Workforce Optimization Consulting

Over the past 10 weeks, I’ve interviewed 35 talent and learning leaders at Fortune 1000 companies for a report I’ll be releasing this fall. One of my favorite questions has been the very first one: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰?” With 105 priorities and counting, the responses vary widely given differences in industry, scope, and role (VP of Learning, talent, talent management, leadership development) but here is a slice of what has been shared so far: ➡️ AI and work transformation: Clarify what AI means for the workforce, its implications for roles, and how teams can adopt it to accelerate development and efficiency. ➡️ AI Coaching Pilot: Launch an AI-powered coaching pilot program across the organization to scale leadership development support. ➡️ Generative AI Upskilling: Upskill employees and leaders to effectively use generative AI in day-to-day work ➡️ Future of Work & Workforce Planning: Prepare for disruptions to job architecture by integrating human and digital workforces. Rethink responsibilities, structures, and collaboration models. ➡️ Change management: Embed change management capabilities at all levels, particularly around AI adoption. ➡️ New leadership Behaviors: Equip leaders with new capabilities to thrive in a changing environment, including adaptability, resilience, and the ability to lead in an AI-augmented workplace. ➡️ Skills and Career Paths - Creating paths by prioritized skills in our organization ➡️ Rethinking the Function: Redesign the talent and learning function to reflect disruption caused by AI ➡️ Change Leadership: Navigate a period of executive turnover and transition by stabilizing the leadership team, clarifying roles, and building confidence with functional business leaders. ➡️ Facilitating Connection: Partnering with our employee experience and workplace teams to use in-office team days for learning and connection ➡️ Linking Performance and Development: Redesign performance processes to connect directly to development, helping employees understand what growth means in practical and tangible terms. ➡️ Manager Development: Continue to strengthen manager capability and resources, ensuring managers are equipped to drive performance and support employee development ➡️ VP and SVP Development: Support and accelerate the growth of new vice presidents and senior vice presidents as they step into expanded leadership roles. ➡️ Building a Leadership Bench : Develop and execute a strategy for strengthening the leadership bench, with a focus on preparing our Top 200 leaders ➡️ AI/Learning : Using AI internally within the learning function and focusing on key skills in AI for client-facing practitioners ➡️ Academies For AI/Data Roles: Developing and rolling out an academy for our AI & Data Product Employees I’d love to hear your perspective: What stands out most to you about this list, or what themes are you seeing in this list?

This week I joined Responsible Innovation Labs and Jake Sullivan for a timely conversation about AI-driven workforce transformation and what it means to build enduring companies in this new era. AI-driven workforce transformation is a challenge we need to rise to. AI will dramatically change the nature of jobs. It will likely help people work more efficiently and create higher-value, more enjoyable jobs with less admin work. It will also require us to proactively manage productivity returns, making sure that AI-driven gains are distributed to all stakeholders, not just shareholders, be it through reinvestment in employee retraining programs and education or additional compensation for these higher-value jobs. But we believe that proactive management of this workforce transformation will result in benefits for companies, countries, and society as a whole. Responsible AI development and workforce transformation is strategic: 🔵 Companies will scale more predictably and avoid costly missteps and reactive regulation, and create enduring value by enabling, rather than replacing, human talent. With AI augmenting human capability, companies will find themselves with the ability to simply do more and do it better, be it entering new markets or developing new products. 🔵 Countries will benefit from newly enabled national resilience as an AI-enabled workforce will re-onshore productivity and reduce the reliance on offshore labor. Companies like Crescendo are demonstrating this as they automate repetitive call center tasks. By reducing volume-based labor needs, companies will be able to create customer service delivery jobs domestically, while maintaining similar labor costs. These new business models will enable us to rearchitect supply chains for national resilience and power a new era of domestic job creation, without raising the cost burden for enterprises. 🔵 We believe society as a whole will stand to benefit from productivity gains, as we reimagine the new problems individuals, companies, and entire economies can solve with a workforce less bogged down by administrative and execution-heavy tasks and more empowered by creative, strategic job responsibilities. Appreciate the RIL team and fellow leaders bringing sharp insights to the table. I’m looking forward to keeping this conversation - and the work - going. cc General Catalyst Gaurab Bansal Carin Watson Cecilia Young

I’ve learned that transformation isn’t driven by frameworks alone. You can redesign structures and implement new tools, but without intentional taking care about culture, people and organizational development, progress stalls. When people understand the “why,” build the right capabilities, and feel supported, engaged and empowered- transformation becomes sustainable — and meaningful. If you want transformation to last? • Develop talents and leaders, not just plans • Build capabilities and skills, not just processes • Shape culture, not just org charts Organizational transformation starts — and succeeds — with people.

