HR Archives - The Future of Work Exchange

The AI-Powered Future of Workforce Learning

Business Leadership General Insights HR Talent Technology and Innovation by John Yuva on 05/28/2026

The Future of Work encompasses many characteristics. However, attributes like communication, collaboration, and community contribute greatly to enterprise success. There is an elicited sense of interconnectedness between leaders and their workforce and among employees themselves. At the heart of those dynamics is soft skills that help drive workforce interactions and business outcomes. In today’s world where artificial intelligence permeates nearly every area of the workplace, AI is coming into its own as a tool to enhance soft skill development.

Think soft skills are only a recent workforce concentration? Not quite. In 1918, the Carnegie Foundation published Charles Riborg Mann’s A Study of Engineering Education, which cited that 85% of a person’s job success is a product of soft skills and that only 15% of success is based on technical knowledge. Even more than 100 years ago, the criticality of workplace soft skills was being emphasized. However, the pandemic helped bring soft skills into sharper focus as other Future of Work elements (e.g., flexibility, remote work, empathetic leadership) became mainstream concepts and areas of importance.

Now with artificial intelligence leading the way in technology utilization, enterprises have an opportunity to leverage AI for greater workforce enablement — particularly around soft skills.

The rest of this article is available by subscription only.

Introducing a New Subscription Model

To continue providing valuable insights and resources on the future of work and extended workforce management, we’re transitioning our site to a paid subscription model. While some posts will remain free, subscribing will grant you exclusive access to in-depth analysis, market research, expert interviews, and actionable strategies that will help improve your business. Solution providers and practitioners are invited to join today and gain a competitive edge by tracking the industry’s important innovations, emerging trends, and best practices.

Click here to learn more.

Why Labor Hoarding Is Fading … and What It Means for Workforce Planning

Business Leadership General Insights HR by Christopher J. Dwyer on 11/12/2025

The 2008 Great Recession changed everything. Well, no, actually…the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything. Wait, nope. Let’s try again. The 2025 post-pandemic business arena changed everything…I think?

Yeah, I know. It’s so hard to make sense of anything these days when we’re trying to predict what’s next for our enterprises. In all fairness, though, the past dozen or so years (let’s actually extend that to maybe, specifically, 17 years to include the financial crisis of the late aughts) have taught us that we shouldn’t be surprised by anything when it comes to the business arena, the pace of globalization, or the labor market.

Well, if an alien apocalypse starts tomorrow, that would be surprising. But, I digress.

In an interesting feature at the Wall Street Journal, Justin Lahart writes about how businesses are no longer “labor hoarding” in a scenario that is experiencing massive layoffs at some of the world’s largest brands (like Amazon and Target).

“[The glut of recent massive layoffs] is a shift that could have major repercussions for U.S. workers. Over the past two years, America’s businesses have become increasingly reluctant to bring new employees on, especially as more recent uncertainty over the direction of tariffs made it harder to plan ahead. But they have also been hesitant to cut the employees they already have, an example of what economists term “labor hoarding.”

The result has been a low-hire, low-fire environment, in which recent graduates and others trying to break into the job market have struggled, but workers who are already employed have been largely insulated.

Now things are looking a bit more like the 1990s, when many big companies were focused on eliminating workers they felt were no longer needed, according to Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM.”

While in and of itself a terrible phrase, there was a strong purpose in labor hoarding: keep as many strong skillsets across the greater organization given the continued ambiguity in the wider market. Skillsets mean expertise, and expertise translates into competitive advantages. During the pandemic, there wasn’t an option, unfortunately; uncertainty meant uncertainty in 2020 and cutting positions was the only way to eke out survival in the scary early months of COVID.

The past few years, though, brought something else that has permeated the very fabric of how we work: artificial intelligence. So, in addition to tariff-induced zaniness, trepidation about the state of the economy, and general unease with the first several months of a new presidential administration, businesses are now contending with how to proceed with the incredible power of AI and its many, many ramifications.

Does that mean that all of these layoffs are linked to AI somehow? That new, rampant automation and advanced artificial intelligence models are swallowing jobs?

Well, no, not exactly.

Are crazy-then-not-happening-then-oh-wow-they-actually-are-happening tariffs to blame?

Kind of?

Can we blame layoffs on a softening job market?

Probably?

Is there any responsibility given to the government shutdown and a lack of real labor market data?

I would think so, yes.

Let’s back up a moment, though. The real reason that we’re in a very, very weird labor market right now that is experiencing more-than-a-normal-amount of layoffs is…well, it’s just a weird labor market, okay?

