The New Talent Code

One of the world’s largest banks is rewriting its playbook for talent. A decentralized model was slowing down decision-making, so HSBC brought talent acquisition and management together under one strategy. The shift is giving leaders a clearer view of skills across the enterprise, improving succession planning, and connecting employees to growth opportunities. Noel Brown, Global Head of Enterprise Talent at HSBC, joins The New Talent Code to share how HSBC is using data not just to report, but to take action by surfacing hidden skills, mapping talent to business priorities, and piloting programs that create new career pathways. In this episode you’ll also hear how: - Data becomes powerful when translated into action, not just dashboards. - Change management works best when employees and managers see immediate personal value. - Emerging talent brings fresh skills and perspectives critical for adapting to AI-driven change.

Mark Condon, founder of QuantumWork Advisory (QWA), joins us on this episode of The New Talent Code to explore how HR can evolve in the age of AI. We discuss why agility — not skills — should be the starting point for workforce transformation. AI agents are moving the conversation from the theoretical to the tangible applications of what HR can achieve with this growing technology. Condon also shares QWA’s “5B model” (build, buy, borrow, bot, bundle) as a framework for shaping the workforce of the future. He highlights the critical need for HR leaders to step into a more strategic role — one that impacts every employee, not just the HR function. Additional takeaways: - Why HR should lead the charge on AI governance and partner with IT to manage emerging risks. - The role of work design — breaking down tasks and redesigning roles — in making organizations more agile. - How storytelling and transparency help overcome leadership hesitation and employee fears around AI. - Why ROI from AI and workforce transformation can be far greater than cost savings alone, creating lasting value for both businesses and employees.

In this special episode of The New Talent Code, we take you inside Cultivate ’25, our annual talent summit where HR and industry thought leaders share research and advice about how we can all shape the future of work with AI. From the debut of our fully autonomous AI interviewer to lessons on human-AI collaboration, decentralized leadership, and the business case for ongoing AI calibration—these were the moments that made us rethink what’s possible. In this episode, we highlight: How agentic AI is moving beyond chatbots to become a decision-making partner. Why Bayer and Arcadis rebuilt job architecture to enable dynamic, skills-based teams. What Deloitte and Fortive learned about refining AI for faster, better hires. You can find the full sessions from Cultivate ‘25 available on demand: https://eightfold.ai/cultivate.

We’re closing out the second season of The New Talent Code with a look back at some of our favorite moments. From making talent decisions using a skills-based approach to best practices for deploying new technologies and methods, this season was packed full of real-world advice from thought leaders, analysts, and organizations leading the way in adopting AI. In this episode, we’re highlighting: - The importance of embracing change with enthusiasm. - Specific use cases for talent intelligence that organizations are using to succeed. - And why HR is in a key role to facilitate the adoption of AI enterprise-wide.

HR needs AI-ready talent, with half of HR leaders now prioritizing the technology — nearly double what it was just three years ago. Lead the change in becoming a high-functioning, cohesive HR team that aligns talent strategies to your overall business goals for the good of all. Forrester Principal Analyst Betsy Summers joins The New Talent Code to share how you can achieve this AI-ready status. She also shares the latest in Forrester research and why HR has a critical role in every business success story right now. In this episode, you’ll also learn: - Why taking a skills-based approach to talent planning matters. - How to embrace AI in the HR tech stack. - And how HR can be the leading player in driving change.

Craig Leen, former Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and now a Partner at K&L Gates, joins The New Talent Code podcast to talk about AI and regulations in HR. Leen says that if we want to ensure long-term stability, responsible and ethical use of AI, we will eventually need federal guidance. While HR leaders wait for federal laws, several cities and states, including Colorado, California, and New York City, have already taken proactive steps to enact laws governing AI. Listen to our episode with Leen to hear more about: - Why federal regulations could be critical to the successful deployment of AI in HR. - The questions you should be asking AI vendors. - And how governance could change responsibility roles with employers and AI vendors.

Earlier this year, Deloitte released its 2024 Global Human Capital Trends report focusing on the boundaryless world of work. For HR leaders looking for an edge in workforce planning to support this new boundaryless world of work, AI is key. Deloitte’s Christoph Gerhold, Partner and Offering Lead of Workforce and Organizational Transformation, joins The New Talent Code to dig into his insights from the report. He also offers a look ahead to the trends HR professionals should watch in the coming year. Gerhold also talks about: -What it will take to stay current with changing AI regulations. -How employees ready to explore AI can get started with daily work use cases. -And why human sustainability and microcultures are important trends to watch over the next year.

