Canadian employers focused on skills-based hiring, data-driven decision for AI-powered, high-growth future
As 2026 starts to roll out, HR leaders are diving deep into talent planning, with many shifting toward skills-based hiring and data-driven workforce decisions to keep pace with major changes in tech, along with rolling out long-range people strategies.
Instead of asking “What’s your career path?” it’s about asking, “What skills do you have, and where can you add value?” says Cailey Brown, head of HR at Skip, who spoke with Canadian HR Reporter along with two other HR leaders about plans for the new year.
“I genuinely believe I wouldn't have the role I have today if it weren't for Skip hiring with a skills-based focus, really looking at my skills and experience versus my job titles of the past.”
Mapping skills to roles
She says her organization is leveraging tools to map and validate skills, combining self-assessment with data pulled from HR systems.
“It is quite detailed in terms of identifying those skills, and then ‘What are the skills that we attach to the different roles?’”
Brown expects AI and related technologies to play an increasingly central role in maintaining and using those skills inventories, working “in partnership with the skills talent model” to match people with opportunities.
As AI becomes more embedded in work, she says, it’s about “looking at developing skills that are transferable into different roles so that we can really adapt and grow and thrive alongside these new technologies.”
Analytics-driven dashboard at Ericsson
Also focused on future skills is Ericsson, which does an annual review of talent through a strategic lens, says Behdad Khalili, head of people, hosted units North America & customer unit Canada at Ericsson.
That means looking at “the roles most critical to delivering for customers, the skills that will matter next, and the strength of our succession and mobility pipelines,” he says.
The company relies on analytics-driven dashboards to infer skills related to critical roles, assess bench strength and leadership readiness, and track diversity across the organization, says Khalili, adding that insights on voluntary turnover and internal mobility help pinpoint where to invest in development.
The company works to identify critical roles through a “rigorous process”, he says, while succession plans prioritize mobility, allowing for more opportunities among Canadian talent.
“The outcome is a high-level view of critical skills and succession coverage, with targeted learning, mentoring and career pathways that keep teams resilient and ready for the next wave of innovation.”
Software-centric skills, data expertise
For 2026, workforce planning is being shaped by advances in 5G and 6G research, along with developments in cloud-native networks and AI, says Khalili, which translates to a company focus on software-centric skills, cloud and data expertise, solution engineering and cybersecurity, along with strong field and customer-facing capabilities.
And Ericsson is fully onboard with supporting employees in their skills development, he says.
“We strive for upskilling talent that can move across domains — RAN, core, cloud and services — supported by learning and development,” he says, which includes AI adoption.
This approach is principle-led, says Khallili: “Invest in future skills, strengthen cross-functional collaboration, and nurture inclusive leaders who can guide teams through technology transitions without compromising safety, quality, or customer trust.”
Decade-long planning at City of Calgary
For Gregory Juliano, CHRO of the City of Calgary, the planning horizon for talent now extends well beyond the typical annual cycle, with his organization in the midst of building a long-term people and culture strategy tied directly to its corporate vision.
“That has involved a huge consultation across the organization — probably the biggest one we've ever done — to truly get out to the business and say, ‘OK, what do we actually need?’”
In looking at a 10-year-plus timeframe, the City is figuring out what it needs to evolve amid huge growth, he says, as Calgary is the fastest-growing municipality in the country: “We added more than 100,000 people last year.”
That means asking questions like “What does our workforce need to evolve, to be successful in that kind of timeframe, when the city becomes more than two million people?’” says Juliano.
That long-term view is set to cascade across the full talent management spectrum, he says.
“It's going to mean big changes in terms of ‘What are we recruiting for, what competencies are we looking for in our employees and our leaders… What are we rewarding? What are we developing? Who are our successors?’”
Building diverse leadership at Ericsson
On the subject of leadership, Khalili says Ericsson Canada has a “solid technological and leadership backbone,” but adds there’s a material risk if people fail to stay ahead of critical skills that fuel future growth, which drives the learning culture at the organization.
Building a diverse leadership bench is also a priority at Ericsson, supported by a “robust” framework for investing in early career talent and targeted upskilling programs, he says, citing the advantages of internal mobility in a global company.
For its overall talent planning, the company uses people analytics to inform decisions, along with strategic competence development metrics for future capabilities and attrition risk indicators, says Khalili.
Plus, AI integration in the HR platforms is rapidly improving, he says, “and that brings about more intelligent insights, while decisions remain human-led.”