(Weirder than my son and his friends’ obsession with the way-too-viral-it’s-not-funny “6-7” jokes? Possibly.)

Tariffs = disruption. No matter where you sit on the political spectrum, the truth is that the Trump administration’s tariff policies have created havoc on American businesses. Costs paid on imports, which are then passed onto consumers, are actively causing massive ripples within numerous sectors. When businesses have to contend with higher prices for their key supplies and components, it’s going to hurt the bottom-line (and, even worse: when products continue to rise in price (inflation or not), consumers will respond with their wallets). This is a long-winded way of saying: additional costs or taxes cascade into higher-priced products which can erode sales which then destroy revenue which then…yeah, you guessed it, cause reductions in staff.
Labor hoarding’s end is actually…real? Yeah, it sure is. Businesses know that the corporate market is an up-and-down game; it’s like an NFL shootout in some fashion, with whoever has the ball last is probably going to win. Right now, businesses unfortunately have the ball in their hands and control the game. If they feel that can take a risk and let some talented professionals go, well, there’s nothing stopping them. They feel they can afford to do so.
The acceleration of AI is causing a workforce disruption, but it’s still very, very early. The rise of generative AI, agentic AI, and AI-fueled automation is both a tech and workforce story. Businesses are no longer asking if AI can replace certain tasks; they’re asking how fast it can scale. That means roles once considered “safe” are now under scrutiny. It’s not that AI is malicious (let’s ignore the Skynet jokes, okay?)…it’s just efficient. And efficiency in a cost-cutting environment is incredibly attractive from an executive leader’s purview. It’s the same ol’ story of automation: when new tech (like AI-led algorithms, models, etc.) can perform in seconds what typically takes humans hours to complete, that math starts to look pretty brutal.
Unemployment hasn’t technically skyrocketed but the job market isn’t a source of confidence. Job postings…down. Hiring freezes…up. Lots of recruiter-led ghosting. Lots of frustrated jobseekers. As always, these issues are happening top-down; many businesses are hedging their bets to see how interest rates, global instability, inflation, etc. shake out in combination with anticipating a much better overall market in Q1 2026. During this wait, however, an easy attribute to scale down is unfortunately headcount.
Data-led decision-making on pause? Even though we live in a veritable age of intelligence, many organizations still rely on government-fueled statistics to drive their hiring strategies. This means that the 40-day government shutdown and its delay of key labor reports, monitoring, and economic indicators translated into a “pause” on many recruitment and talent acquisition initiatives.

Human-Centered Strategies for the Future of Work

Contingent Workforce HR Recruitment Solution Providers Talent Acquisition by John Yuva on 10/09/2025

Did you miss Ardent Partners’ recent FOWX podcast, A Conversation With Chris Radvansky, Principal Consultant for RAD Consultants, that delivered a spirited discussion on AI in the talent technology ecosystem, the impact of the extended workforce, and much more?

In part two of this two-part article series, we highlight the major discussion points and a link to the full event.

Human-Centered Strategies for the Future of Work

In an era marked by economic volatility, rapid technological change, and evolving workforce expectations, one truth remains: Individuals and organizations alike are defined by the decisions they make in the face of uncertainty. While macroeconomic conditions set the stage, progress often depends less on external forces and more on how leaders, teams, and workers respond in the moment. The extended workforce industry offers a clear example of how resilience, trust, and human-centered strategies can transform challenges into opportunities.

Lessons from Past Economic Shifts

History demonstrates that disruption often accelerates change. During the Great Recession of 2007–2009, businesses faced unprecedented pressure to adapt. One of the most significant outcomes was the surge in contingent labor adoption. What had previously been viewed as a stopgap measure, such as bringing in temporary workers to cover absences or fill short-term roles, became recognized as a strategic tool. Organizations realized that external talent could deliver not only cost savings but also flexibility, scalability, and access to specialized expertise.

That period marked what many call the “great awakening” for the contingent workforce. Since then, reliance on nontraditional labor has continued to rise steadily, shaping how enterprises balance agility and cost efficiency. Fast forward nearly two decades, and the external workforce is now a core component of enterprise strategy. The lesson: even in downturns, organizations can harness workforce innovation to emerge stronger.

Balancing Optimism and Realism

Today’s environment carries its own set of uncertainties. Depending on whom you ask, the outlook may seem optimistic or bleak. Yet within the industry, there is a palpable sense of excitement. Advances in technology, particularly artificial intelligence, are opening new possibilities for talent management, sourcing, and program optimization. At the same time, the human side of work (e.g., empathy, emotional intelligence, and relationship-building) remains as critical as ever.