The HR industry is rushing to implement AI tools to streamline processes and create better employee and candidate experiences — but is this the right approach? HR industry journalist Mark Feffer joins us on this week’s episode of The New Talent Code to share his perspective on what HR leaders and practitioners should consider when adopting AI in the workplace. In the conversation, he covers: - Why employees are right to be skeptical about this emerging technology. - Where regulations are needed most. - What workers need to do to become good students of AI.

MM Group was faced with a challenge: onboard 3,500 new colleagues across more than 20 sites and 11 countries. Their HR team had just decided to adopt AI and knew this was the perfect use case. They got to work and successfully implemented talent intelligence on a global scale. Eva Edelmueller, the Head of Group Talent Attraction and Talent Management with MM Group, joins us on the latest episode of The New Talent Code to talk about how starting with their minimum needs and building as they went was their recipe for success. Eva also shares valuable insights on: - How her team handles policies around their use of AI and practical advice on disclosures to candidates. - What it took to gain managerial buy-in and successfully onboard them into the new system. - And how MM Group cut hiring by 20 days and started finding more women for their roles.

Where do you begin as a biotech startup that needs to hire for highly technical roles at the height of a human health crisis? With talent intelligence, of course. Just four years ago, Moderna functioned as a start-up, and now they’re a household name that has rapidly grown their staff. Using AI to hire faster and smarter helped them get there. Amanda Sorrento, Senior Vice President, People Platform and Organizational Architecture at Moderna, joins us on the latest episode of The New Talent Code to talk about the organization’s impressive growth, how they managed it, and where they’re headed next. You’ll also learn more about: -How using talent intelligence gave Moderna a competitive edge at the perfect moment. -What you need to do if you’re unsure of how AI can work for your organization. -And how Moderna is defining — and redefining — success with AI.

Bristol Myers Squibb launched its MyGrowth platform to much excitement from employees and leaders alike. Both audiences were looking for major change. Employees wanted training opportunities, insights in new roles, and better career paths. Leaders were looking to hire better candidates faster to address business needs. The BMS HR team arrived at the solution: talent intelligence. Melissa Keiser, Executive Director, Global Skills and Career Development Strategy at BMS, shares how her organization implemented and launched their platform in this episode of The New Talent Code. Listen to learn more about: -Why considering the employee experience is critical to launching a talent intelligence platform they’ll actually use. -Where to start to build out your own talent intelligence program. -The key role you need to gain buy-in from for a successful launch — and it isn’t just leadership.

Puerto Rico had a challenge to solve: two-thirds of its workforce didn’t have the skills they needed for the jobs they held. What started as a highly manual process to reskill employees and hire the right talent turned into a wildly successful adoption of talent intelligence. Arnaldo Cruz, Deputy Executive Director of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico, joins hosts Ligia Zamora and Jason Cerrato on The New Talent Code to share everything he has learned so far on the country’s talent intelligence journey. Listen to learn more about: - How Puerto Rico discovered talent intelligence as the solution to hiring challenges. - The benefits of using talent intelligence to scale talent acquisition and talent management functions. - Why smart and simple change management is key to successful adoption.

Prioritizing employee experience and growth is key when launching talent intelligence. Few are doing this better than Amdocs with their recently launched Harmony program. Victoria Myers, Global Head of Talent Attraction, joins The New Talent Code to encourage others to embrace an AI-driven talent strategy and to offer advice for getting started on your own internal mobility journey. Listen to learn more about: -How to transform talent acquisition and attraction to find better candidates and improve the employee experience. -Why a talent-centered approach is crucial to succeeding in talent intelligence and how to get C-suite buy-in. -How to define success and next steps after launching talent intelligence.

Curiosity is key when it comes to learning about the benefits of talent intelligence, according to Hudson Global CEO Darren Lancaster. As the leader of an organization focused on offering talent solutions, Lancaster is no stranger to spotting trends and adopting new technologies. With use of AI in the HR space on the rise, he’s already seeing how companies, including his own, are seeing success. Lancaster joins hosts Ligia Zamora and Jason Cerrato for a conversation about recruiting, AI, and the future of work. Listen to learn more about: - Why the skills shortage continues to put pressure on organizations to find talent, and how leaders can prioritize candidates with high levels of learnability in response. - The impact of GenAI on workforces — why it doesn’t eliminate jobs but creates opportunities. - How recruiters can set the bar for their organizations when it comes to skills-based hiring.

