Increasing acceptance of competency-based talent strategies
According to Workday, the AI platform for managing personnel, finances and agents, managers in Austria and Switzerland are increasingly relying on skills-based workforce strategies. Companies want to counter the shortage of skilled workers and prepare for a rapidly changing world of work. More than half of managers in the DACH region (54 %) see the future skills shortage as a major risk - as the "Global State of Skills" study shows and makes clear: traditional approaches to talent management are no longer sufficient.
In Switzerland, 90 % of managers put digital skills - such as software and AI knowledge - at the top of the agenda. 89 % also place great importance on operational skills, such as project management and planning. Austria plays a pioneering role within the DACH region when it comes to skills-based recruitment strategies: 89 % of Austrian managers state that they feel comfortable hiring on the basis of validated skills profiles - in Switzerland the figure is 77 %, in Germany 81 %.
The role of artificial intelligence
The Workday study also underlines the crucial role of artificial intelligence (AI) in closing skills gaps. In Switzerland, 60 % of managers already report that they use AI to promote upskilling, while 47 % use AI to open up new career opportunities. Austrian managers, on the other hand, see the greatest added value of AI in increasing productivity through the automation of routine activities (59 %) as well as in personalized learning and individual development (52 %).
"The shift towards competency-based models is picking up speed across the region," said Gregory Strasser, Regional Director Alps at Workday, at a press conference in Zurich. "What we are seeing in Switzerland and Austria is an increasing maturity in workforce strategies. Organizations are not only investing in digital skills, but also in key human skills such as creativity and critical thinking."
From insight to action: Companies in Switzerland and Austria lead the way
While talent challenges often take center stage globally, companies in Austria and Switzerland are increasingly taking proactive measures. The report shows that Swiss companies are investing strategically in talent development - yet 57 % continue to struggle to effectively link their skills strategies to business objectives.
In Austria, the biggest challenge remains the time required to retrain employees. At the same time, the country's leading role in skills-based recruiting demonstrates a cultural openness to change and innovation.
Source: Workday
