Leading with AI to Future-Proof Your Workforce: 10 Stats CHROs Need to Know

Workforce agility is a priority for CHROs and talent leaders today, but many need a long-term strategy. This tip sheet offers statistics highlighting the value of one solution: investing in your employees.

You'll gain insight into why supporting skills growth, career development, and internal mobility can allow your organization to navigate market changes confidently. With a comprehensive view of internal talent using AI, organizations can readily redeploy, upskill, and develop future workforce planning to meet business objectives as they evolve.

It’s impossible to build and maintain an agile workforce when employees can’t visualize their future at your company. AI can enable skills growth, internal mobility, and strategic workforce planning — and the following research underscores the importance of incorporating these processes as soon as possible.

1. 83% of HR leaders struggle to find enough talent with the skills they need.

Takeaway: There’s a significant skills gap in the workforce. Invest in upskilling, reskilling, and tapping into adjacent industries for transferrable skills.

-Source: Use AI Sourcing to Address Talent Shortages and Cut Hiring Costs - Gartner, Inc.

2. By 2027, 35% of large enterprises will have implemented an internal talent marketplace.

Takeaway: If you haven’t already, start the adoption planning process of a platform that can manage the intricacies of launching and maintaining a marketplace.

-Source: Market Guide for Talent Acquisition (Recruiting) Technologies - Gartner, Inc.

3. 36% of AI decision-makers anticipate that HR would benefit the most from generative AI’s capabilities.

Takeaway: People and HR leaders should acknowledge how AI can help their teams and support the upskilling needed to adopt it successfully.

-Source: The AI-HR Paradox: Essential Yet Underpaid, HR is a Necessary Partner for AI Success - Forrester

4. Only 8% of talent acquisition teams are involved in workforce planning and internal career mobility projects.

Takeaway: CHROs should lead the change to eliminate the silo between talent acquisition and talent management in their organizations.

-Source: Why Is It So Hard to Be a CHRO? - The Josh Bersin Company

5. Only 12% of companies have programs to help employees build skills for new careers.

Takeaway: Progress toward becoming a skills-based organization is slow, yet a skills approach has shown to be effective in enabling businesses to quickly adapt to the dynamic needs of the talent market.

-Source: Redefining the Role of the Recruiter: From Sourcing Expert to Talent Advisor – The Josh Bersin Company

6. 67% of workers say opportunities to learn new skills are a key factor in any decision to job-switch.

Takeaway: Employees prioritize skills-growth opportunities, and organizations that don’t cater to this preference will continue to experience avoidable attrition.

-Source: PwC 2024 Global Workforce Hopes & Fears Survey

7. 84% of CHRO’s say that talent intelligence is a top priority for 2024.

Takeaway: Talent intelligence is critical in helping organizations reach business objectives and remain competitive. CHROs are exploring how to leverage AI to collect the data needed to fuel talent intelligence.

-Source: Demystifying Talent Intelligence: Unlocking the Potential with Skills & AI – Aptitude Research

8. 77% of employees who plan to change jobs this year will look for a new role with their current employer.

Takeaway: Companies cannot risk turning over 3/4 of their workforce. Keep your top talent by making it easier for them to find new gigs and roles.

-Source: 2024 CHRO Report – iCIMS

9. 86% of CHROs claim internal mobility is a top priority for their organization this year.

Takeaway: CHROs understand that internal mobility is a smart business practice, enabling a dynamic workforce that can readily respond to market changes.

-Source: 2024 CHRO Report – iCIMS

10. There’s been a 63% jump in skills tech in less than two years.

Takeaway: The rise in skills tech is indicative of a broader trend toward leveraging AI and data analytics to optimize talent management and workforce planning.

-Source: Skills Tech 2024: Expansion & Evolution - RedThread