Nearly a third of UK employers do not yet have a clear picture of the skills their organisation will need over the next two to three years, raising concerns about how prepared businesses are for rapid changes driven by automation and artificial intelligence, new research suggests.
The data shows that while workforce planning is rising up the corporate agenda, many organisations are still operating without a clear understanding of future capability gaps or how roles are likely to evolve.
At the same time, employees are signalling a strong appetite to develop new skills, suggesting a growing mismatch between workforce ambition and organisational planning.
Skills uncertainty persists despite planning focus
Research from HR solutions firm SD Worx found that 59.7 percent of UK organisations now view workforce planning as a high or critical priority in 2026, driven by the need to ensure sufficient staffing and improve operational efficiency.
But 30.8 percent of employers admitted they do not yet have a clear view of the skills they will need in the near future, even as automation and AI continue to reshape job requirements.
Bruce Fecheyr-Lippens, chief people officer at SD Worx, warned that the gap presents a growing risk for organisations. “If nearly a third of employers don’t yet have a clear picture of the skills they’ll need in the next two to three years, that’s a serious risk, especially as automation and AI continue to reshape roles,” he said.
He added that the focus must shift towards identifying existing capabilities and anticipating change. “The priority now is skills visibility: understanding what capabilities you already have, where the gaps are emerging and how work is likely to change.”
Move towards skills-based planning gathers pace
Organisations are increasingly moving away from traditional role-based workforce planning towards a more skills-led approach.
More than half of UK employers said their planning is now based on a mix of job roles and skills, while a further 24.9 percent said it is primarily skills-based. Only a small minority continue to rely mainly on job titles or headcount alone.
Automation and AI are also shaping planning decisions, with 30.4 percent of organisations citing technological change as a key driver, above the European average.
Despite this, gaps remain in how organisations identify and deploy talent internally. The research reveals a disconnect between employee ambition and available opportunities within organisations.
More than six in ten employees said they were eager to learn and grow at work, but fewer than half believed they had clear opportunities to progress or move internally. A similar proportion said their organisation made it easy to explore roles or projects aligned with their skills.
At the same time, nearly a quarter of employees felt their talents were not being fully used in their current role. The gaps suggest that while organisations are focusing more on planning at a strategic level, execution at the employee level remains inconsistent.
Technology adoption rises but human input still valued
Many organisations are investing in technology to support workforce planning, with more than two-thirds of respondents saying managers now have access to the data and tools needed to plan staffing capacity effectively.
Artificial intelligence is expected to play an increasing role, but most employers still see value in combining technology with human judgement.
While a quarter of employers said workforce planning could be fully automated, a larger proportion favoured a blended approach that integrates data-driven insights with managerial oversight.
The findings suggest that although workforce planning is now firmly on the agenda, many organisations are still in the early stages of building the visibility and systems needed to align skills with future demand.
William Furney is a Managing Editor at Black and White Trading Ltd based in Kingston upon Hull, UK. He is a prolific author and contributor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional, with over 127 published posts covering HR, employee engagement, and workplace wellbeing topics. His writing focuses on contemporary employment issues including pension schemes, employee health, financial struggles affecting workers, and broader workplace trends.
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
