Workforce Development Approaches

🛑 Stop Filling Roles. Start Building a Workforce. Traditional workforce planning is broken. It’s reactive. Transactional. And painfully slow in a world where business moves fast and skills expire faster. As I shared on a recent Human Capital Institute webinar, along with Karen Guzicki, Binderya Enkhbold, and Terri Gallagher, the organizations that will thrive in the future aren’t just hiring — they’re designing their workforce with intention. To do this, I recommend using a Build, Buy, Borrow, Bridge model for workforce planning: 🔹 Build – Upskill and reskill existing talent 🔹 Buy – Hire externally for niche expertise or leadership gaps 🔹 Borrow – Use freelancers, contractors, or gig workers for agility 🔹 Bridge – Enable lateral moves or project-based work to develop internal capacity This framework isn’t about headcount. It’s about capability. And it’s not about reacting to attrition — it’s about enabling movement and growth. Here’s the shift in approach that I believe HR must lead: * Stop waiting for a requisition. Start modeling what your workforce should look like. Now. * Shift the focus from "How fast can we hire?" to "How effectively can we build the capability we need for the future?" * Make workforce planning a continuous, strategic process, not a once-a-year activity. ❇️ HR, you're not a business partner anymore. You're workforce architects. If you'd like to listen to the HCI webcast - Future-Proofing Talent Pipelines: Redefining Succession Planning in a Dynamic Workforce - I'll share a link in the comments below. Also, if you want to contribute to a timely study on how orgs are shifting their workforce strategies, Kyle Lagunas and Erika O. at Aptitude Research are currently fielding a survey. I’ll drop the link to participate in the survey in the comments as well.

Rethinking Workforce Planning: Beyond Build, Buy & Borrow For decades, the Build–Buy–Borrow model has been the cornerstone of workforce planning—and for many organizations, it’s still a solid starting point: ·      Build: Grow your own talent through training and development ·      Buy: Hire employees with ready-made skills ·      Borrow: Leverage contractors or outsourcing partners But the world of work has transformed. AI is reshaping tasks, new partnership models are emerging, and the talent ecosystem is broader than ever. Relying on only the traditional three B’s means you may be missing strategic opportunities. It’s not about discarding what works—it’s about expanding our thinking to match the reality of how work gets done today. Introducing the New 4 B’s of Modern Capability Planning 1. Bridge Instead of filling every skills gap immediately, use temporary solutions—like job rotations, project-based assignments, or extended contractor engagements—to buy time and make more informed long-term decisions. 2. Bot Up to 41% of the average worker’s time goes to low-value tasks. Before posting a new role, ask: Should we automate this instead? Sometimes the smartest “hire” is no hire at all. 3. Blend Design roles that combine human expertise with digital enablement. Think AI-supported customer service reps, analysts using intelligent dashboards, or HR teams leveraging automation to focus on high-value, human-centric work. 4. Boost Instead of adding headcount, increase capacity by tapping into underutilized talent pools. This includes: ·      Adjacent or transferable skills already in your workforce ·      Hidden or underrepresented talent: caregivers, veterans, the formerly incarcerated, people without degrees, people with disabilities, and more The future of workforce planning isn’t about choosing between Build, Buy, or Borrow—it’s about asking better questions and leveraging a broader spectrum of possibilities. Action Step During your next workforce planning discussion, challenge yourself (and your team) to identify at least one opportunity to Bridge, Bot, Blend, or Boost before defaulting to a new “Buy.” You can dive deeper into these ideas in our blog: https://lnkd.in/ea5vMQ5v Here’s an insightful new article from Deloitte that dives deeper into this shift: https://lnkd.in/etsdz3hw #WorkforcePlanning #FutureofWork #TalentAcquisition #HRStrategy #DEI  

