HR edition

On 5 October, Workday published its Global Workforce Report. Its main finding: AI changes jobs more often than it removes them. Of business leaders, 40% expect AI to give existing employees more work to do. By contrast, 28% expect their workforce to shrink. Demand for skills is changing too. Since its peak in January, demand for basic AI knowledge has fallen by 25%. Demand for practical skills has risen by 51%. These include building AI tools and automating work processes. Two other figures have a direct impact on your work. There are now 69 applicants for every vacancy that is filled. Previously, there were 58. Also, 57% of employers see fewer chances to progress within the company. This matters to anyone responsible for career paths and development. Why is demand for basic knowledge falling while demand for practical skills is rising? One possible explanation is that many people now know what AI is. That no longer makes them stand out. The difference lies with people who can truly redesign a work process. For HR, this means that 'AI-skilled' is too vague for a job description. It is better to describe a specific task. What work will someone do, with which tool, and with what result? You can check this in an interview. A line on a CV is not enough. This also applies to your current employees. Their work may be among the first to change when tasks are reorganised. HR often draws up the training plan too. But be careful about what these figures do not tell us. 'Jobs changing' sounds kinder than jobs being cut. Yet 28% expect a smaller workforce. And 69 candidates per vacancy points to greater pressure when hiring. Getting more from existing employees can also mean that each person has more work. So the discussion is not only about opportunities. It is also about workload and training. Ask your team leaders this week which tasks in their teams are likely to change first. Also discuss what training will be needed.

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