Unlike other industries where automation can dominate, the talent space is rooted in people. Recruitment, engagement, and workforce strategies depend on understanding human needs and motivations. For that reason, optimism in this field isn’t unfounded; it reflects the recognition that innovation and humanity can coexist and even reinforce each other.

Trust as the Foundation of Value

For solution providers in the workforce ecosystem, success rarely comes overnight. Long sales cycles are the norm, not the exception. That’s because buying organizations need more than a product demo — they need trust. Trust that the provider will deliver on promises. Trust that they are not a fleeting startup but a long-term partner. Trust that they understand the buyer’s “why” and can align with it.

Building this trust requires consistent effort: case studies that demonstrate impact, thought leadership that conveys vision, and relationship-building that proves commitment. The most successful providers don’t just sell technology or services; they articulate a purpose that resonates. As Simon Sinek’s well-known framework suggests, organizations must begin with “why” (their core reason for existing) before moving to the “how” and “what.” In workforce management, the most compelling “why” often ties back to enabling people to thrive.

The Human Core of the Future of Work

Despite the rise of AI, automation, and digital platforms, the Future of Work remains undeniably human. Humans are not disappearing from the equation. Rather, their roles are evolving. To remain relevant, workers and leaders alike must embrace adaptability, versatility, and constant learning. Having a “finger on the pulse” of industry trends is no longer optional — it’s essential.

Networking, building relationships, and exploring new applications of one’s skills are critical strategies for individuals. For organizations, success depends on cultivating cultures that value people, emphasize collaboration, and align work with purpose. The most resilient enterprises are those that integrate technology without losing sight of the empathy, trust, and human connection that define meaningful work.

Moving Forward with Purpose

The lesson from both past and present is clear: while macroeconomic forces shape the environment, individuals and organizations shape outcomes. Contingent labor’s rise during the Great Recession illustrates how adaptation can unlock new value, and today’s blend of technological innovation and human-centered strategies offers similar promise.

Ultimately, the Future of Work is not dictated solely by external factors. It is defined by the choices leaders make, the trust they build, and the purpose they pursue. In an uncertain world, that combination of innovation and humanity is what will carry organizations—and their people forward.

The State of the Extended Workforce Market: Practitioner and Provider Perspectives

Contingent Workforce HR Podcast Solution Providers Technology and Innovation by John Yuva on 10/02/2025

In part one of this two-part article series, we highlight the major discussion points and a link to the full event.

The extended workforce has become one of the most dynamic segments of the modern labor market, encompassing contingent labor, contractors, freelancers, consultants, and project-based workers. With shifting economic conditions, rapid technology innovation, and evolving workforce expectations, both practitioners and solution providers face a market that is simultaneously brimming with opportunity and fraught with complexity. Recent insights shed light on how HR, procurement, and talent acquisition leaders view this landscape versus how vendors, platforms, and service providers are approaching it.

The Practitioner View: A Market in Constant Evolution

From the practitioner’s perspective (e.g., those in HR, procurement, or talent acquisition), the state of the extended workforce market cannot be seen as one uniform picture. Instead, it reflects a spectrum of maturity, shaped by organizational size, resources, and strategic priorities.

Large-scale layoffs across industries have flooded the market with talent, much of it highly skilled. Many displaced professionals are turning to consulting or launching small businesses, while others join growing mid-sized firms that may not yet have formal contingent workforce programs. As these smaller or fast-growing companies scale, they often rely on contingent labor as a “band-aid” solution. Over time, these temporary measures evolve into structured programs involving RFPs, managed service providers (MSPs), and vendor management systems (VMS).

This constant cycle of new entrants ensures that there is always fresh demand for extended workforce solutions. Even as mature organizations refine their MSP and VMS models, newcomers emerge seeking visibility, governance, and performance tracking for their contingent labor engagements. As one practitioner was noted as saying, this evolution doesn’t leave “an empty bucket.” Instead, the market replenishes itself with organizations reaching new levels of maturity.

For buyers already further along the maturity curve, the focus is shifting beyond programmatic basics. These organizations are asking deeper questions: What activities fall outside of our MSP’s scope? How do we track engagements with consulting firms or specialized staffing suppliers? Where is spend or performance going unnoticed? By leveraging scorecards, KPIs, and analytics, mature programs are moving from visibility and control to true workforce intelligence.

The Provider View: Abundant Opportunity, Fragmented Access

On the other side of the equation, solution providers — whether MSPs, VMS platforms, direct sourcing tools, or employer-of-record (EOR) services — see an enormous total addressable market. Yet, despite this potential, many vendors acknowledge that penetrating the market can be difficult.

