Reinvention is now non-negotiable, according to talent solutions provider
Whatever the HR topic of the day, discussion seems to inevitably shift to artificial intelligence and, almost just as quickly, to the need for upskilling.
“Almost no roles are not impacted in some way, if people are switched on to how AI could help them achieve greater productivity,” James McIlvena, Managing Director for Australia, New Zealand and Singapore for HR advisory and talent solutions provider LHH, told HRD.
“That makes reinvention a non-negotiable—employers have to ask how they’ll support people through it.”
The company's Reinvention Imperative report found while only 12% of career transition candidates in its programs cited AI as the reason for their redundancies, nearly half of business leaders say they’ve already reduced headcount because of the technology.
Benefits of upskilling and redeployment on internal mobility
McIlvena stresses that internal career mobility should reduce the need for redeployment and in turn the need for redundancies.
“The bar for redeploying with care and consideration has lifted,” he said. “Do an audit of how you’re handling redeployment now. Ideally, mobility keeps people in the business. If exits are unavoidable, do it well—and keep the door open.”
As well as people issues there are also commercial considerations, as losing long-term employees carries significant risk to the business.
“You’re also losing institutional knowledge,” McIlvena emphasised. “A great mobility program avoids that. Failing that, effective redeployment helps. If someone does leave, track them through an alumni program so you can rehire once they’ve upskilled.”
To speed up the reinvention process, LHH has rolled out two tools—Career Canvas and an AI-enabled Interview Center—as examples of how technology can sharpen outcomes without removing the “human in the loop.”
“Career Canvas is AI-enabled and uses learning preferences to generate career inspirations,” McIlvena explained. “It helps people think beyond linear moves, then map an upskilling journey into a different direction.”
Change management strategies to improve internal mobility
McIlvena outlined three immediate actions HR leaders can take to better internal mobility:
- Close the AI skills gap: “Give people options, tell them why it matters, and direct them. Don’t leave them to figure it out alone.”
- Blend tech with human care: “Use platforms to scale insight, but keep coaching, leadership guidance and clear career pathways front and centre.”
- Design for mobility first: “Minimise redeployment and outplacement by getting mobility right. And if exits happen, maintain a strong alumni channel to bring capability back.”
The hiring process also needs to be rethought to avoid “generic” outcomes.
“Candidates are using AI to optimise applications, and employers are using AI to assess at scale,” McIlvena said.
“Upskilling isn’t just readiness for the next role, - it’s building a workforce that’s confident, connected and capable of seizing what comes next.”
“Where it used to be on employees to figure out their next step, we’re now seeing an onus on employers to create internal mobility, human connection, and a culture of confidence and collaboration.”
How AI is changing the need to upskill
Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t the only disruptor, but its reach is growing across job families.
“People are adopting AI skills off their own bat,” McIlvena noted, “With a smaller percentage receiving employer-led training.”
“Employers are good at setting rules—privacy, data protection, large language model usage—but rules need to be backed by learning. I’d argue every role is going to be impacted in some way.”
For people managers, this means building strong learning and development functions and equipping managers with the power to understand which skills matter next.
“Don’t just switch on tech and hope people use it,” McIlvena noted. “You need education for leaders and teams so they understand the direction of travel.”
