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THIS WEEK'S CONTENT

Below are links and descriptions of the topics covered in this issue. If you're interested in my deep dive, you can read the full newsletter.

• Measuring the Impact of Skills-Based Talent Initiatives | Business Roundtable | A new guide to help organizations quantify the impact of skills-based talent initiatives.

• Succession Planning Diagnostic Template | Brian Heger | My worksheet to identify improvement opportunities in 10 areas of succession.

• Your Employees Are Also Caregivers. Here’s How to Support Them | Harvard Business Review | Highlights strategies organizations can implement to better support their workers who are caregivers.

• Four Futures of Generative AI in The Enterprise: Scenario Planning for Strategic Resilience and Adaptability | Deloitte Center for Integrated Research | Shares 4 scenarios on the possible evolution of Gen AI and its potential impact on organizations between now and 2027.

• Research: How Gen AI Is Already Impacting the Labor Market | Harvard Business Review | Shares findings from a study on how Gen AI is impacting labor markets, skills, and demand for certain jobs. 

📉 Also, check out my job cuts tracker & Chief HR Officer move of the week.

Brian

THIS WEEK'S EDGE 

SKILLS-BASED PRACTICES

Measuring the Impact of Skills-Based Talent Initiatives | Business Roundtable

A new guide to help organizations quantify the impact of skills-based talent initiatives.

As organizations increasingly focus on skills-based talent practices, articulating how these strategies deliver stakeholder value is essential. A new 13-page playbook by Business Roundtable provides practical recommendations for quantifying the impact of such practices. The recommendations are organized into four priority areas: 1) aligning on skills-based goals and selecting priority metrics, 2) enhancing internal data reporting, 3) leveraging data for strategic change management, and 4) collaborating to report success at scale. For the first priority, page 6 suggests categorizing metrics into three areas: adoption of skills-based practices, employee outcomes, and business outcomes. To evaluate these metrics further, the playbook introduces three criteria: Effort, which refers to the time and resources required for data collection (rated as high, medium, or low); Timeframe, indicating how soon changes may be observed after adoption (categorized as short (< 6 months), medium (6–12 months), or long (> 1 year); and Frequency, referring to how often changes are tracked (classified as quarterly, semiannual, or annual). These criteria enable practitioners to more critically assess and select metrics that are feasible to track, ensuring they can demonstrate the impact of skills-based strategies. Other ideas are discussed. And as mentioned at the top of the newsletter, you can check out Gloat for many more free resources on becoming a skills-powered organization.

Access playbook

SUCCESSION PLANNING

Succession Planning Diagnostic Template | Brian Heger

My worksheet to identify improvement opportunities in 10 areas of succession.

According to Gartner's 2025 Top 5 Priorities for HR Leaders Report, only 23% of HR leaders are confident that their organizations have rising leaders capable of meeting future needs. In my view, one contributing factor to this gap is succession planning (SP). To help organizations identify opportunities to improve SP, here’s my one-page diagnostic covering 10 sample SP areas. While not exhaustive, these criteria offer a starting point for identifying potential SP improvements. Practitioners can review each statement and select one of three rating categories, such as Needs Attention (significant opportunity for improvement). For example, one of the 10 criteria is Business Strategy Alignment: "Our SP process is aligned with the organization’s long-term strategic goals and regularly reviewed to adapt to changing business needs." Another is Integration with Talent Processes: "SP is integrated with other talent management processes, such as the talent review process, to ensure alignment in identifying, assessing, and developing key talent." Upon completing the assessment, a visual snapshot highlights overall results using color-coded boxes (green, yellow, red) based on selected ratings. These 10 areas are examples; use them as a starting point and modify them as needed.

Access template

LEADERSHIP AND CULTURE

Your Employees Are Also Caregivers. Here’s How to Support Them | Harvard Business Review

Highlights strategies organizations can implement to better support their workers who are caregivers.

Recognizing the challenge of attracting and retaining critical talent, many organizations are increasingly focusing on caregivers—a growing segment of the workforce who provide care and support for family, friends, or others in need. In the U.S. alone, 73% of employees report caregiving responsibilities. Despite 80% of workers acknowledging that caregiving responsibilities significantly impact their productivity at work, only 24% of employers recognize it as a workplace issue. As caregiving demands grow, workers often reduce hours or leave their jobs due to conflicts and high caregiving costs. Those who remain in the workforce may face financial insecurity or experience stalled career growth due to reduced workloads or shifts to part-time roles. This article explores strategies to support caregivers, emphasizing that caregiving extends beyond childcare (e.g., eldercare) and advocating for a “care leave for all” culture to reduce stigmas. Leaders are encouraged to self-identify as caregivers, as well as those who typically don’t disclose caregiving roles, such as men and younger employees, to normalize caregiving conversations and foster a more supportive workplace. For further insights, I am including a new 24-page report by Harvard Business School: Hidden Workers: The Case for Caregivers.

