Redefining Talent Acquisition: Four Key Takeaways from the SHRM Talent 2025
LHH was thrilled to attend this year's SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) Talent 2025 held in Nashville, Tennessee, alongside leading HR professionals and industry peers. More than just attendees, we were proud to contribute to the conversation through a session led by LHH President John Morgan, titled The Talent Compass: Using AI, Empathy, and Skills to Guide Workforce Transitions.
This year's event explored the trends and challenges facing HR professionals today, diving into a range of critical topics, including:
Intergenerational Collaboration
Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Emotional Intelligence (EI/EQ)
Talent Acquisition and Retention
Workplace Culture
Amid a lineup of expert speakers and meaningful discussions, two overarching messages stood out:
Skills development, upskilling, and reskilling have become imperative for businesses striving to attract and retain top talent in the age of AI.
Emotional intelligence (EQ) will play a crucial role in shaping future talent strategies and driving success.
The competition for top talent has never been more competitive. In today’s digital world, organizations must embrace bold strategies, leverage AI technology, and prioritize a people-first approach in order to stay ahead. To help you navigate the shifting landscape, we’ve outlined four key trends, highlighted at this year's SHRM Talent, that are shaping the future of work.
1. Invest in Skills Development Initiatives that Align Human and AI Capabilities
The rise of AI and digitization is transforming every corner of the workplace—from recruitment and talent management to daily operations and strategic planning. But while the promise of AI is great, the reality is more complicated. As AI becomes increasingly prevalent, a skills gap is emerging, leaving many organizations racing to close it.
According to DeVry University’s Closing the Gap: Upskilling and Reskilling in an AI Era report, 72% of employers aren’t providing upskilling opportunities, and 42% lack confidence in their ability to train employees on AI. Without action, organizations risk falling behind. HR leaders must step up as change agents—bridging the gap between AI’s potential and human capability—through strategic change management. To get started, companies should:
Adopt a holistic approach to upskilling, focusing on both technical AI skills and essential human skills.
Offer flexible learning options that blend in-person and remote training to meet diverse needs.
Partner with educational institutions that specialize in upskilling and workforce development.
However, there’s another gap companies can’t afford to overlook. In his session, Bridging the AI Skills Gap: Are Your Employees Ready for the Future?, Dave Barnett highlighted the persistent challenges around upskilling and reskilling—pointing out that both employers and employees are unsure of how to best prepare for the impact of AI.
According to DeVry research, 62% of workers want to reskill, yet only 36% say their employers have fully explained how to use AI tools in the workplace. This highlights a clear gap between AI adoption and employees’ ability to use it effectively. As Barnett put it, “High rates of adoption, low training; high desire to learn, low engagement with learning.”
Leaders now face an urgent business imperative: to invest in skills development programs that prepare employees for the age of AI and drive long-term business success.
“We sit at a moment in time where we can radically change the way work is done in our organizations. We sit at the precipice of a transformative moment. We have to reskill, we have to upskill, and we have to create a culture that embraces change and demands it.” - Dave Barnett.
2. Bridge the Generational Gap for a More Unified, Future-Ready Workforce
Today’s workforce spans four generations—Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z—each bringing its own values, communication styles, and workplace expectations. Baby Boomers are redefining retirement. Gen X is stepping into leadership positions. And Millennials and Gen Z are redefining the future of work altogether.
For businesses, merging these diverse generations isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a competitive advantage. Multigenerational teams bring a rich mix of perspectives and backgrounds, which drives innovation. In fact, diverse teams are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors. However, inspiring and engaging a multigenerational workforce can be a challenge. It requires:
Cultivating a culture of mutual respect
Adapting communication channels to match generational preferences
Designing learning journeys that resonate across all life stages
But embracing generational diversity isn’t just about managing differences—it’s about leveraging them. Younger generations, for example, are drawn to organizations that align with their values. In her session, Attracting Top Talent Through Purpose-Driven Corporate Giving, Abby McKiernan emphasized how competitive compensation is no longer enough. Today’s young employees want to work for companies with purpose—ones that make a positive impact and embody their values every day. Therefore, authentic, purpose-driven missions can enhance talent selection by fostering a culture that attracts high-quality candidates.
Organizations should foster intergenerational collaboration, manage communication preferences, and bridge value-based differences to create a culture of respect that empowers employees of all ages.
3. Reimagine Talent Acquisition and Retention with EQ
One key takeaway from this year's conference is that recruitment no longer stops at hiring. Today, successful recruitment is the result of a strong internal culture—one that prioritizes positive employee experience and career development opportunities. From Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that support talent across every stage of the employee lifecycle to strategic coaching and feedback loops, the hiring journey now extends far beyond the offer letter.
Today, emotional intelligence (EQ) has become an overlooked but vital driver of successful talent acquisition and retention. In his session, The Critical Importance of Emotional Intelligence in the Age of AI, leadership expert David Cory emphasized that attracting top talent isn’t just about procedures—it’s about how people feel.
In a time where potential candidates can easily access sites like Glassdoor to find reviews of workplace culture, empathetic leadership has become a powerful tool. Leading with emotional intelligence, encouraging meaningful feedback, and creating a workplace that genuinely supports employee well-being is not only good for people—it’s a competitive advantage in retaining and attracting top talent.
“People don’t leave bad companies; they leave bad managers. What if, instead of spending all kinds of time and money on attracting, recruiting, screening, and onboarding, organizations trained their managers to treat people well—so they actually stay?” - David Cory
4. Embrace Non-Traditional Workplace Culture: Build Inclusive, Human-Centered Environments for Growth
Workplace culture was once treated as an afterthought. Today, it’s a core strategy. As competition for talent grows, culture has become one of the most potent factors in attracting, engaging, and retaining employees. It shapes not only how people feel about their workplace but how they show up and contribute every day.
However, workplace culture today looks very different from how it did in the past. It’s no longer defined by office perks or surface-level, “water-cooler conversations”. Instead, it touches every part of the employee experience—from career development and inclusivity to empathetic leadership and meaningful connection. Traditional career ladders are being replaced with flexible, personalized career journeys that require continuous learning, mentorship, and internal mobility. It’s up to leaders to create environments where employees feel supported in forging their own paths.
Beyond career growth, culture is and always will be about connection. When employees feel disconnected or excluded, engagement drops, and the risk of turnover rises. As keynote speaker Rob Lawless noted, exclusion in the workplace can lead to a 25% drop in productivity and a 50% increase in the likelihood of turnover. The takeaway? Transparency across all levels of the power structure is essential to a healthy and well-liked workplace culture.
Ultimately, culture doesn’t happen by chance—it’s built by design. And in 2025, the most successful organizations will be those that design cultures intentionally: inclusive, adaptive, human-centered environments where people can grow on their own terms.
In Summary
The workplace is evolving—and so must the strategies that shape it. The key takeaways from SHRM Talent 2025 make it clear: the future of work belongs to organizations that invest in skills development, bridge generational gaps, lead with emotional intelligence, and build inclusive, human-centric cultures. By putting people at the center of your talent strategy, you can create a workforce that is not only prepared for what’s next but empowered to succeed in it.