Companies Overlook Existing Employees For AI Skills Training
Despite confidence in internal talent, organizations hire externally for AI roles, according to ZDNET AI. This approach may be costly and inefficient.
Original reporting · zdnet.com
Original: “HR thinks you can learn AI skills – so why is your company hiring elsewhere?”
Read “HR thinks you can learn AI skills – so why is your company hiring elsewhere?” at ZDNET AI →
How this was written. GMS Agency Desk wrote this article with a language model from ZDNET AI’s reporting (model: @cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast); it describes that reporting rather than adding to it. The original, linked above, is the full story.
Key points from ZDNET AI’s report
- Most HR leaders and people managers believe their current employees can be trained for AI-related roles.
- Despite this confidence, many companies are hiring externally for AI positions.
- The cost of external hiring can be significant, and it may be less efficient than filling roles internally.
- Limited visibility into individual skill sets is a challenge for companies trying to identify employees for AI reskilling.
- The approach to AI hiring and reskilling varies by industry.
A recent study found that a significant majority of HR leaders and people managers believe their current employees can be trained to fill jobs created by artificial intelligence. However, many companies are choosing to hire externally instead, ZDNET AI reported.
The research, conducted by Careerminds in partnership with Censuswide, surveyed hundreds of US HR professionals and people managers. It revealed a disconnect between the confidence in internal talent and the actual hiring practices of organizations.
According to the study, nearly 70% of workers are already using AI regularly, but many are not given the opportunity to develop their skills further. This lack of investment in existing employees may be a missed opportunity for companies.
The study's findings suggest that companies may be overlooking one of their most valuable resources: their current employees. By hiring externally, organizations may be incurring unnecessary costs and missing out on the potential of their existing workforce.
One of the challenges companies face in identifying employees for AI reskilling is limited visibility into individual skill sets. This lack of visibility makes it difficult for organizations to determine which employees should be reskilled and how to make those transitions possible.
The cost of external hiring can be significant, with some research suggesting it can be three to five times more expensive than filling comparable roles internally. Additionally, external hiring can take up to 20 days longer, making it a less efficient option.
The study's results vary by industry, with some sectors, such as media and entertainment, reporting a higher rate of redeployment than external hiring. However, in other industries, such as technology and telecom, external hiring is more common.
Questions and answers
Why are companies hiring externally for AI roles?
Companies may be hiring externally due to limited visibility into individual skill sets and a lack of investment in existing employees.
What are the costs of external hiring?
External hiring can be three to five times more expensive than filling comparable roles internally and can take up to 20 days longer.
How does the approach to AI hiring and reskilling vary by industry?
The study found significant differences in how industries are responding to AI-related workforce needs, with some sectors reporting a higher rate of redeployment than external hiring.
