The World Economic Forum’s article “Chief People Officers Outlook 2025: Talent strategy amid global disruption” by Isabelle Leliaert captures a striking dual reality for people leaders. It describes how many chief people officers are treading carefully in the present while preparing their organizations for a period of bold redesign. In clear terms, the piece argues that caution defines today’s tactics, yet transformation is the mandate that will determine resilience tomorrow.
Set against a backdrop of geo-economic volatility, rapid advances in artificial intelligence and demographic shifts, the article explains why many employers are delaying hiring and restructuring decisions. Labour markets show signs of a freeze in several regions, and even the outlook among senior HR leaders lacks a single consensus. The message is not that change has stalled but that leaders are using this moment to reassess job design, capability building and workforce planning before they accelerate again.
The heart of the analysis is a set of pressures reshaping talent priorities. AI adoption sits at the top, not only as an engine for productivity but also as a near-term risk if workers cannot adapt fast enough. Leaders worry about skill atrophy if tools are used without intent and about the ethical and privacy implications that come with widespread deployment. The piece emphasizes the need for human-centred AI strategies that lift performance and opportunity without creating new fault lines across the workforce.
Talent scarcity remains unevenly distributed across regions and roles, which pushes organizations to think globally about supply, mobility and collaboration. The article notes how distributed teams and flexible work models can widen access to skills, while also acknowledging the social undercurrents shaping expectations, from purpose and flexibility to rising concerns about mental health and value polarization. Technology influences those dynamics, changing how employees connect with their organizations and what they are prepared to accept from work.
From this landscape the article distils three strategic imperatives for the year ahead. First, review organizational structures and the design of roles to align work with emerging business needs. Second, place culture and a clearly articulated purpose at the centre of the employee experience. Third, support the deployment of AI and process automation in ways that are intentional, responsible and anchored in workforce development. These priorities are echoed in the Forum’s companion publication, which draws on insights from more than 130 global people leaders and frames a path toward resilient, inclusive and tech-enabled workforces.
For internal audit and corporate governance, the implications are immediate. Boards and audit functions should expect people leaders to rebalance near-term risk controls with longer-horizon investments in structure, skills and culture, and they should calibrate assurance and oversight accordingly. As Leliaert concludes, accurate data, aligned strategies and responsible leadership will separate organizations that merely adapt from those that truly redesign. This blog reflects on the key points of Isabelle Leliaert’s “Chief People Officers Outlook 2025: Talent strategy amid global disruption,” published on 1 September 2025, and the original article can be accessed here.