The future of work is here, but hiring hasn’t caught up

Companies today are facing a paradox they can’t seem to solve: Roles are going unfilled while millions of capable workers remain overlooked.

Work has changed. That much is undeniable.

Artificial intelligence, automation, demographic shifts, and economic pressure are reshaping how companies operate and who they need to hire. The future of work isn’t on the horizon; it has already arrived. Yet the way most organizations approach hiring and workforce development remains rooted in the past.

The consequences are increasingly visible. Job growth has slowed from its post-pandemic peak. Layoffs are rising across sectors. And still, critical roles in healthcare, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and the skilled trades remain persistently unfilled.

A LABOR MARKET OUT OF ALIGNMENT

What we are seeing is not a shortage of talent—it is a failure to connect talent to opportunity.

Across the economy, millions of workers have skills that are not being recognized or effectively matched to available jobs. At the same time, fewer young people are pursuing traditional postsecondary education, with enrollment still below pre-pandemic levels and projected to decline further.

Meanwhile, demand for essential roles continues to grow. Companies need healthcare workers to deliver care, electricians and construction teams to build infrastructure, and technicians to maintain critical systems. These are not future jobs—they are open now.

The disconnect lies in how roles are defined and how candidates are evaluated. Hiring systems built around degrees and linear career paths are no longer aligned with the realities of how work gets done.

RETHINK THE PROXY FOR POTENTIAL

For decades, a college degree has served as the default signal of capability. Today, it is an increasingly incomplete one.

A degree may reflect knowledge or persistence, but it does not consistently measure whether someone can perform a specific job. Yet most hiring systems still treat it as a gatekeeper—screening out qualified candidates before they are ever considered.

A skills-first approach offers a better path forward.

By focusing on what individuals can actually do—their competencies, experiences, and demonstrated abilities—companies can access a broader, more relevant talent pool. Millions of workers already possess the skills needed to succeed in high-demand roles, regardless of how they acquired them.

But adopting a skills-first mindset requires more than removing degree requirements from job postings. It demands a fundamental shift in how organizations define work, assess talent, and create pathways for advancement.

THE GAP BETWEEN INTENT AND EXECUTION

Most leaders understand this. Many hiring managers even support it. But inside organizations, intent often breaks down in execution.

Job descriptions continue to default to degree requirements. Hiring platforms filter candidates based on traditional credentials. Evaluation methods vary widely, making it difficult to consistently assess skills. And internal incentives often prioritize speed and familiarity over precision and long-term fit.

The result is a system that reinforces the very barriers companies say they want to remove.

Embedding a skills-first approach requires alignment across leadership, redesigned hiring processes, and sustained change management. It is not a surface-level adjustment—it is an operational transformation.

WHY INSIGHT MUST DRIVE ACTION

In a labor market defined by rapid change, workforce decisions cannot rely on outdated assumptions.

Companies now have access to unprecedented levels of data—from labor market trends to internal workforce analytics to emerging technologies that map skills in real time. This information has the potential to fundamentally improve how organizations hire and plan for the future.

But data alone is not enough.

The advantage lies in how companies use it: to redefine roles based on actual work, to identify where talent exists, and to build systems that accurately match people to opportunities.

Organizations that translate insight into action will move faster and hire better. Those that do not will continue to face talent gaps—not because the talent isn’t there, but because they are not equipped to find it.

FROM INSIGHT TO IMPACT

After working alongside leading employers, one lesson is clear: Without the ability to operationalize insight, even well‑intentioned strategies stall. Roles remain misaligned. Talent remains overlooked. Impact remains unmeasured.

That realization is driving a broader shift.

As OneTen evolves into SkillsRight, the focus is on building an insights engine that integrates multiple data streams to help companies make smarter, faster workforce decisions—redefining roles, expanding access, and creating systems that reflect the realities of today’s labor market.

A MORE RESILIENT AND INCLUSIVE FUTURE OF WORK

When companies get this right, they do more than improve hiring—they transform how work functions.

A skills-first approach enables organizations to operate with greater precision, adaptability, and resilience. It expands access to talent, increases workforce flexibility, and creates career pathways that are not constrained by traditional credentials.

In an imbalanced labor market, this isn’t just a competitive advantage, it is a necessity. And the benefits extend beyond companies.

Workers gain access to opportunities aligned with their capabilities. Employers access talent they were previously missing. The result is stronger, more durable hiring outcomes—and a more inclusive economy.

Getting this right doesn’t just solve workforce challenges. It unlocks opportunity for millions and builds a labor market that works better for everyone.

Debbie Dyson is CEO of SkillsRight (formerly OneTen).

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