HR Benchmarks 2026
The definitive data guide for HR leaders. Real-time industry averages for attrition, hiring speed, and operational costs.
Industry Pulse Explorer
Select an industry to visualize 2026 benchmarks.
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Industry Insight
"Remote flexibility is driving down absence rates, but specialized skill shortages keep attrition high."
Information Technology Benchmarks
Data Projection for Fiscal Year 2026
Attrition Rate
Percentage of workforce leaving annually.
Avg Time-to-Fill
Avg time from req approval to offer acceptance.
Absence Rate
Percentage of unplanned workdays lost.
Beat the Average
Kiework companies report 15% lower attrition in Information Technology.
Average Attrition Rate 2026
In 2026, India's talent market has entered a "normalization" phase. While the frenzy of 2022-23 has subsided, specialized sectors like E-commerce and Professional Services continue to face attrition spikes exceeding 25%. In the US, monthly separation rates hold steady at ~3.3%, driven largely by healthcare and financial services churn.
2026 Attrition Breakdown: India
| Industry (India) | 2026 Attrition Rate | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| E-commerce | 28.7% | Rising |
| Professional Services | 25.7% | Steady |
| Information Technology (IT) | 25.0% | Cooling |
| Financial Services | 24.8% | Rising |
| Hi-Tech | 21.5% | Steady |
| Metals and Mining | 8.6% | Low |
| India National Average | 13.6% | Aggregated |
Source: Wisemonk 2026 Labor Projections & Industry Pulse Reports.
Observation: The Tech Cooling
IT attrition in India has dropped from a peak of 30%+ to a stable 25% as the market shifts from growth-at-all-costs to capital efficiency.
Average Time to Hire
Counter-intuitively, the "Average Time to Fill" has expanded in 2026 to 63-68 days. Companies are prioritizing "Hiring Smart" over "Hiring Fast," incorporating multi-stage AI simulations and culture-fit assessments to reduce long-term attrition costs.
Hiring Speed by Sector (2026)
| Sector | Time-to-Fill (Days) |
|---|---|
| Energy & Defense | 67+ |
| Engineering | 62 |
| Investment Banking | 60 |
| Healthcare | 56 |
| IT & Software | 41 |
| Retail | 38 |
| Hospitality | 14 |
Source: Corporate Navigators Jan 2026 Market Report & iSmartRecruit Global Benchmarks.
Payroll Processing Cost Benchmarks
In 2026, the cost of processing payroll has bifurcated based on the technology stack. Legacy manual processing remains expensive due to human error and compliance risk, while automated systems have driven down the Per-Employee-Per-Month (PEPM) costs.
- $5 – $17Typical PEPM (US)
Base fees range from $40-$60 per month for small businesses.
- ₹150 – ₹450Typical PEPM (India)
Includes statutory filings (PF, ESI, TDS) and local compliance.
The ROI of Outsourcing
Companies spending more than $500/month on internal payroll administration often find that outsourcing to a consolidated platform like Kiework reduces costs by 40% while eliminating compliance penalties.
Absenteeism Data & Trends
National absence rates are projected to reach 3.2% in 2026. The "Burnout Crisis" in healthcare continues to drive the highest absence rates, while the Technology sector maintains the lowest rates due to "Work-from-Anywhere" flexibility.
Absenteeism by Industry (2026 Projection)
| Industry Sector | Absence Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Healthcare & Social Care | 4% – 6% |
| Public Sector (Govt) | 4% – 5% |
| Education | 3% – 4% |
| Manufacturing | 2% – 3% |
| Technology (IT) | 1.5% – 2.5% |
| 2026 National Projection | 3.2% |
Source: ScheduleLeave 2026 Absence Index & AIHR Workplace Absence Reports.
Where do you Stand?
"If your attrition is above 15% in 2026, you're not just losing people; you're losing capital efficiency."
Metric: Attrition
Metric: Hiring
Metric: Cost
Beat the Benchmarks.
Kiework's AI-driven platform helps you reduce time-to-hire by 40% and attrition by 15% through hyper-personalized employee experiences.