The conversation about skills has fundamentally changed. In 2026, it is no longer enough to know which capabilities organizations need. Leaders must understand how those skills are evolving, where they exist in the market, how scarce they are becoming, and how quickly they can move. Richard Stein, CEO of HSiQ – the talent intelligence advisory unit of Hunt Scanlon – takes a closer look at The World Economic Forum’s latest skills framework, and discusses how the future of work is moving faster than traditional talent strategies can keep up. That gap, he says, is where risk quietly accumulates.
If you look closely at The World Economic Forum’s latest skills framework in their Future of Jobs Report, it is easy to understand why talent intelligence has become a strategic necessity, not an HR luxury.
The framework emphasizes a convergence of analytical thinking, adaptability, creativity, technological fluency, and human judgment. These are not static competencies that can be captured in a job description or refreshed annually. They are dynamic, market-driven, and deeply influenced by external forces such as AI adoption, economic uncertainty, and changing workforce expectations.
Most organizations are aware of future skills. Far fewer know how exposed they are to losing them or how competitors are quietly gaining ground.
This is where the conversation shifts from skills frameworks to talent intelligence as a decision engine.
“Talent intelligence isn’t about cataloging skills,” says Richard Stein, CEO of HSiQ, the talent intelligence advisory unit of Hunt Scanlon. “It’s about building a forward looking, evidence-based view of workforce capability so leaders can anticipate risk, not just respond to it.”
Why 2026 Is the Inflection Point
In practical terms, this means moving beyond static workforce planning and backward-looking hiring data.
“Leaders need real-time insight into talent supply, demand, mobility, and competitive behavior insight that informs decisions across hiring, succession, growth, and M&A,” says Mr. Stein.
“In today’s market, talent intelligence is what separates organizations that react to workforce trends from those that shape them. It gives leadership teams clarity when everything else feels uncertain.”
The WEF framework reflects a broader reality: talent markets are no longer stable or predictable. Skills decay faster. Career paths are nonlinear. High-impact talent is more mobile and more aware of its value than ever before.
Organizations relying on intuition, legacy reports, or fragmented data are increasingly exposed, says Mr. Stein. The cost of getting talent decisions wrong is now measured not just in failed hires, but in missed growth, delayed transformation, and strategic drift.
“That means money,” said HSiQ co-founder Scott A. Scanlon. “In today’s market, talent intelligence is what separates organizations that react to workforce trends from those that shape them. It gives leadership teams clarity when everything else feels uncertain.”
Why Organizations Come to HSiQ
“This is where the HSiQ talent intelligence team becomes relevant not as another data provider, but as a strategic intelligence partner,” says Mr. Stein.
“HSiQ insights bridge the gap between raw data and real decision-making – especially in moments where the stakes are highest.”
“Organizations come to HSIQ when they need clarity on: where critical skills truly sit in the market; confidence in executive, leadership, and succession decisions; and context around competitor hiring, talent movement, and retention risk,” he notes.
Precision In Aligning Talent Strategy with Business Objectives
“HSiQ’s value lies in its ability to combine deep human judgment with high fidelity data, translating complex talent signals into insight that leaders can actually use,” he adds. “HSiQ insights bridge the gap between raw data and real decision-making – especially in moments where the stakes are highest.”
The World Economic Forum’s skills framework is not a prescription; it is a warning. Knowing which skills matter is only the first step. The real advantage comes from understanding how those skills behave in the wild: how scarce they are, how fast they move, and where the next gaps will appear.
In 2026, the organizations that outperform will not be the ones with the most information. They will be the ones with the clearest intelligence and the discipline to act on it.
HSiQ Insights Lab was created to examine exactly this intersection – where data, technology, and human potential converge. As the workforce contracts, advantage will not come from doing more with less. It will come from seeing more of what already exists – and using it intelligently.
For more information on how HSiQ can help your business succeed, please contact us today.
Article By
Richard Stein
Richard Stein is CEO of HSIQ. He has a distinguished career supporting the C-suite of many of the world’s top corporations and financial services organizations in all aspects of talent acquisition, development and retention. Richard is one of the industry’s top advisors with experience across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.
