RESEARCH REPORT
Talent Reinventors: Delivering value with and for people in the age of AI
Unlocking value in a fast-changing world means rethinking how organizations manage talent.
10-MINUTE READ
March 16, 2026
In brief
- A new era for talent. Real value shows up when people and technology advance together.
- Six characteristics set leaders apart. Research reveals traits that allow Talent Reinventors to deliver breakthrough results.
- People and AI thrive together. Talent Reinventors amplify human ingenuity and helps people and AI evolve in sync.
Focusing on people to drive value
Unlocking value in a fast-changing world means rethinking how organizations manage talent. The leaders are changing how they work to help people and technology learn, grow and thrive together. According to our research, Talent Reinventors saw revenue growth that was 1.8 percentage points higher and profit growth that was 1.4 percentage points higher than their peers in 2025.
18% of organizations already balance AI adoption with a people-first mindset.
What sets Talent Reinventors apart
Our research shows that Talent Reinventors have a distinctive talent strategy that reshapes work and the workforce around a shared set of goals. This strategy is powered by data and AI, but its purpose is deeply human: to reinvent what and how work gets done and help people grow with it. Organizations get unprecedented visibility into which tasks deserve focus, which skills will matter next and how people and technology can elevate each other to create real value.
This isn’t theory. Our report draws on new global research involving more than 1,300 C-suite executives and 4,500 workers across 20 industries and 12 markets. It explores how organizations are reimagining work and reveals six characteristics that Talent Reinventors share, allowing them to achieve extraordinary results by building their workforce of the future.
KEY FINDINGS
How do Talent Reinventors create greater organizational impact?
Compared to their peers, they are:
18%
more likely to improve workforce adaptability
7x
more likely to strengthen organizational culture
6x
more likely to create great employee experiences
Six characteristics of Talent Reinventors
Every organization is unique, but all Talent Reinventors in our study had some mix of the following characteristics.
Talent Reinventors unite teams around a single definition of value across talent, technology and business strategy. The result: sharper talent decisions, measurable improvements in growth and productivity and a workforce that is motivated to grow their skills and embrace change.
96%
of Talent Reinventors have a talent strategy that is fully integrated with technology and AI.
By building team intelligence on AI-powered data foundations, Talent Reinventors gain real-time visibility into team well-being, skills and performance. They understand what employees need, can shape messaging for continuous change and build supportive cultures where people are recognized and rewarded. AI-generated insights help guide assignments, flag risks and encourage open dialogue for stronger, more adaptive teams.
Only 19%
of employees work in adaptive AI-enabled teams (most teams still lack the tools, habits and clarity needed to collaborate effectively with AI).
Talent Reinventors use AI to create a dynamic, continuously updated inventory of employee skills and interests. This visibility allows leaders to precisely match talent to opportunities and help careers blossom. A resilient workforce pivots quickly as new opportunities arise, resulting in higher employee engagement, more internal hiring and meaningful career growth.
16.5x
more likely to have dynamic, AI-informed skills data embedded in their workforce systems.
Co-learning is embedded in daily workflows, with humans and AI continuously learning and adapting together. Every interaction becomes a capability-building moment, strengthening individuals, teams and AI systems. Talent Reinventors foster cultures of experimentation and growth, where leaders model curiosity and psychological safety, making continuous skill-building a valued and normal part of work.
Only 25%
of organizations embed learning into culture and workflows with AI-powered tools delivering real-time nudges and personalized content.
Reinvention is a deeply human journey. Talent Reinventors attract leaders who engage personally with technology, treat people and data as strategic assets and coach their people to help them reach their full potential. They build cultures of trust, inclusion and curiosity, using AI to strengthen development and decision-making, and create environments where people can do their best work.
Only 19%
of employees report no significant change in expectations for leaders.
Talent Reinventors use AI-driven workforce planning to forecast future roles and skills and design meaningful career pathways for their people. By having access to data on performance, skills and employee preferences, they tailor growth opportunities for their people and nurture a sense of confidence and belonging—helping employees see their path and thrive with the organization.
50%+
of workers report cognitive overload, while many also face anxiety about job displacement, burnout (31%), and loss of agency (23%).
What success looks like: Talent Reinventors in action
Welcome to the next era of talent strategy
Most talent strategies were designed for an era when markets were predictable, roles were clearly defined and customer expectations evolved slowly. Businesses were built around rigid chains of command and training programs were set up to teach people a set of skills for a specific role. Times have changed, and so should talent strategy. People continue to be every organization’s greatest asset, but when people and technology learn and grow together, the results can be astounding. Organizations that find the right balance between humans and AI will attract and retain the best talent and continue to outpace their peers. One in five organizations today will tell you that it takes effort to reinvent your talent strategy, but the gains are impossible to ignore.