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People Risk 2026 report 

Understand, prioritize, and manage people risks for resilience and competitive advantage in 2026

AI, cyber, geopolitics, and climate uncertainty are disrupting markets, supply chains, work, and well-being—and undermining employees' ability to thrive. Risk and HR leaders face an unprecedented pace of change, complexity, and interconnected risks, challenging their ability to respond to uncertainty and protect organizational resilience.

The People Risk 2026 Asia snapshot shares the top 25 people risks ranked by 4,517 risk and HR professionals with data and insights from 26 markets, including 1,043 in Asia.

The research findings reveal that risk and HR leaders are aligned for seven of the top 10 risks. The report shows organizations:

  • How to unlock cyber and AI value across your workforce.
  • Why you need to strengthen supervisory and leadership skills as a risk control.
  • How to shift from cost cutting to cost efficiency.
  • How to make smarter use of data to strengthen governance.
  • Why and how to intervene before health risks escalate.

The human edge: Transforming risk into strategic advantage

Inside the People Risk 2026 report, you’ll find the guidance that risk, finance, HR, and health and safety professionals need to know to limit organizational exposure and mitigate risk.

Five imperatives for addressing people risks in Indonesia:

The AI hustle: Unlocking real business value

As artificial intelligence reshapes expectations of work and accelerates organizational change, it is also redefining risk — and what it takes to remain competitive. While many employers remain focused on the dangers that AI can bring — from data loss to hallucinations — a far greater threat is emerging: failing to convert AI investment into meaningful productivity, innovation, and performance gains.


#1 Inadequate cyber threat literacy

With Indonesia’s rapid digitization and cross-border complexity in Asia, the human layer is revealed as the largest cyber vulnerability.

Surviving the fast lane: The new leadership challenge

The nature of organizational risk is changing and leaders sit at the intersection between a volatile world and their organization’s response. As these pressures intensify, leadership capability has become a critical control at the heart of effective risk management. When leaders lack the skills to adapt quickly, inspire a diverse workforce, and create understanding in the face of ambiguity, risks spread quickly across the organization.


#3 Misconduct

As technological advances broaden access to information, intolerance for misconduct is rising – increasing reputational, compliance, and governance risks, while stakeholders demand transparency and ethical leadership. 

Frayed loyalty: The growing risk of employee financial insecurity

Employees’ financial vulnerabilities are no longer just a personal issue. Financial insecurity has become a material organizational risk — one that directly affects productivity, retention, and behavior. In our research, employee financial insecurity ranks within the top 10 risks for all regions and as the #4 people risk globally, reflecting the growing pressure employees face as living costs outpace wage growth.


  #8 Employee financial insecurity

Financial strain heightens employees' awareness of inadequate rewards and engagement programs, and employees are likely to delay seeking healthcare.

Quest for clarity: Regaining control in a time of complexity

Managing rewards and benefits is becoming significantly more complex. Rising health and benefit costs, shifting regulations, growing expectations of transparency, and expanding cyber exposure are converging at a time when risk and HR teams are being asked to deliver more with fewer resources and less margin for error.


 #4 Changing regulatory environment

As Indonesia’s regulatory environment evolves, people-related compliance issues are becoming more prominent and impactful. What were once routine HR operational matters are now business-critical risks with material implications for corporate reputation, governance, and strategic decision-making.

Hidden health risks: Emphasizing what really matters

Workforce health and safety provide the foundation of organizational performance. Employees cannot perform, adapt, or innovate if they are injured or unwell, or if they feel unsafe at work. Yet, despite the pandemic ending just three years ago, health-related risks and the importance of preventive actions appear to be receding from view — overshadowed by more immediate concerns such as cyber threats, AI disruption, and geopolitical instability.


#5 Mental health deterioration 

50% of HR and Risk professionals say risks related to unsafe physical and / or psychological working conditions would have a catastrophic or high impact on their organization.
People risks are now strategic and no longer just an HR issue. These risks are driven by evolving tech adoption, talent scarcity, new work models, and well-being gaps. The cure: enterprise risk management that pairs data-led workforce strategy with modern tools to protect people and drive performance.
Steven Yu, Mercer Marsh Benefits Leader, Marsh Asia
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