Read article

AI IN THE WORKPLACE

Four Futures of Generative AI in The Enterprise: Scenario Planning for Strategic Resilience and Adaptability | Deloitte Center for Integrated Research

Shares 4 scenarios on the possible evolution of Gen AI and its potential impact on organizations between now and 2027.

This article explores four potential scenarios for integrating AI into the workplace, each with distinct implications for people, culture, and talent practices. Using a 2×2 matrix, the four scenarios examine the Degree of AI Adoption on one axis and AI’s Impact on the Business Model on the other. While there are several insights offered for the four scenarios, one key takeaway is the potential risk of reducing entry-level opportunities for the early-career workforce as AI becomes more integrated. As organizations adopt AI to streamline operations and improve efficiency, they may unintentionally limit traditional entry-level roles. As a result, organizations will need to reevaluate their entry-level and early career talent strategies with questions such as: Which entry-level roles within our organization are most impacted by AI? How can we redesign entry-level roles to ensure early-career workers gain the skills and experiences needed to thrive in an AI-enhanced environment? How will we measure the effectiveness of our early-career talent strategies in light of AI changes, and what adjustments will be necessary over time? By understanding these impacts and preparing accordingly, organizations can shape their people and culture strategies to navigate AI adoption successfully.

Read article

AI IN THE WORKPLACE

Research: How Gen AI Is Already Impacting the Labor Market | Harvard Business Review

Shares findings from a study on how Gen AI is impacting labor markets, skills, and demand for certain jobs.

The rapid advancement of Gen AI, such as ChatGPT and image-generating tools, is transforming labor markets and reshaping workforce planning, talent acquisition, and employee development. The article highlights research, forthcoming in Management Science, analyzing over a million job posts and found significant declines in demand for automation-prone jobs like writing (30%) and software development (20%) since the introduction of Gen AI tools. Similarly, graphic design and 3D modeling jobs declined by 17% within a year of tools like DALL-E entering the market. This drop in demand has intensified competition among freelancers, with more bids per job and an increased focus on AI-related skills. The study further reveals that Gen AI's impact goes beyond task replacement, increasing job complexity and requiring broader skill sets. For example, after ChatGPT’s launch, automation-prone job postings required 2.18% more skills than manual-intensive ones, indicating that while Gen AI may reduce demand for some roles, it simultaneously elevates the skill level required for others, underscoring the critical need for upskilling and reskilling in the workforce. With this as the backdrop, I am resharing an Accenture report, which includes a framework for categorizing four types of impacts that AI can have on jobs and work tasks.

Read article

MOST POPULAR FROM LAST WEEK

SUCCESSION PLANNING

Succession Planning: Role Criteria Evaluation Worksheet | Brian Heger

My worksheet to evaluate five aspects of role criteria for succession planning.

Succession planning remains a priority for many organizations, yet HR leaders still report challenges in strengthening overall succession capabilities. While various factors contribute to gaps in succession strength, one area worth evaluating is whether the criteria used to identify and assess successors for key roles are truly the most relevant and critical. Here’s my one-page worksheet that helps organizations evaluate succession criteria across five areas. You can also check out my post about this resource on LinkedIn!

Access template

JOB CUTS AND LAYOFF TRACKER

Check out my tracker of announcements from a segment of organizations that have conducted job cuts and layoffs since the start of 2023.

A few job cuts announced this past week:

• Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD). The chipmaker announced layoffs affecting approximately 1,000 employees, or 4% of its global workforce, following mixed Q3 earnings and increased competition from Intel. 

• Chegg Inc. (NYSE: CHGG). The education technology company announced plans to cut 319 jobs, representing 21% of its workforce, as part of a restructuring plan aimed at streamlining operations and addressing challenges such as increased competition and the impact of Gen AI.

• Enphase Energy (NASDAQ: ENPH). The solar technology and EV charger company announced it is laying off approximately 500 workers, representing 17% of its global workforce, including contractors.

 Click here to access all listed announcements.

CHIEF HR OFFICER MOVE OF THE WEEK

This past week, 11 new Chief HR Officer announcements were posted on CHROs on the Go, my subscription-based platform tracking movement in and out of the CHRO role. This week’s CHRO move of the week is:

• Humana (LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY) [NYSE: HUM]—a leading health and well-being company—announced the appointment of Michelle O'Hara as Chief Human Resources Officer, effective January 1, 2025. O’Hara will oversee Humana’s enterprise talent strategy for its 63,000 employees. She joins Humana from Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), where served as the company’s Chief HR Officer for the past 15 years.​

Never miss another Chief HR Officer announcement. Subscribe to CHROs on the Go with a monthly or yearly subscription and gain immediate access to +4000 (and growing) CHRO announcements.

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FROM ME ON LINKEDIN

THE BEST OF OCTOBER 2024

Did you miss the “Best of October ” issue of Talent Edge Weekly? If so, check out issue #267, which includes 17 of the most popular resources from the month. Thank you to Perceptyx for sponsoring this Best of October issue!

Read the Best of October

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RESOURCE LINEUP

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