How HR Can Build a Future-Ready Workforce With AI: Lessons From a Global Bank
Technology is changing work faster than most organisations can retrain their people. One major bank shows a practical path forward: treat AI as an enabler, build skills into the flow of work, and use data to match talent to business needs in real time.
The signal is clear. Nearly four in ten skills will shift or expire between 2025 and 2030. For HR, that means less headcount planning on job titles, and more focus on skills, mobility, and learning that compounds.
Make technology a trusted enabler
At scale, AI helps deliver better client service, manage risk, and improve the employee experience. This isn't a side project; it's a business-critical function that HR should co-own with Technology, Risk, and the business.
Put talent and literacy at the core
- Hire specialists who can apply AI across real business problems, not just build models.
- Raise AI literacy across the workforce with hands-on learning, communities, and clear use cases.
- Example: An AI Learning Hub and a Data Management Learning Marathon engaged more than 30,000 colleagues, going beyond technical tutorials to practical analytics and day-to-day tools.
Embed learning into work (shift from "reskill and redeploy" to "deploy and develop")
Move people based on what they can do today, then build the next set of skills on the job. That keeps employability high, speeds time-to-impact, and creates visible internal career paths.
Make sure each learning track ties to a business outcome: faster onboarding, fewer control breaches, quicker client response, or improved productivity.
Build dependable platforms and data foundations
A global bank operating across 50+ markets needs consistent data, clear governance, and scalable tools. The goal isn't just filling roles. It's retaining, developing, and future-proofing talent while improving productivity.
Link talent systems with CRM and workforce data so you can see skills, demand signals, and career moves in one place.
What this looks like in practice
- AI-enabled sourcing: A pool of 600,000+ candidates, 250+ recruitment events supported, and about 2.5 million touchpoints-widening access to high-impact talent that older methods may miss, and improving both quality and diversity of hires.
- Internal talent marketplace: 39,000+ active users matched to critical roles and projects, shorter vacancy times, ~USD 8.5 million in productivity gains, and 2,700+ short-term "gigs" that deploy skills at speed.
- Smoother talent journeys: SAP SuccessFactors pilots, digital onboarding, compliance assistants, and 24/7 chatbots to reduce friction and get people productive sooner.
90-day action plan for HR
- Map skills and demand: Identify 10-15 priority skills linked to top business outcomes. Tag current roles and projects with these skills.
- Launch an AI literacy cohort: Offer a 6-8 week program with weekly labs focused on your real workflows (e.g., reporting, client servicing, or risk checks).
- Pilot a gig marketplace: Start with one business unit. Post 20-30 gigs that take 10-80 hours. Measure fill rate and impact on time-to-value.
- Integrate data: Connect your CRM and ATS to create intelligent talent pools. Surface internal candidates before going external.
- Set guardrails: Establish acceptable use, bias testing, privacy, and model-risk oversight with Legal and Risk.
Metrics that matter
- AI literacy completion rate and downstream adoption (per tool/use case)
- Time-to-fill and vacancy days for critical roles
- Internal mobility rate and percentage of roles filled internally
- Gig participation, repeat usage, and manager satisfaction
- Productivity savings (hours or dollars) attributed to AI-enabled workflows
- Diversity mix at shortlist and hire stage from AI-assisted sourcing
- Onboarding cycle time and speed to proficiency
Why this approach works
It treats people as the central system. Recruit for practical AI skills, grow literacy at scale, and give employees fair access to projects and roles through transparent marketplaces. Combine that with clear governance and reliable platforms, and you get capability that compounds over time.
Want curated learning paths you can roll out by job family or skill? Explore courses by job or browse the most requested AI certifications to accelerate your internal programs.
The bottom line for HR
Use AI to place the right skills in the right problems, faster. Build literacy, mobility, and data-driven matching into how you work. Do that, and your workforce stays employable, your hiring stays focused, and your organisation stays ready for what's next.
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