"Even if you're not changing jobs, your job is changing on you." This striking insight from Jyoti Dadlani, Regional Head – LinkedIn India, set the tone for a thought-provoking session titled “Global Talent Playbook: Strategies for a New World of Work” at the People Matters SurgeHR Pune conference. Addressing a packed room of HR and business leaders, Dadlani laid out the blueprint for navigating the workplace transformation fuelled by generative AI, rapid skilling shifts, and evolving employee expectations. Her message was clear: business success today depends on how well we prepare for a world where skills, not titles or degrees, define the workforce.

From industry to intelligence: Entering talent 4.0

Dadlani contextualised the present by taking the audience through a journey of work’s evolution. What began as Work 1.0 during the Industrial Revolution—defined by steam engines, progress, and mechanisation—has rapidly moved through phases of software-led disruption (Work 2.0), the rise of social and digital platforms (Work 3.0), and now lands in Work 4.0, marked by the ascent of generative AI.

“We are already in the middle of Talent 4.0,” she noted. “This new era is defined not just by automation, but by augmentation—how humans and machines work together.”

Her perspective isn’t theoretical—it’s data-driven. LinkedIn’s real-time insights show that 64% of the skills needed in most jobs will change by 2030, and 50% of the jobs featured on LinkedIn’s ‘Jobs on the Rise’ list didn’t exist 25 years ago.

What matters now: Human skills in a world of machines

Amid this AI-led transformation, Dadlani stressed one key truth: it’s not just about technology—it’s about people. The more tasks AI automates, the more valuable human-centric skills become.

“Jobs today are largely defined by titles. But in the AI-driven world, roles will be redefined by skills and tasks,” she said. “And while AI can automate tasks, it cannot replicate creativity, collaboration, or communication.”

Soft skills, often underemphasised in traditional hiring models, are now essential. LinkedIn’s data shows that three out of the top five in-demand skills are soft skills, including creativity, strategic thinking, and problem-solving. Moreover, 72% of global executives agree that soft skills will become more important than hard skills in the near future.

“Communication isn't just for HR or sales anymore. It’s a must-have across IT, consulting, finance—any function that collaborates, solves problems, and delivers business impact.”

The new talent playbook: Three pillars for leadership

So what does this transformation demand of today’s talent leaders? According to Dadlani, it requires a complete rethink of traditional playbooks. She proposed a three-pronged strategy: skills-based, people-centric, and learning-led.

1. Skills-based thinking: The currency of the future

“Skills are the new currency of work,” she emphasised. Hiring based on degrees and past titles is no longer enough—organisations must focus on what talent can do, and how quickly they can adapt.

The shift is already happening. In India, 75% of talent professionals say hiring based on skills is a priority. LinkedIn has seen a 40% increase in skills-first hiring over the past year. For companies adopting this model, the results are dramatic:

• A 12x expansion in the talent pool on average
• 20x expansion in manufacturing roles
• 15x expansion in financial services roles

This isn’t just a sourcing strategy—it’s a future-proofing measure. “When you hire for skills, you build a more agile workforce—ready to pivot as jobs evolve,” she added.

2. People-centric design: Leading with empathy and insight

In a workplace now populated by five different generations, personalisation and purpose are key. Leaders must acknowledge that different cohorts bring different learning styles, motivations, and expectations to work.

“One size fits all won’t work anymore. Your strategy to attract, engage, and retain talent must be tailored—especially if you want to connect with Gen Z.”

Gen Z, for instance, values learning opportunities and growth over stability or hierarchy. They are also more socially aware and tech-savvy, making it critical for employer branding to reflect not just business success, but impact, culture, and inclusion.

And their job-seeking behaviour is nuanced. “On average, candidates interact with 20 digital touchpoints before applying,” Dadlani shared. “You’re not just attracting talent when you post a job—you’re influencing them every day through brand presence.”

3. Learning-led culture: Employers as educators

Gone are the days when learning stopped after college. Today, businesses must become centres of ongoing education, developing internal talent with the same urgency as external hiring.

“Careers aren’t linear anymore. If you’re hiring for roles that didn’t exist a few years ago, you must constantly upskill your people,” she urged.

LinkedIn data backs this up: employees who are AI-literate are 20x more likely to build broader soft skills and 5x more likely to get promoted. Dadlani introduced LinkedIn’s AI Upskilling Framework, designed with five levels—from foundational skills every employee should have, to specialised tracks for AI engineers and ML ops teams.

“We often focus on upskilling just our tech teams. But AI literacy should be universal. Everyone in the organisation needs a baseline understanding to unlock productivity and innovation.”

LinkedIn’s advantage: Real-time talent intelligence

To support this shift, LinkedIn offers an unparalleled data engine—the LinkedIn Economic Graph—which maps 1.1 billion members, 68 million companies, 15 million jobs, and 41,000 normalised skills.

“This graph updates 5 million times per minute,” said Dadlani. “That’s what allows us to see trends early—before they go mainstream.”

“As Dadlani explained, ‘This graph updates 5 million times per minute—that’s what allows us to see trends early, before they go mainstream’—and in that same minute LinkedIn records 13,000 new connections, 9,000 job applications, 1.5 million feed updates consumed, and 47 hires.”

This data-driven edge empowers HR and talent leaders with insights to make predictive, not just reactive, decisions.

Leading through change: From strategy to legacy

As the workplace stands at a crossroads—where AI meets agility, and automation meets authenticity—leaders have a choice to make. Do they react to change, or shape it?

Jyoti Dadlani’s session was more than a masterclass in workforce transformation—it was a call to action. A reminder that the most valuable resource in the age of machines is still human potential. “The future of work is not just about AI—it’s about unlocking the power of people,” she emphasised.

“The leaders who will thrive are those who invest in continuous learning, lead with empathy, and see skills as a dynamic currency, not a fixed asset.”

In an era defined by complexity, uncertainty, and exponential change, talent leaders are not just shaping careers—they are shaping the future of business. The most successful organisations will be those where learning is constant, employer brands are human, and strategy is built on foresight—not fear.

Because in this new world of work, how we work will change. What we work on will evolve. But why we work—and the leaders who inspire that purpose—will define the legacy we leave behind.

Now is the time to rewrite the rulebook.