At industry events, the same “crew” of experienced practitioners and vendors tends to appear, but beneath that surface lies a vast number of organizations that remain under the radar. Many of these potential buyers have yet to adopt modern contingent workforce solutions, creating an abundance of untapped opportunities. For providers, the challenge is identifying and reaching these prospects efficiently.

Data plays a critical role here. Providers often uncover hidden opportunities by cross-referencing contracts, analyzing incomplete datasets, or detecting gaps in spend management. What at first looks immaterial can turn out to be a significant opportunity once data is properly connected and distilled. Expanding into new geographies, verticals, or buyer segments is another growth path, often supported by partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions.

Technology and AI: A New Frontier for Providers

As providers seek to scale outreach and differentiate themselves, artificial intelligence is emerging as a transformative tool. In the past, vendors faced a trade-off between automation and personalization: mass outreach could be automated but felt generic, while personalized engagement required significant manual effort.

Today, AI enables both. Providers can craft outreach that feels highly tailored while leveraging automation to achieve scale. AI also supports the distillation of massive datasets — from financial filings to market intelligence — into actionable insights. Instead of spending hours combing through information, providers can now generate concise, relevant takeaways that inform go-to-market strategies or client conversations.

This convergence of automation and personalization allows providers to engage buyers in more meaningful ways, standing out amid crowded inboxes and competing priorities. By combining AI-powered insights with human expertise, vendors can better align their offerings with practitioners’ evolving needs.

The Road Ahead: Engagement, Intelligence, and Alignment

For both practitioners and providers, the extended workforce market is not static but continuously evolving. Practitioners are climbing a maturity curve that starts with tactical workforce needs and grows into strategic, analytics-driven programs. Providers, meanwhile, are navigating a fragmented buyer landscape, striving to surface opportunities and deliver differentiated value.

What unites both perspectives is the recognition that the market is expanding, not contracting. Economic cycles may shift workforce dynamics, but the demand for flexible, skilled talent remains strong. The organizations that succeed will be those that move beyond transactional approaches to contingent labor and instead build programs (or solutions) that emphasize engagement, intelligence, and alignment with broader business objectives.

In the years ahead, the extended workforce will increasingly serve as both a resource and a strategic differentiator. Whether on the practitioner side or the provider side, those who embrace data, technology, and innovation will be best positioned to thrive in this growing and competitive space.

Workflow and Scheduling Critical to Hybrid Work Model Success

Business Leadership General Insights HR by John Yuva on 09/04/2025

While some companies have pulled back on remote work and instituted return-to-office policies, many employers continue to invest and support remote and hybrid work structures. The Future of Work is about work optimization, and there are several hybrid work models to offer employees today. Depending on the organization, its workforce makeup, and the nature of the roles, various hybrid models can benefit different scenarios.

What enterprises can’t lose sight of is the Future of Work progress over the previous five years. Much has been gleaned from an enterprise and employee perspective about what drives productivity, wellness, and retention.

Optimize Your Hybrid Work Model

The rest of this article is available by subscription only.

Introducing a New Subscription Model

Click here to learn more.

An Enterprise Roadmap to Transform the Candidate Experience

Business Leadership HR Talent Talent Acquisition Technology and Innovation by John Yuva on 08/14/2025

Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange (FOWX) conduct a variety of workplace and Future of Work research. In this new series, we’re taking a deep dive into a chart from a recent research effort and providing analysis to bring you the latest technology trends impacting today’s workforce.

This week, we’re looking at how enterprises plan to invest in capabilities over the next 12 months to improve and enhance the candidate experience. In today’s competitive talent market, the candidate experience has become more than just a recruitment best practice — it is a core component of employer branding, talent attraction, and retention strategies.

According to recent Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange (FOWX) research, organizations are prioritizing the following improvements and enhancements toward the candidate experience: creating greater personalization of the candidate journey (71%), developing more flexible interview experiences (68%), showcasing company culture and workplace environments (67%), tracking and implementing candidate Net Promoter Scores (NPS) (59%), and expanding feedback channels and candidate surveys (59%). Together, these initiatives form a comprehensive plan to create a more engaging, responsive, and transparent candidate journey.

The rest of this article is available by subscription only.

Introducing a New Subscription Model

Click here to learn more.

Skills-Based Capabilities Redefine Talent Strategies, Part Two

General Insights HR Talent Talent Acquisition Technology and Innovation Uncategorized by John Yuva on 07/03/2025

This week, in part two of a two-part series, we continue examining how enterprises across industries are reimagining talent strategies, initiating a transformational shift toward skills-based hiring. As organizations prioritize workforce agility and long-term resilience, they are investing in technological capabilities that can operationalize this approach at scale.