Treating current and potential employees like customers may seem like a novel idea, but for Sophie Clifford, Vodafone’s Global Head of Talent Acquisition, it’s a concept that’s right at home with her organization’s goals. Join us this week for our episode featuring Clifford, who has a holistic perspective to attracting and retaining the right talent. She joins hosts Ligia Zamora and Jason Cerrato for an insightful conversation about how Vodafone, with nearly 100,000 employees in 25 global markets, completely overhauled its HR processes and recruitment strategies with talent intelligence. Clifford shares the critical lessons she learned along the way, including the need for collaboration, how to make skills a universal language, and the unavoidable but invaluable investment of time. Listen to learn more about: - Why AI-powered automation is the new recruiting standard, with internal education and collaboration being key to adoption. - How real-time skills intelligence creates a common language among different HR functions, enabling a cohesive, end-to-end talent strategy. - Why collaboration — and giving your employees a voice — is essential to implementation.

As an expert in the human capital market, Madeline Laurano’s latest research dives deep into the world of talent intelligence. Her paper, Demystifying Talent Intelligence, explains what talent intelligence is — and isn’t — and the ways it can impact an organization’s performance. Laurano is a strong advocate for using AI to transform workforces — especially when it comes to driving change through a skills-based approach. In this episode of The New Talent Code, Laurano joined hosts Ligia Zamora and Jason Cerrato to discuss: - The definition of real talent intelligence — and how to tell the difference. - What HR transformation entails, including changing mindsets and measuring outcomes. - How to fix the disconnect between talent intelligence for the HR function and how it can serve the entire organization. - Where organizations are getting stuck in the adoption process and how to address these challenges with a holistic approach.

An industry leader and American icon in equipment engineering and manufacturing, John Deere is also setting the pace when it comes to talent management. Deere is putting its 75,000 employees in the driver’s seat of their careers. Head of Talent Management Julianne Brown-Meola is helping lead the way as a true advocate for building talent plans around skills. In this episode of The New Talent Code, Brown-Meola joined hosts Ligia Zamora and Jason Cerrato to discuss her role, and Deere’s talent management strategies for finding and developing the technical “no-regret” skills they will need for the future. In this episode, you’ll hear about: - Why “all roads lead to skills” at John Deere. - How talent leaders are creating an environment where every employee feels there is opportunity to develop their skills. - How they practice what they preach: Collaboration and collusion across leaders and departments is key to creating a talent strategy that supports the business.

What will your role in HR look like in this new world of AI — and how can you successfully guide your employees and your organization through the transformation? Jason Averbook, Senior Partner and Global Leader of HR transformation at Mercer, joined hosts Ligia Zamora and Jason Cerrato to answer these questions on The New Talent Code. Averbook is a recognized authority on HR, the future of work, and the role of technology in shaping the workforce of tomorrow, and is the author of two books: HR from now to next: Reimagining the workplace of tomorrow and The ultimate guide to a digital workforce experience: Leap for a purpose. In this episode (2 of 2), you’ll hear about: - The key differences between implementation and deployment of new technologies — and why understanding the difference matters. - Why you need to use data to inform all your decisions. - How to think about GenAI’s potential impact on your business.

What will your role in HR look like in this new world of AI — and how can you successfully guide your employees and your organization through the transformation? Jason Averbook, Senior Partner and Global Leader of HR transformation at Mercer, joined hosts Ligia Zamora and Jason Cerrato to answer these questions on The New Talent Code. Averbook is a recognized authority on HR, the future of work, and the role of technology in shaping the workforce of tomorrow, and is the author of two books: HR from now to next: Reimagining the workplace of tomorrow and The ultimate guide to a digital workforce experience: Leap for a purpose. In this episode (1 of 2), you’ll hear about: - How the role of HR has changed drastically to support the intelligence economy. - Why transformation is essential — you must unlearn to stay relevant. - Why you must set benchmarks and measures of success that align to your overall business goals.

The New Talent Code is back — and features some of the best conversations we’ve had around HR transformation to date. Join us as Eightfold’s Ligia Zamora and Jason Cerrato talk with today’s top HR thought leaders and practitioners to discuss what’s shaping the space today and the best ways to transform your workforce to be ready for anything. From how GenAI will impact the space, to navigating AI regulations, to building an organization based on talent and skills, we hope you’ll listen in on our customers’ HR journeys and experts’ advice about how to best deploy AI in the HR space. It’s all here in The New Talent Code.