In Feb 2024, a mid-sized company was on the brink of collapse. Employee morale was at an all-time low, turnover rates were climbing, and competition was leaving them in the dust. The leadership team was overwhelmed, unsure how to navigate the storm. That’s when our team stepped in. We knew the organization had untapped potential—it just needed a strategy rooted in the 5 Pillars of Organizational Development (OD) to unlock it. Here’s how we partnered with them to create a transformation: 1. Leadership Development: We began by identifying gaps in leadership skills. Through tailored training programs, we turned managers into inspiring leaders capable of guiding their teams with clarity and purpose. The shift was immediate—teams felt motivated and aligned with a shared vision. 2. Culture Alignment: The company’s values were disconnected from its day-to-day operations. We conducted workshops to redefine their mission and integrate these values into every aspect of the organization. Employees now felt a renewed sense of purpose and belonging. 3. Workforce Development: Recognizing the need for upskilling, we rolled out a series of training programs to enhance technical skills and soft skills. Employees were equipped to take on new challenges, and their confidence soared. 4. Change Management: Resistance to change was a major roadblock. We implemented a structured change management plan that included transparent communication, training, and leadership support. This helped employees navigate transitions with ease and resilience. 5. Performance Management: We introduced clear performance metrics and a feedback-driven culture. Employees received regular coaching, and successes were celebrated. This approach created accountability and fostered a sense of achievement across the board. Within months, the organization saw a complete turnaround. Productivity increased, employee engagement hit record highs, and they reclaimed their position as a leader in their industry. Organizational Development isn’t just about fixing what’s broken—it’s about building a sustainable framework for growth and success. What challenges does your organization face? Let’s talk about how we can help you transform your workplace! #OrganizationalDevelopment #LeadershipTransformation #CultureAlignment #WorkforceDevelopment #ChangeManagement #PerformanceExcellence #BusinessTurnaround

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲?    When I first started out in my career, the world of work looked very different.     Most people stayed in the same job – even the same company – for many years, sometimes decades. Roles were clearly defined, often with fixed hierarchies and long paper trails. Teams were almost always co-located, and workforce planning largely meant headcount forecasting based on fixed job descriptions.    Fast forward to today, and work looks nothing like that. AI advancements have reshaped entire industries. New skills are emerging in months, not years. Geopolitical shifts are affecting access to talent and cost in ways business leaders couldn’t have predicted five years ago.     But too often, workforce strategies are still rooted in that old approach, usually accompanied by long hiring cycles or rigid structures.     To truly tackle today’s challenges, strategies should be led by the outcomes the business needs to achieve – whether that’s accelerating digital transformation, expanding into new markets, or delivering complex, high-impact projects at pace.    David Barr, who leads the Robert Walters Outsourcing business, sums it up well:  "The future of workforce planning isn’t about the worker. It’s about the work that needs to be done."    This shift in mindset changes the questions leaders should be asking.     For instance, instead of asking: What roles do we need to fill?  Think about: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿?    And in place of: What qualifications or experience do we need?   Consider: 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀?  That’s where capability-led planning comes in. It can help organisations build on traditional hiring models beyond permanent and temporary by adding more flexible ways to access the skills they need – when and where they need them.      For example, say you’re looking to build a team with in-demand tech skills that are difficult to recruit for. Instead of trying to fill permanent positions, a hire-train-deploy (HTD) model can help you access early-career talent, trained specifically for your needs and ready to deliver from day one.     Or, if your team needs expert support for a critical project but adding to your headcount isn’t an option, a resource augmentation approach is a good solution. It gives you access to experienced, on-demand consultants with specialist skill sets – along with the flexibility to scale up or down as needed.      Yes, this kind of planning may take more thought upfront. But it creates a workforce strategy that can evolve as fast as the world around it.     How are you progressing your workforce strategy to meet what’s next? 