Last week, we focused on the leading capabilities on our chart (see below) that enterprises plan to implement over the next 18 months to accelerate a skills-based hiring initiative. This week, we’re exploring emerging capabilities (6 through 10 in the chart) that have significant value in supporting skills-based hiring strategies. Those capabilities reinforce the aspects of rigor, consistency, and fairness when hiring within a skills-based environment, and include: structured interviews (55%), skills assessments (51%), bias reduction and fairness initiatives (49%), practical exercises and work samples (49%), and competency frameworks (48%). Together, these elements form the backbone of a more objective, inclusive, and performance-driven approach to talent acquisition and development.

The rest of this article is available by subscription only.

Introducing a New Subscription Model

Click here to learn more.

AI Transforming Talent and Workforce Management

Direct Sourcing General Insights HR Talent Talent Acquisition Technology and Innovation by John Yuva on 06/19/2025

This week, we’re looking at the impact of artificial intelligence on talent and workforce management, with recent Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange data showing that its influence extends across a wide range of core functions.

According to a recent survey, the top six areas benefiting from AI in talent and workforce management include advanced analytics and talent insights (94%), improved candidate matching (93%), automation of administrative tasks (90%), improved skills assessment and development (87%), enhanced candidate experience (84%), and enhanced candidate sourcing (72%). These figures point to a significant shift in how HR and talent leaders are leveraging AI not just for operational efficiency, but for strategic decision-making and workforce optimization.

Advanced analytics and talent insights. Leading the results is the use of advanced analytics and talent insights, cited by 94% of respondents as a key benefit of AI. It is an indicator that enterprises are using AI-driven analytics to gain deeper, more actionable insights into their workforce. These capabilities go beyond traditional data reporting by offering predictive models that can forecast attrition risk, identify high-potential employees, and assess organizational skill gaps. AI’s ability to synthesize data from multiple sources, such as performance reviews, engagement surveys, compensation trends, etc., gives HR and business leaders a powerful lens to align talent strategies with business outcomes. In a tight labor market where market uncertainty is now the norm, this level of insight is invaluable for proactive workforce planning.

Improved candidate matching. Closely following is improved candidate matching, cited by 93% of respondents, suggesting that AI is fundamentally reshaping recruitment by helping employers find better-fit candidates quicker. The analysis of both structured and unstructured data within resumes, job descriptions, online profiles, and even behavioral assessments enables AI to better match candidates with their ideal roles. This doesn’t just improve hiring speed and efficiency but also aids in reducing potential turnover by ensuring better candidate alignment with the role and company culture.

The rest of this article is available by subscription only.

Introducing a New Subscription Model

Click here to learn more.

Examining the Leading Workforce Management Priorities in 2025

Contingent Workforce Direct Sourcing General Insights HR Talent Acquisition Technology and Innovation by John Yuva on 06/12/2025

This week, we’re looking at 2025 workforce management priorities, with a chart (see below) that offers a compelling snapshot of how enterprises are reshaping their workforce strategies to thrive in a fast-changing, increasingly digitized economy. At the heart of these priorities lies a clear and deliberate shift: enterprises are placing greater emphasis on agility, innovation, and value creation through a more strategic use of external talent, automation, and direct sourcing. Each of the top three priorities — optimizing utilization of external talent (92%), amplifying digitization, AI, and automation (89%), and implementing direct sourcing strategies (81%) — reflects not only a response to near-term workforce pressures but also a broader, long-term transformation in how work gets done.

The rest of this article is available by subscription only.

Introducing a New Subscription Model

Click here to learn more.

DEX and the Harnessing of Digital Tools

Direct Sourcing General Insights HR Solution Providers Talent Technology and Innovation by John Yuva on 04/17/2025

One of the defining characteristics of the Future of Work is digitization. With the growth of automation, generative AI, and large language models, it’s even clearer how technology is imperative to a cohesive and efficient workforce. What this means for the individual employee is more daily immersion in various technological platforms and solutions. For that to occur, upskilling will be a critical aspect for workers as they harness more advanced technologies to communicate, collaborate, and execute their roles. A term that continues to grow in importance is digital employee experience (DEX).

DEX is a term that describes worker effectiveness in using digital tools. DEX is a growing area as companies adopt more digital tools to augment their dispersed workforces. Companies want to ensure the tools they have integrated into the workplace are intuitive and enhance worker productivity.

The rest of this article is available by subscription only.

Introducing a New Subscription Model

Click here to learn more.