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

Just as with may of my industry peers, we are moving from how to optimize on an existing TA strategy to how do we rethink the entire purpose of our function.  We all know more than ever that it's not about filling roles fast-  it's about strengthening organizational capability.  Talent acquisition is moving faster than ever from a fulfillment function into a strategic talent engine. The metrics that matter are changing: organizations are moving away from time-to-fill and cost-per-hire and toward actual business outcomes. Josh Bersin's latest research emphasizing talent density is THE point. In practice, that's combining efficiency with effectiveness. It's precision workforce planning — sharing data and intelligence across HR, TA, and the business to understand where talent is best deployed, not just where there's an open req. It means moving beyond filling requisitions to optimizing the health and strategic value of the entire talent pool. Here's what that looks like operationally at ServiceNow: we're designing approaches to strategically move talent across the business to where it's most needed. Not defaulting to external hiring. Not settling for misalignment. Building organizational capability by placing the right people in roles where they can have the highest impact. ServiceNow University gives people the skills foundation. And talent density compounds when you're deploying those capabilities strategically at enterprise scale - solving transformation problems for 8,800+ customers, where the impact of strategic placement ripples company-wide. That's when talent becomes genuinely valuable. The organizations that emerge transformed won't be the ones who hired the fastest. They'll be the ones who optimized for talent density and who strengthened enterprise capability by moving talent with intention. #TalentStrategy #TalentAcquisition #WorkforceStrategy #LeadershipDevelopment #FutureOfWork #ServiceNow 

The first thing that hit me when I joined this mid-sized engineering company as a CHRO was the lack of structured #SuccessionPlanning. At an organizational growth rate as steep as it was, the importance of a robust #SuccessionStrategy to keep our growth momentum on track and ensure continuity in leadership was very clear. To this end, I initiated my work with a critical review of our current leadership structure, #TalentPools, and future organizational requirements. I met senior leaders and key #stakeholders to identify critical roles for which #SuccessionPlans should be developed. This review identified several gaps and potential risks. Some of the huge barriers were #ResistanceToChange. To many senior leaders, succession planning was an unnecessary complication rather than a strategic necessity. Secondly, our #TalentManagementSystem lacked the necessary analytics to effectively predict and plan for the #leadership needs of the future. The next challenge in the process was to make the process inclusive and unbiased. We did not only need a system that would identify the #FutureLeaders, but one that would also be fair and transparent in the development of their capacity. Knowing these challenges, we established a comprehensive #SuccessionPlanningFramework that includes both quantitative and qualitative tools. #TalentAssessmentTools: We used #PsychometricAssessments, performance reviews, and 360-degree feedback to assess the current leader in finding a successor. Tools like #HoganAssessments and #GallupStrengthsFinder helped us truly understand individual capabilities and suitability for future roles. #LeadershipDevelopmentPrograms: Based on assessment results, customized development programs for potential successors have been designed. This includes #mentorship, #coaching, and focused training sessions to get over the shortcomings in competencies and groom them for the leadership role. #SuccessionPlanningSoftware: We implemented succession planning software in the HR system— #SAPSuccessFactors and #CornerstoneOnDemand. These tools enabled us to track potential successors, review development progress, and evaluate succession readiness. It runs scenario planning and #SuccessionModeling to simulate organizational changes and what would be affected in such scenarios. Our succession planning strategy, therefore, bore its first benefit: a strong #LeadershipPipeline ready for the challenges ahead and improved employee engagement through clear career pathways. It also enhanced the organizational agility required for smoother transitions. Our organization is more resilient, with a strategic approach toward developing leaders that places us in good stead for the future. #CHRODiaries #SuccessionPlanning #LeadershipPipeline #HighPotentialEmployees #PerformanceAssessment #360DegreeFeedback #ChangeManagement #CareerProgression #EmployeeEngagement #StakeholderBuyIn #OrganizationalGrowth

Most talent acquisition operating models split cleanly into two layers: delivery and enablement. But here is the honest truth that most leaders avoid saying aloud: we keep trying to force every single recruiter to be a consultative, data-fluent strategist while simultaneously expecting them to crush a massive requisition load. The reality is that strategy becomes a byproduct of whoever has spare bandwidth, meaning it rarely happens at all. When we looked at how Blair Bennett, SVP of Global TA at PepsiCo, manages a 500-person organization for a $90 billion enterprise, we found a completely different architecture. She introduced a dedicated, centralized Strategy pillar with its own headcount, formalizing a product management lifecycle for how talent acquisition actually builds capabilities and senses future market shifts. Instead of trying to upskill every recruiter into an all-knowing strategic advisor, this model compartmentalizes strategy into a specialized group that handles talent intelligence, portfolio ROI, and workforce scenario modeling. The recruiters in the execution layer are then armed with the exact upstream tools and insights they need, transforming intake meetings from frantic guessing games into strategy-informed conversations. In this week’s newsletter, I break down PepsiCo's formalized value chain and look closely at their Talent Foresights team, a group explicitly tasked with task decomposition and mapping what human recruiting looks like alongside AI agents. If your current strategy function is just a secondary title tacked onto a leader's overpacked schedule, your team is building for today's urgency rather than tomorrow's transformation. 👇 Read the full breakdown of this operating model by following the link below.

