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Back home after intense days at HR Tech Europe. What struck me this year was not the number of new systems and suppliers – but how the conversations have clearly shifted towards prioritisation, responsibility and actual impact. The focus was less on visions and future scenarios and much more on how organisations actually succeed with HR tech in practice.
Just like in my reflections on LinkedIn, many conversations revolved around what it takes to move from ambitions to real value creation.
AI permeated practically all theme areas at HR Tech Europe. The difference compared to last year was clear – the conversations had matured. It was no longer about whether AI should be used, but about how, where and by whom. AI is no longer something that can be managed in individual pilots or test projects – it is fundamentally a management responsibility and places great demands on a well-thought-out system landscape.
This perspective was further reinforced during the days by several speakers. One of the most accurate reflections, as usual, came from Jason Averbook. He reminded us that HR's task is not to teach managers and employees how to use AI tools. The real mission is to create security in the exponential phase of change we are in and to support the business in adjusting and developing with the support of AI.
Jason also emphasised the importance of working with mindset, organisation, skills and data – before, or at least in parallel with, investments in new tools.
Also Josh Bersin struck the same tone in today's first keynote. With high energy and many slides, he returned to the importance of us within HR needing to “re-invent ourselves” – and that this is not something that lies further ahead in time. The change is happening here and now.
AI is no longer something that can be managed in individual pilots or test projects – it is fundamentally a management responsibility.
Another clear insight repeated in several sessions was the shift from solely HCM systems to connected HR ecosystems. HR Tech is increasingly seen less as separate solutions and more as an integrated part of the organisation’s entire digital landscape.
At HR Tech Europe, it became clear that the boundaries between Core HR, Talent, Learning and Analytics are blurring, and that integrations and APIs are now a hygiene factor. HR Tech needs to operate where users work – not the other way around. This poses new demands on HR, IT, Communication, but also on management regarding architecture, ownership, and long-term roadmap.
Here it becomes clear that within HR, we cannot just invest in HR Tech, but must understand how the application should deliver value in the organisation’s strategic ecosystem.
Just like at last autumn’s Unleash in Paris, skills and data was a recurring theme also in Amsterdam, here with an even clearer connection to governance and business decisions. One of the most concrete examples came from Sanofi, who together with Deloitte shared their journey towards a competency-based organisation supported by connected processes and their "Concierge" – Sanofi’s internal Gen AI solution.
Sanofi described how they moved from having competency data scattered across a fragmented system landscape to now, with digital support, being able to map historical competencies, current status, and not least plan for future competency needs. It was a clear example of how process development and system investments in talent management need to align with how competencies, like other HR Master Data, must flow through processes and system support.
The connection to workforce planning was also highlighted in several presentations. David Edwards described engagingly how Strategic Workforce Planning is not about traditional financial planning, but about timely capturing opportunities to transform and adapt the organisation to new conditions. Here HR becomes an active player in the organisation’s strategic decision-making, not just a support.
Another strong example of how HR Tech can create tangible business value was shared by Byron Clayton from Pandora. He explained how their AI agent Olivia, built on the Paradox application, has helped to remove much recruitment administration, shorten time to hire, reduce turnover, and even contribute to increased sales.
At the same time, a more self-critical perspective also emerged. Mercer shared insights from their Global Talent Trends showing a clear discrepancy between what CEOs and boards expect from HR and what HR actually prioritises. Expectations largely concern HR taking greater responsibility for redesigning organisations for the future – something not always reflected in HR agendas today. The message was clear: HR needs to adjust its focus, and the time to do so is short.
Stacey Harris from Sapient Insight Group also returned to the same message – an organisation’s biggest obstacles are rarely technology. The challenge lies instead in change management, competence, mandate and the ability to make clear priorities.
HR Tech Europe in Amsterdam clearly showed that the next phase in HR Tech and Digital HR is not about more tools, but wiser choices and collaboration. For HR, this means increased responsibility – but also an opportunity to take an even more strategic role in the organisation’s continuous development
