Dresner ranks Unit4 as a #1 vendor for Workforce Planning and Analysis tools for the third year in a row
When it comes to workforce planning, organizations are increasingly turning to fully integrated data-driven tools to align their teams with business goals, optimize costs, and adapt to shifting workplace dynamics.
The 2026 Workforce Planning and Analysis Market Study by Dresner Advisory Services highlights the trends shaping this essential field, providing valuable insights for businesses worldwide.
In their report, they position Unit4 as a #1 vendor for Workforce Planning and Analysis tools for the third year in a row - thanks to its integrated planning, analytics, integration, technology, and deployment capabilities, across the FP&A, and ERP solutions.
Keep reading to learn more about the importance of Workforce Planning and Analysis for modern HR departments, and how Unit4 can help you optimize HR processes with our industry-leading solution.
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What is Workforce Planning and Analysis?
Workforce Planning and Analysis is a key insight we can gain from integrating HR and financial data. As HR costs are often the highest for an organization, data-driven insight is needed to forecast current and future needs, address operational imbalances, and reduce costs.
Dresner Advisory Service state in the report: “Workforce planning and analysis are the tools and processes that help align workforces with business goals, strategies, and workplace dynamics.”
Workforce Planning and Analysis isn’t just about aligning HR operations with financial goals but is also about improving the employee experience – Dresner found that “HR respondents are the most likely users,” demonstrating its value for optimizing human capital management.
Why is Workforce Planning and Analysis of value to HR leaders?
In Howard Dresner’s words: "As organizations navigate external challenges, they will need to take a more comprehensive approach to performance management to enhance their agility, decision-making, and strategic execution."
For organizations who want insight into the employee experience outside of HR data, Workforce Planning and Analysis tools help HR leaders to get the full story, gather data on the employee experience, and understand the relationship between financial performance and employee allocation.
These insights enable HR leaders to use employees where they perform best, aiding the employee experience as well as aligning HR processes with corporate goals.
Without the integration of financial and HR data in the Cloud, the office of the CHRO will not be able to gain these insights across the siloed data of on-premises systems. Digital transformation will put HR leaders back in control of their data, allowing them to optimize HR costs, operations, and the employee experience.
74% of respondents see these tools as important or very important for their business strategy, highlighting its significance in driving organizational success. There is a growing interest in Workforce Planning and Analysis tools not just for cost savings, but for the insight into HR operations they provide.
Key findings from the 2025 report
According to the Dresner study, workforce planning is more crucial than ever, ranking at around the halfway point in a list of more than 60 strategic business intelligence topics that are a priority in 2026. Here are the key highlights from the 2026 report, showing how the tools are only growing in use and priority:
Adoption trends continue to rise
The adoption of workforce planning tools continues, with 38% of companies using it today. North America leads the charge, with 46% of organizations leveraging these technologies. EMEA follows with notable growth, while Latin America shows strong future deployment potential.
Main use cases continue to demonstrate value
The three most critical features identified by respondents were ‘Workforce planning per employee, position, organization and vacancy,’ ‘scenario-based workforce compensation planning tools,’ and ‘workforce costing.’
From 2023 to 2026, the top 5 capabilities, the main use cases in other words, have not really changed at all. This highlights how the tool continues to provide value in these areas even while workforce trends and HR operating conditions may have changed over this period.
The priorities from 2023 to 2026 broadly remain unchanged but demonstrate a key focus of the tool - with top rankings given to salary analysis, headcount tracking, year-end projections, and retention strategies.
These critical areas reflect organizations' focus on maintaining transparency in compensation, optimizing workforce size, and predicting future needs to remain agile. Succession planning, also a high priority, emphasizes the growing importance of proactively addressing skills gaps and preparing for leadership transitions.
Cloud-driven adoption
The shift toward cloud deployment continues to gain momentum. Companies prefer SaaS and public cloud solutions for their flexibility and scalability, with North America leading the trend and Asia Pacific displaying significant growth.
The key capabilities that Unit4 Workforce Planning and Analysis will provide
Seamless Integration:
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Integrated data ensures both financial and HR professionals can have access to data from respective functions, which is key to optimizing cost efficiencies within HR, and understanding how HR affects financial performance.
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Workforce Planning and Analysis can easily integrate with existing integrations and applications through the Unit4 Extension Kit.
Data management:
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Granular analysis of the workforce, for each employee, organization, and vacancy.
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Workflow-supported planning, status checks, and process documentation to ensure transparency.
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AI-automated data-entry checks and advanced reporting capabilities.
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Easy management of individual user rights to ensure compliance (e.g., GDPR-compliant).
Metrics and KPIs:
- Pre-built forms & individual HR analytics dashboards.
- Rich graphics and highly interactive representations.
- Business Intelligence for HR-related and financial KPIs.
- Skill matrix helps employee allocation.
- Diversity analytics and SLAM analysis with multiple dimensions.
How can Unit4 Workforce Planning and Analysis optimize your HR processes
The fact the C-suite is interested in workforce planning tools demonstrates they are more than a cost-saving practice - CHROs should wield Workforce Planning and Analysis tools in their goals to become strategic members of the C-suite, not just support.
Unit4’s continued excellence in the Dresner rankings underscores our ability to adapt to evolving workforce needs while anticipating future challenges through integrated data insights. Howard Dresner highlights the need for these tools and highlights Unit4’s strong performance in the study:
“Facing an array of external challenges, organizations are looking for a more holistic approach to performance management to respond adaptively, make informed decisions, and execute strategies with precision. We congratulate Unit4 on their strong performance in our annual assessment of the Workforce Planning and Analysis market.”
To learn more about why Unit4 has achieved #1 position for the third year running, and to read yourself about this year’s trends, read Dresner’s 2026 report. To learn more about Unit4’s Workforce Planning capabilities, visit our website, or talk to sales today!
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