✨ Last week, I joined a terrific group of colleagues to present a new white paper on workforce development in the age of AI in D.C.—first in a public session and then in a Capitol Hill briefing with Congressional staff. Here’s what really stuck with me: 🌐 Collaboration between Government, Academia, and Industry is essential. I've long been fascinated by the concept of the “Triple Helix," which suggests that innovation flourishes when government, academia, and industry not only collaborate, but also take on aspects of each other’s roles: sharing knowledge, aligning incentives, and creating new hybrid spaces for discovery. Without universities, AI implementation can lack rigor and drift into hype. Without industry, AI can lack practical application and get stuck in theory. Without government, AI can struggle to equitably scale to society. I’m grateful to the University of Notre Dame - Keough School of Global Affairs, Americans for Responsible Innovation, and Yong Suk Lee for bringing these domains together over the past several months. 🛠️ Skills should be the foundation. AI is rapidly “unbundling” and “rebundling” work. Tasks that once fit neatly inside a single job description are being automated, split apart, and reassembled into new roles. In many cases, job titles can’t keep up—they’re too broad, too static, too tied to old structures. Skills are a better anchor. They help show how work is changing and help workers move across roles, industries, and sectors as the ground shifts. Long-term workforce development solutions (our paper highlights digital wallets and LLAs as two opportunities, with more research needed) should be built on a skills foundation, so workers can keep adding to their toolkit as their task mix evolves. Shoutout to Lauren Pasquarella Daley, PhD, Alex Swartsel, Alison Lands, CEcD, PMP, and the Jobs for the Future (JFF) team for their great research here. 🤝 Worker dignity must be non-negotiable. Work is a source of identity. When AI training is treated as an afterthought, workers don’t just fall behind on skills; they feel expendable. Trust erodes fast. And once trust cracks, AI adoption collapses into “productivity theater”: workers clicking through tools to look busy and prove they've used them, not to get better results. Training and reskilling should be rights, not perks. Development pathways can’t be efficiency hacks for companies—they should be visible commitments to people. Thanks to my co-authors and co-presenters of the white paper, and to everyone who joined us in D.C.: Yong Suk Lee, John Babak Soroushian, Harry Holzer, Mike Horrigan, Matthias Oschinski, Justin Bullock, Michaela Carroll, Jane Dokko, Jacob Dominski, Zanele Munyikwa, Courtney Radsch, PhD, Daniel Rock, Maria Rossi, Rob Seamans, Alexandra M. Towns, PhD, and Baobao Zhang. 📄 Link to the white paper below 👇

🚧 The construction workforce is changing faster than our training models. It’s no longer just about using technology. It’s about developing professionals who can reason with data, systems, and emerging tools. In our latest publication in the ASCE Journal of Civil Engineering Education (https://lnkd.in/eVbeJNWW), from the Smart Systems Lab at Virginia Tech Myers-Lawson School of Construction, we examine how symbolic programming and computational thinking approaches can help close the growing workforce gap between what industry needs and how future professionals are prepared for sensing technologies and data-driven decision environments. 💡 One insight stands out: Students may feel confident with new tools but industry still sees a readiness gap. That gap is ultimately a workforce development challenge, not just an academic one. By embedding problem-solving, symbolic reasoning, and hands-on data workflows into training pathways, we can begin preparing a workforce capable of navigating AI-enabled jobsites, smart infrastructure, and complex digital ecosystems. Grateful to collaborate with an outstanding team advancing innovation at the intersection of construction, technology, and workforce transformation, including Dr. Mohammad Khalid (New Jersey Institute of Technology), Anthony Olukayode YUSUF (Virginia Tech), Dr. Ibukun Awolusi, Ph.D. (University of Texas at San Antonio), and Dr. Homero Murzi, Ph.D. (Texas A&M University). 📘 Aligning Construction Engineering Education to Industry Needs: A Computational Thinking Approach with Sensing Technologies and Data Analytics #WorkforceDevelopment #FutureOfWork #ConstructionInnovation #ComputationalThinking #SymbolicProgramming #SmartInfrastructure #AECWorkforce #DigitalConstruction

The emergence of new technologies and shifting workforce expectations, are driving the evolution of talent development strategies. These changes create the need for a strategic reevaluation of how organizations attract, develop, and retain talent. The following trends signify a shift towards more strategic approach in talent management and human resources: 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 🎯 Evolving towards a skill-centric workforce model enhances agility and competence, aligning talent with strategic objectives. 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 💻🏠 Embracing flexibility and remote options is key to attracting and retaining talent, fostering productivity, and work-life balance. 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 🤖 Integrating AI into talent development unlocks efficiency and fundamentally changes how we approach learning and productivity. 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🌟 Optimizing the employee experience is essential for fostering engagement and satisfaction, directly impacting performance and retention. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 📚 Emphasizing continuous learning caters to the evolving skill needs of the organization while supporting individual career growth and adaptability. 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮-𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 📈 Employing data analytics in decision-making processes ensures strategies are informed and aligned with both current and future talent requirements. 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 🌍 Incorporating sustainability and corporate responsibility into organizational values reflects a commitment to ethical practices and long-term viability. 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 🤝 Prioritizing diversity and inclusion is a strategic imperative that enriches organizational culture and drives innovation. Now is the time to reassess, reimagine, and reinvent your approaches to harness the full potential of your workforce! 🔊 Join the conversation - what's working for your organization's workforce? #TalentDevelopment #humanresources #strategy #EmployeeExperience Christopher D. Connors Championship Leadership Inc.

