struggle when promoted without leadership training. Technical skill does not automatically translate into strong communication, delegation, or conflict management. We often remind employers: Supervisor training isn’t a perk. It’s job protection. Crews don’t leave companies, they leave the person leading them. Companies that invested in supervisor coaching, leadership training, and consistent expectations saw better morale and fewer people issues on site. 

Additional Trends That Shaped 2025

Several practical strategies gained traction this year as employers looked for simple ways to improve stability and reduce pressure on their teams. Many organizations introduced relief or float roles to help reduce burnout in key positions and provide coverage during busy periods. Other expanded cross-training to improve flexibility, reduce downtime, and limit disruptions when employees are absent. 

At the same time, more companies began using simple technology tools such as shared calendars, checklists and communication apps to improve coordination and reduce errors. Tracking performance, safety, and employee development also became more consistent, helping leaders spot issues earlier and make better decisions. These changes weren’t complex, but they were intentional, and they made a measurable difference. 

Where to Start Your People Strategy for 2026 

As you plan for 2026, it’s important to step back and answer a few foundational questions about your workforce. Consider who you will need next year and where those workers will come from. Think through what training will be required, who will be responsible for delivering it, and how supervisors will be supported in their roles. Review whether your current onboarding process is consistent and supported by development across the organization. 

The companies outperforming their peers aren’t doing more, they’re doing the right things earlier. 

The Bottom Line for 2026 

The biggest takeaway from this year is clear: planning beats reacting. Companies that planned ahead, clarified expectations, developed supervisors, and formalized onboarding consistently outperformed those still hiring only when they were already short. 

Or simply put: Hire faster. Hire Smarter. Be Clear. Keep People Longer.  

At HR Advantage, we help Alberta employers turn lessons like these into practical, compliant, people-first strategies that work in the real world - especially for construction, manufacturing, agriculture, and field-based teams heading into 2026.