Businesses will face growing pressure to retrain employees, redesign entry-level jobs and prepare managers for AI-driven change in 2027, according to Korn Ferry’s 13th annual talent trends report.
The report predicts that employers will increasingly prioritize workers’ skills over their current job titles as business needs change. It outlines seven trends affecting hiring, career development, management and workforce planning.
1. Employers Will Prioritize Upskilling as Skills Gaps Grow
As job requirements change, employees may need new capabilities without changing roles. Korn Ferry expects companies to increase investment in upskilling and reskilling to prepare workers for future responsibilities.
Employee interest in learning could support that effort. In Korn Ferry’s 2026 workforce survey, 65% of workers said they would stay in their jobs if they offered learning and development opportunities.
2. Adaptability Will Become a Top Workplace Skill
Adaptability will be the most sought-after skill in 2027, alongside capabilities such as critical thinking and collaboration.
Workers will need to respond to changing priorities, make decisions with incomplete information and learn new ways of working. The report also points to the role of managers in creating environments where employees can ask questions and work through change together.
3. Companies Will Redesign Entry-Level Jobs Around AI
Rather than broadly cutting junior positions, a majority of businesses plan to maintain or increase entry-level headcount, according to the report.
AI is expected to take over repetitive tasks that have traditionally formed part of early-career jobs, including data entry and report preparation. New employees could then spend more time evaluating AI-generated work, interacting with clients and taking on responsibilities earlier in their careers.
4. Career Paths Will Move Beyond the Corporate Ladder
Workers are expected to pursue lateral moves and opportunities to develop new skills rather than focus exclusively on promotions.
That could complicate succession planning as employees build experience across different teams and functions. Korn Ferry says employers will need to account for these less linear career paths when preparing workers for future roles.
5. Managers Will Take on More Responsibility for AI Change
Managers will increasingly be responsible for helping employees understand and respond to organizational changes driven by AI.
Only 6% of respondents believe their senior leaders are fully prepared to guide their organizations through AI-driven transformation, according to the report. That leaves managers to translate changing strategies into practical direction for teams, even when plans remain uncertain.
6. Skilled Trades Could Gain an Advantage Over Knowledge Work
Demand for electricians, technicians, machine operators and welders is expected to intensify as infrastructure and energy projects expand.
Korn Ferry attributes the anticipated shortage partly to declining interest in traditional hands-on career paths and smaller apprenticeship pipelines. Meanwhile, knowledge workers could face fewer opportunities as AI takes on more tasks associated with their jobs.
Governments are planning investments in apprenticeships and technical training, but rebuilding those pipelines will take time, the report says.
7. HR Teams Will Bring Hiring, Learning and Workforce Planning Together
Korn Ferry expects talent functions that traditionally operate separately to work more closely together in 2027.
Hiring, employee development and workforce planning will increasingly be treated as connected responsibilities, helping companies align the skills they recruit with the capabilities they develop internally.
The report also anticipates new senior roles focused on skills, work design and the relationship between humans and AI.
