HR Trends

Getting best skills & Outsourcing to hire employees

As new technologies emerge, the skills needed in the workplace are rapidly shifting, leading to a growing mismatch between current employee capabilities and future requirements. Organizations are struggling to clearly identify and anticipate the skills needed in the medium and long term, thereby failing to proactively address the skills gap. This leaves them vulnerable to decreased productivity, innovation, and competitiveness in the evolving market.

Furthermore, employers believe 44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted by 2030, and that six in 10 workers will require additional training before 2027.

Solving the skills gap is imperative for HR, as 70% of company leaders believe their organizations’ skills gap negatively impacts business performance.

Bridging such a severe skills gap requires organizations to fundamentally rethink their approach to workforce management. To succeed in these disruptive times, leaders must identify crucial skills needed both today and in the future, anticipate how to utilize these skills as work evolves, and develop more effective strategies for attracting, nurturing, and retaining talent with the right skill sets.

Time is running out and such strategies must be in place before the end of 2025 if organizations hope to avoid massive operational disruptions as a direct result of skills mismatches.

Strategic HR insights: Pivot to a genuine skills-based approach

HR actions to take: Implement skills-based hiring, upskilling and career development

Skills mismatch caused by rapid technological advancements can be closed by skills-based approach to talent management.

Blue-collar and “new-collar” jobs boom

Blue-collar and “new-collar” jobs are increasingly gaining traction among today’s workforce, as demand for skilled labor in both traditional trades and high-tech sectors continues to grow.

The blue-collar job market is once again booming with opportunities, higher pay, and increased interest from younger generations, especially in artisanal and technical fields. While the tech sector was cutting jobs, manufacturing job postings went up 46%. There is a high demand for skills that require physical labor and for people who can install and repair equipment, from elevators to power plants. Due to increasing college costs and student loan debts, we can also expect to see more and more youth choosing artisanal trades.

“New-collar” jobs, which require advanced skills in high-tech areas like AI and cybersecurity but not necessarily advanced degrees, are also on the rise. These jobs provide significant opportunities for skilled workers (often blue-collar workers) who have the necessary soft skills, or mindset to learn new skills through practical experience or occupational training.

What does this mean for HR and their organizations? The rise of blue-collar and new-collar jobs presents significant opportunities to reconsider work design. It involves rethinking the way these jobs are organized, including aspects like scheduling flexibility, job responsibilities, and the physical and technological tools workers use to perform their duties.

HR must develop strategies that focus on empowering and supporting blue-collar and new-collar talent through targeted recruitment, onboarding, and talent management practices while also investing in technologies that enhance their productivity and job satisfaction.

HR execution is king

While strategic HR is often seen as the pinnacle of HR work, the execution of HR policies and initiatives at a tactical level is equally critical to organizational success. A brilliant strategy without effective execution is like a blueprint without builders—no matter how well-designed, its potential remains unrealized. Tactical HR teams bring strategic ideas to life, transforming them into actionable results and ensuring the success of people-related initiatives.

2025 will bring about a growing recognition that HR’s true impact is realized when strategy and execution work hand in hand to reinforce each other. Strategic HR provides direction and long-term goals, while tactical HR ensures these are implemented through well-executed policies, processes, and daily practices that resonate with employees at all levels.

Strategic HR insights: Give tactical HR the tools and support to implement key strategic goals

HR actions to take: Maximize tactical HR impact through collaboration, skills, and sufficient resources