As technology advances, employee expectations evolve, and the need for leadership grows, how are senior workforce leaders rethinking their strategies to keep up? At our recent Executive Connect roundtable, we tackled this question and gained some excellent first-hand insights into the trends shaping the future of Learning and Talent Development. Our CEO, Michelle Reid-Powell, opened the session with a research-backed overview of the most significant workforce changes, drawn from The World Economic Forum, Gartner, McKinsey, and Josh Bersin in addition to insights from our work with Fortune 1000 companies. She was joined by our panelists:
- Nick Busalacki, VP, Global Learning and Development, Organizational Change Management at Johnson Controls
- Jennifer Sutherland, Global Head of Learning Operations at ZS Associates
- Brian Wallace, Chief Learning Officer at Wintrust
These senior Learning and Change leaders offered expert perspectives on their organizations’ biggest workforce priorities for this year. From upskilling for AI to developing skilled leaders, , the conversation highlighted what’s next in workforce development. Here is a recap.
Preparing the Workforce for AI at Scale
According to The World Economic Forum, 2025 will be the year companies fundamentally rethink their workflows to integrate AI. While the last two years saw organizations experimenting with AI through pilots and app development, systematic adoption is now a workforce priority. However, a major challenge remains: upskilling employees to keep pace with AI’s capabilities.
McKinsey reports that nearly half of business leaders believe AI adoption is happening too slowly due to a lack of employee skills. Our panelists noted that organizations must balance the promise of AI with robust governance and strategy. Jennifer Sutherland emphasized that structured AI training programs are essential to ensuring employees can integrate AI into their workflows effectively. At ZS Associates, her team is focused on evaluating and refining AI-driven upskilling strategies to help employees use AI in the right context.
Brian Wallace from Wintrust asserted that learning and development (L&D) teams must lead the way: “Every time I have a chance to talk about AI, especially in the learning community, I always emphasize we are a safe space for AI adoption,” he said. Nick Busalacki from Johnson Controls shared the importance of cross-functional AI governance involving learning designers alongside IT, legal, and operations leaders.
“Every time I have a chance to talk about AI, especially in the learning community, I always emphasize we are a safe space for AI adoption.”
The Move Towards Skills & Knowledge Transfer
Organizations are shifting from role-based structures to skills-based workforce planning. According to LinkedIn’s 2025 Work Change Report, 70% of skills required for jobs will change by 2030, requiring companies to rethink how they develop and retain expertise.
Busalacki shared upskilling frontline employees is a workforce priority at his organization. One approach they are exploring involves rotating experienced mechanics into instructor roles, enhancing both the knowledge transfer process to more junior employees and the career growth of senior workers.
Wallace shared the need for companies to consider implementing full-scale skills gap analysis due to experienced talent exiting the organization. “Many of our senior employees have been doing the job for 30 years… they have such a breadth of experience in their roles and knowledge that isn’t easily replaceable,” Wallace noted. “We are partnering across Learning, Talent and HR, talent, knowing that it’s important for our growth and trajectory.”
Addressing Leadership and Management Gaps
As baby boomers retire and workplace expectations evolve, leadership development is more critical than ever. Research from DDI warns of a structural breakdown in the leadership pipeline, with many organizations unprepared for generational transitions.
All our panelists noted that a back-to-basics approach tailored to organizational context is an effective solution for developing leaders. Sutherland shared how in a previous role she created a leadership development framework focused on four key areas: defining a team’s vision, aligning with others, developing employees, and championing company culture. She emphasized the importance of providing clear guidance, such as examples for effective one-on-one meetings and meaningful performance feedback, to help leaders build these essential skills.
Busalacki highlighted a new immersive leadership experience designed to develop leadership capabilities beyond traditional business operations. This initiative encourages leaders to collaboratively solve critical problems, rather than concentrate solely on business performance metrics. He highlighted the significant impact of strengthening leaders’ skills in collaboration, delegation and problem-solving.
Wallace shared that Wintrust has also seen a strong demand for foundational leadership skills. He highlighted a three-part lunch and learn series on business etiquette, calling it “one of the most attended classes we’ve offered.”
Evolving DE&I Toward Inclusion Workplace Strategies
As societal and regulatory landscapes change, organizations are evolving their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) approaches toward more inclusive workplace strategies. While many companies may be rebranding their DE&I functions under terms like ‘Inclusion & Belonging,’ it’s clear that the goal remains the same: building a culture that drives business success.
Our panelists reinforced this approach, sharing practical examples from their organizations. Sutherland described integrating inclusion directly into leadership training programs, emphasizing the importance of equipping leaders with empathy, coaching, and cultural awareness skills. Busalacki highlighted how Johnson Controls prioritizes inclusive leadership to enhance employee engagement and overall organizational performance. Wallace from Wintrust underscored inclusive leadership as a critical component in their leadership development curriculum, noting inclusive behaviors significantly improve teamwork and retention.
Gartner suggests that embedding inclusive practices into all business processes will be key to maintaining competitive advantage. Recent McKinsey research confirms that diverse leadership teams have a 39% higher likelihood of financial outperformance. “More than ever, companies are framing DE&I as a business imperative rather than solely a corporate responsibility,” noted Reid-Powell.
The Growing Importance of Resilience and Critical Thinking
With an increasingly unpredictable business environment, the ability to navigate uncertainty is an essential skill for workforce preparedness. Sutherland underscored the importance of resilience training: “Organizations must equip employees to thrive in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments.” She noted that skills like decision-making, problem-solving, and adaptability are particularly valuable to manage ongoing change.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Learning & Development
“You can’t use an old map on a new journey.”
As workplace transformation accelerates, companies must rethink how they approach Learning and Talent Development. Traditional training models are being replaced by continuous learning experiences directly embedded within the flow of work and aligned with business strategy. At Johnson Controls, Busalacki shared that his team is working to break down silos between HR, Talent, and business units to create more cohesive learning solutions that directly support business goals.
Wallace described how Wintrust is redesigning its learning framework to better meet the needs of a changing workforce. He emphasized that organizations must be willing to rethink old approaches, stating, “You can’t use an old map on a new journey.”
Workforce Priority: Lean into the Challenges
Shaping today’s workforce requires a strategic and agile approach to learning and talent development. AI Upskilling, skills-based learning, leadership transformation, and inclusion workplace strategies are shaping the corporate agenda in 2025. As our panelists shared, success depends on forward-thinking approaches that empower employees to thrive amid constant change.
For HR, Talent, and Learning leaders, the challenge is clear: build a workforce that is technically skilled as well as resilient, adaptable, and human-centered. Need help tackling these challenges? Let’s connect and explore how our Learning and Change solutions can help prepare your workforce for what’s next.
