Private equity ownership changes everything about how a business hires. The goals move faster, expectations rise higher, and the margin for error gets smaller.
As 2026 planning ramps up, the smartest mid-market portfolio companies aren’t chasing headcount; they’re rethinking the shape of their teams for the next growth cycle. The playbook looks different than it did even a year ago.
- Strategic hires over volume. Every role needs to compound value. The best leaders are resisting the urge to fill seats quickly and focusing instead on operators who can scale systems, lead change, and handle complexity.
- Retention as a financial strategy. With capital still expensive and investor scrutiny rising, turnover is a cost few can afford. Protecting top performers and institutional knowledge has become part of the value-creation plan, not an HR metric.
- Cross-functional depth. The next generation of growth comes from people who bridge disciplines, finance, and ops talent fluent in data, automation, and execution. These are the force multipliers PE firms are betting on.
The firms that enter 2026 with talent plans built around these principles will be positioned to grow faster and steadier when the capital cycle turns. If your team is refining its 2026 hiring and retention strategy, Broadreach can help you think it through.