Analyst Perspectives

If you’ve ever held the same job title at two different companies, you know firsthand how misleading job-based approaches to work can be. I’ve had the same title across different organizations, and the roles couldn’t have been more different. The responsibilities, expectations and even the skills required varied so significantly that it made me question why we continue to define work through the lens of static job descriptions.

For years, companies have relied on job architectures to define roles, develop career paths and drive workforce decisions. But this approach is outdated. It boxes people in, creates artificial barriers to internal mobility and limits how businesses tap into their workforce’s full potential. The shift to skills-based talent practices isn’t just coming—it’s long overdue. Technology has made it possible to move beyond rigid job frameworks, yet many organizations are still dragging their feet. The problem isn’t whether we can shift to a skills-based model—it’s whether leaders are willing to embrace a new way of thinking.

That shift is already starting to take shape. Because of this, I assert that by 2026, one-third of enterprises using workforce management systems will be assigning work or shifts by skills required, not just job type, achieving much greater precision in optimizing resource deployments. That means that in just a few years, organizations that still rely solely on job titles to structure their workforce will find themselves at a disadvantage. The companies that embrace a skills-based approach will be more agile, able to match talent to work with greater accuracy and better positioned to navigate disruptions.

Change is hard, especially when it requires dismantling deeply ingrained systems. Moving from a job-based to a skills-based model isn’t just about updating job descriptions—it requires a fundamental reimagining of how work gets done. For companies that have built their entire workforce strategy around jobs, transitioning to skills feels overwhelming. It’s not a small lift to define a comprehensive skills ontology and map it across recruiting, compensation, learning, performance and succession planning. It requires companies to think differently—not just about the work itself, but about how skills can be repackaged, transferred, and developed to create more flexible, future-ready organizations.

And yet, the payoff is undeniable. Organizations that embrace a skills-based approach gain long-term stability and the ability to flex and adjust as business needs evolve. Instead of struggling to fill narrowly defined job openings, they can tap into an existing pool of talent with the right skills—whether that means reskilling, upskilling or simply recognizing that employees have more to offer than their job titles suggest.

Technology isn’t the barrier here—it’s the enabler. HR tech has advanced to the point where we can now connect skills to every aspect of the talent lifecycle. Skills data can inform everything from hiring decisions to workforce planning, performance management, and learning and development. The real problem isn’t that the technology doesn’t exist—it’s that many HR and business leaders don’t fully understand how to harness it. The market is flooded with AI-powered skills intelligence, talent marketplaces and analytics tools, yet many organizations still struggle to get meaningful insights from their data. HR tech providers need to do a better job of educating buyers, and HR leaders need to take ownership of learning how to use these tools effectively.

Without the right understanding, skills data becomes just another set of metrics sitting in a dashboard, failing to drive real change. That’s a missed opportunity, leading me to assert that by 2028, demonstrable, transferrable skills will overtake prior job titles and education as leading qualifiers in the hiring and promotion processes for one-half of enterprises. This shift will fundamentally change how companies assess talent, making it even more critical for organizations to develop the infrastructure to measure, validate, and leverage skills effectively.

I’ve seen firsthand how a skills-based approach opens doors that a job-based model would have kept shut. Throughout my career, my skills have extended far beyond what my job titles have suggested—but getting others to see that hasn’t always been easy. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been passed over because my job history didn’t perfectly match the keywords in a job description. Yet, when I’ve managed to persuade recruiters or hiring managers to have a conversation with me, they’ve been blown away by the breadth of my experience.

And that’s the problem with a job-based approach. It forces people into predefined categories and ignores the fact that skills—real, applicable, valuable skills—are often hidden behind job titles that fail to tell the whole story. The same thing happens inside organizations. Employees are overlooked for opportunities simply because their job descriptions don’t explicitly state that they have the skills needed for a new role. They get stuck, disengaged, and either leave or, worse, disengage and stay—dragging down productivity, innovation and morale.

Of course, shifting to a skills-based approach isn’t easy. I’ve seen organizations try and fail—usually because they were too focused on perfection instead of progress. They spent so much time trying to build the “perfect” skills framework that they never actually put it into practice. The companies that get it right take an iterative approach: start small, identify a core set of critical skills tied to business objectives and build from there. Stay flexible. Be willing to test, refine and adapt the model as you learn what works. Engage employees, ask for input and ensure the framework reflects the reality of work, not just theoretical HR models. No organization will get it perfect the first time—and that’s okay. The key is to start somewhere and adjust as you go.

For organizations hesitant to make the shift, the biggest risk isn’t getting it wrong—it’s doing nothing. The world of work is changing too fast to rely on static job descriptions that don’t reflect real business needs. Companies that fail to evolve will struggle to attract and retain talent. Employees want growth, flexibility and opportunities to use their full range of skills. If organizations can’t provide that, they’ll lose their best people to companies that can.

And this isn’t just an HR issue—it’s a business issue. Skills gaps impact productivity, innovation, and ultimately, the bottom line. Organizations that wait too long to adapt will find themselves falling behind competitors who have already embraced the shift.

If this all feels overwhelming, start small. You don’t need to overhaul your entire workforce strategy overnight. Begin with one simple step: review your current skills inventory. Identify five to ten critical skills that drive success in your business. Assess whether you have the right training and development programs to support those skills.

The key is to do something—to take that first step toward a more agile, skills-focused future. The shift from jobs to skills isn’t just an HR initiative; it’s a necessary evolution in how work gets done. Organizations that embrace it will be more resilient, adaptable, and competitive in the long run. Those that don’t will find themselves stuck in the past, struggling to keep up.

The choice is clear. The only question is, how soon will you take that first step?

Regards,

Matthew Brown