Every company recognizes the importance of return on investment (ROI), but how many prioritize return on talent (ROT) with the same emphasis? Employees are an organization's most significant investment and greatest source of value. In the face of economic uncertainty, rapid technological advancements, and evolving work models, it's crucial for businesses to have talent systems that focus on both productivity and value creation. Ensuring the right talent is in the right roles, and providing employees with the necessary support and opportunities, is essential for achieving optimal returns. Organizations that place talent at the core of their business strategy tend to realize higher total shareholder returns than their competitors. This article highlights five key actions that can maximize return on talent: 1. Build a skills-based strategic workforce planning capability 2. Create a robust hiring engine for critical roles 3. Invest in learning and development 4. Establish a performance-oriented culture 5. Elevate a competent HR’s operating model to become a true talent steward These actions are most effective when implemented collectively, as they intersect and reinforce each other. By integrating these five components, leaders can create a strategic and cohesive talent system that drives higher returns over the long term.

Recruiters are expected to evolve into strategic business partners, playing a crucial role in aligning talent acquisition with overall business goals. Transformation is happening Automation and AI are handling routine tasks like resume screening and interview scheduling, allowing recruiters to focus on strategic initiatives1. This shift enables them to spend more time understanding business needs and crafting effective talent strategies. Recruiters are immersing themselves in their clients' industries, understanding market dynamics, operational challenges, and competitive landscapes. This knowledge helps them anticipate the skills and competencies needed for future success. Using data analytics, recruiters are making informed decisions about workforce planning and talent management. This approach ensures that recruitment strategies are aligned with business objectives and market trends. The human element remains irreplaceable. Recruiters are prioritizing empathy and communication, building authentic relationships with both clients and candidates. This helps in matching not just skills but also cultural fit. Recruiters are transitioning from tactical roles to strategic problem-solvers. They are designing unique candidate experiences, crafting compelling employer value propositions, and developing innovative sourcing strategies. Continuous learning and upskilling are essential. Recruiters are enhancing their skills to stay ahead of industry changes and to provide strategic insights to their organizations. This evolution positions recruiters as valuable assets, driving business success through strategic talent acquisition.

How Talent Acquisition Can Become a Profit-Driving, Business-Led Advisory Department? Talent Acquisition (TA) isn’t just about filling seats. It’s a strategic growth engine driving profit, sustainability, and business agility. Here’s how leading TA teams are creating real value: *From Cost Center to Profit Driver** - TA leaders now quantify the cost of vacancy, showing that smarter, faster hiring can recover millions in lost revenue. - Quality of Hire is tightly connected to innovation, retention, and business success. - Proactive workforce planning empowers business agility not just recruitment. **Business-Driven KPIs for TA** - Modern TA teams laser-focus on business outcomes: time-to-productivity, offer acceptance rate, quality of source. - Retention and candidate satisfaction scores reveal the true strength of your talent pipeline and culture. **TA as Business Advisor** - TA is the company’s market intelligence hub advising on talent trends, competitive moves, and forecasting workforce needs. - Data-driven and consultative hiring recommendations ensure every hire is future-ready. ## Transformation Success Stories 1️⃣ **Boston Consulting Group**: Organizations with top TA functions see up to 3.5x revenue growth, 2.1x higher profit margins, and 40% lower new-hire attrition. 2️⃣ **Siemens**: Overhauled TA with business-aligned KPIs and analytics—reduced time-to-fill by 20%, boosted innovation pipeline, and delivered millions in project value. 3️⃣ **Unilever**: Strategic TA partnership fueled faster market expansion and product launches, slashed hiring costs by 15%, and elevated global talent pipeline quality. 4️⃣ **Salesforce**: TA leaders engage closely with the business, scaling teams rapidly while raising retention and engagement scores. 5️⃣ **Accenture**: TA’s advisory mindset supported client transformation teams delivering $1.2M+ in additional revenue within one year. ## Key Actions for TA Leaders - Use TA data to highlight cost-of-vacancy and revenue impact - Align talent metrics with overall business goals - Partner early with leaders for workforce planning - Share talent market insights and predictive analytics - Act as a true business advisor not just a service provider **Let’s Spark a Conversation!** How is your TA team driving business value? Drop your success stories or questions below and let’s show the world how Talent Acquisition can be a game-changer for growth and innovation! #TalentAcquisition #HRStrategy #BusinessGrowth #ProfitDriver #WorkforcePlanning #PeopleAnalytics #Leadership #HRCommunity #TAadvisory #StrategicHR