As AI moves from pilot to routine, HR leaders face fresh questions about skills, managers and people data
Across Australia, the 2027 workforce plan is being drafted in the familiar way. Headcount forecasts go into one column, salary budgets into another, and a handful of new roles get pencilled in for the second half of the year.
But this year, one line is much harder to fill in. For many organisations, AI has lived in pilots and trials. As 2027 approaches, it is moving into everyday work, and the plan has to account for what that shift does to the people doing it.
Working out what that means falls largely to HR.
Anna Volkova, head of people and culture for APJ at HiBob, will be speaking at a Zoom webinar on the topic above and more, hosted by sponsor HiBob on Nov 10 at 11am AEST. To find out details and to register, click here.
Volkova has held senior HR roles at The Iconic, Kudosity, Westpac Group and Macquarie, which has given her a view of workforce change inside both fast-growing companies and large corporates. She sees the first problem for 2027 as a practical one.
"For HR leaders planning for 2027, a key challenge is understanding what AI adoption means for the workforce in practical terms. Which tasks could change? What skills will become more valuable? Where can existing people develop, and where might new capability be required?" said Volkova.
Which jobs will actually change
Answering those questions means looking past broad predictions to the specific work people do each week, then deciding where new capability should come from. Volkova suggested the starting point is the plan itself.
"HR can start by testing the assumptions behind their 2027 workforce plan," said Volkova.
A plan built on last year's job descriptions may be out of date before it is signed off. Volkova pointed to three areas where preparation can begin.
"Preparation can focus on three foundations: a clearer view of existing skills, reliable people data, and managers who feel equipped to lead change," said Volkova.
The manager in the middle
Of those three, managers may carry the heaviest load, since they are usually the first people employees turn to when a new tool changes how a job gets done.
"Managers play a critical role. They're being asked to guide teams through change while managing their own workloads and questions about AI. Without clear direction, adoption can add pressure rather than create capacity," said Volkova.
Volkova's answer to that pressure starts small.
"Small, focused trials can help organisations learn before expanding their approach. Involving employees early, setting clear expectations for responsible use, and creating room for feedback can help build confidence along the way," said Volkova.
Data before decisions
Behind each of these choices sits a less visible requirement. Decisions about who to retrain, who to redeploy and where to hire rest on knowing what skills an organisation already has, and how far that information can be trusted.
"Gaps in people data can make these decisionns harder, particularly when HR is balancing business priorities with trust, fairness, and employee experience," said Volkova.
Keeping those human considerations in view while making hard calls about roles and skills is a central theme of the November session, which is designed to give attendees something they can apply to their own planning straight away.
"Attendees will leave with a practical starting point for their 2027 workforce planning. The session will help HR leaders turn a broad conversation about AI into clearer priorities for their people and business," said Volkova.
The webinar will take place virtually on Nov 10 at 11am AEST. To find out more and to register, click here.