Five years after COVID reshaped industries, I analyzed 13 Pathfinder companies to uncover their workforce development paths since 2020. 🚀 The key takeaway? All 13 companies strategically invest in employees as a core driver of growth, competitive advantage, and operational resilience. 🔍 Biggest insight? These companies have fully embraced Knowledge Management and Industrial AI as imperatives for: ✔️Profitability 💰 ✔️Safety & workforce resilience 🦺 ✔️Sustainability & operational efficiency 🌍 Here’s how these companies are leading the Future of Industrial Work ⬇️ 🤝 Servant Leadership & Employee Engagement 🔹Honda: A commitment to inclusive environments and a Human-Centered Transformation Framework embeds AI-driven digital work instructions, AR-enabled training, and servant leadership principles to accelerate onboarding. 🔹Siemens: Is reskilling employees for hybrid work environments with automated process flows, AI-based learning, and digital twins to prepare workers for robotics & automation. 🔹Procter & Gamble's "Constructive Disruption" & GE: Promote inclusive leadership & sustainability-driven engagement while deploying real-time AI-powered knowledge management systems across global supply chains. 📈 AI-Driven Knowledge Management & Virtual Operations Centers 🔹Unilever: Built AI-powered knowledge-sharing frameworks & digital sustainability learning programs to upskill workers. 🔹Toyota Motor Corporation: Adopts AI-driven insights to support workforce planning & real-time operational decisions. 🔹Johnson & Johnson & Medtronic: Drive real-time health & safety improvements with AI-driven safety analytics & Virtual Operations Centers that monitor frontline workers. 🔹Dow & Schneider Electric's "Next Gen Academy": Prioritizes digital literacy and AI-driven process automation, embedding employee-driven innovation for sustainable transformation.   📶 Connected Frontline Workforce (CFW) Applications 🔹Tesla: Empowers frontline employees with AI-driven real-time insights through Virtual Operations Centers & predictive maintenance tools to reduce environmental impact. 🔹Owens Corning: Uses CFW applications & real-time data analytics for energy efficiency, material science advancements, & digital workforce training. 🔹Mondelēz International: Leverages AI-assisted ergonomic assessments to prevent workplace injuries and extends AI to optimize worker schedules across global factories.   🔎 What’s next?  📌 LNS Research data confirms that companies embedding AI into workforce development will achieve greater resilience, adaptability, and profitability.  📌 The future is clear: Leadership, Virtual Operations Centers, and Connected Workforce Strategies are critical for future-proofing industrial operations.   ⏩ Want to dive deeper? Download my latest eBook: Knowledge Management and the Industrial AI Imperative 📖✨   #FutureOfWork #AI #WorkforceDevelopment #IndustrialAI #CFW #Leadership #KnowledgeManagement #Sustainability #ManufacturingTransformation

Workforce Transformation isn’t an HR project. It’s a business imperative. If you're waiting for a talent crisis to spark action, you’re already behind. Too often, workforce planning is reactive: → Chasing turnover trends → Patching leadership gaps → Retooling after strategy shifts But sustainable growth requires a proactive roadmap, one that bridges workforce readiness with long-term business value. Here’s how we approach it: Q1 → Assess current state. Where are our critical risks? What roles drive revenue? What’s the state of our leadership pipeline? Q2 → Redesign roles and operating models. Are structures agile enough to scale? Are roles aligned with the future of work? Q3 → Modernize leadership and learning. Are we building the right capabilities at the right speed? Q4+ → Drive execution with SWP tools. Is workforce data powering smarter decisions, not just HR reporting? Most organizations have the intention to transform. But only a few have the infrastructure, cadence, and executive alignment to do it right. If you’re serious about talent being a strategic lever, build a roadmap that reflects it. Let’s stop managing people with quarterly hindsight and start leading with quarterly foresight. Follow Donovan Parish for practical, executive-level insights on Workforce Strategy, People Transformation, and Scalable Talent Systems. #WorkforcePlanning #PeopleStrategy #LeadershipDevelopment #SWP #BusinessTransformation #CHROInsights