Employers’ Talent Strategies Prioritize Revenue Generation, AI Skills

Organizational talent strategies are rapidly (and significantly) being overhauled as businesses prioritize commercial performance, customer experience and advanced technology skills (specifically in the area of artificial intelligence) to survive a tightening economy. This is according to WTW’s first-quarter General Industry Talent Intelligence Report, released May 20.

The research for the global advisory firm’s new report revealed employers are largely abandoning traditional jobs and roles in favor of dynamic, skills-based workforce models. Faced with economic uncertainty (fueled by tariffs, global conflict, etc.), organizations are hyper-focused on capabilities that directly:

• Drive revenue;
• Manage risk; and,
• Strengthen operational resilience.

“As skill requirements evolve, companies are focused on a deliberate redesign of how work gets done, who does the work and which work is necessary — including what roles, processes and technologies meet changing business requirements to generate value for all stakeholders,” said Catherine Hartmann, WTW’s global practice lead for work, rewards and careers.

Revenue and Client Retention Are Workforce Emphases

With customer spending remaining constrained, U.S. employers are doubling down on sales and relationship management. The report identified revenue generation, client retention and commercial discipline as the top capabilities for organizations looking to protect their growth.

Simultaneously, customer experience (CX) remains a core workforce focus. However, the nature of CX is shifting rapidly. Leaders are heavily investing in service quality while deploying automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to redesign contact centers and global service delivery. This evolution has significantly raised the bar for digital fluency and adaptability among frontline staff.

The Democratization of AI Skills

One of the report’s most striking findings was the integration of skills in AI and other advanced technologies into everyday organizational functions. Tech capabilities are no longer confined to isolated IT specialists.

Employers now are embedding skills such as prompt engineering, digital visualization and agentic design across all their business units. Employees in standard day-to-day roles are increasingly expected to possess skills in:

• Data analysis;
• Programming large language models (LLMs);
• Building AI agents; and,
• Basic scripting.

These competencies are becoming baseline requirements to support data-driven decision-making and scalable digital operations.

“AI acceleration is causing employees to look for growth in new skill-centric ways — not within a single, traditional career progression,” Hartmann said. “For employers, this puts renewed emphasis on transparent skills frameworks and rewards programs that recognize value creation, contribution and capabilities over outdated job structures.”

Governance and Future-Proofing

As regulatory environments shift, the report highlighted a surging demand for governance and control capabilities. Organizations are tightening operating discipline, placing a premium on compliance, documentation and records management.

To navigate these shifting priorities, employers are turning to specialized roles in AI, supply chain management and workforce analytics. WTW noted these specific positions will be critical in helping employers:

• Bridge the skills gap;
• Control workforce costs; and,
• Align their talent directly with long-term business strategies.

Editor’s Note: Additional Content

For more information and resources related to this article, see the pages below, which offer quick access to all WorldatWork content on these topics:

• Organizational Performance
• People Analytics