Recruitment through an AI lens

One HR expert has explained how HR departments can implement AI-focused hiring and skills management amid the myriad challenges of the AI transformation.

In a recent HR Leader podcast episode, Nick Catino (pictured), head of policy at Deel, reflected on how HR departments can navigate the AI transformation and how businesses are beginning to take a proactive approach to the use of AI.

Workforce readiness

Catino emphasised that in 2026, HR departments must think about creating AI-readiness in their workforce, establishing AI policies, and redesigning roles around AI skills. He added that HR needs to focus on hiring candidates with AI skills, upskilling existing staff in AI, and identifying AI skills gaps within the team.

He noted that by adding more AI-focused skills and expectations to job descriptions and redesigning roles, businesses can become more efficient through increased AI use.

He referred to Deel’s research, which found that only 22 per cent of organisations globally had formal AI policies in place, and thus, guardrails such as AI policies must be a priority for HR departments.

“Most of your workers are using ChatGPT or Gemini right now. In the workplace, you need to make sure that you have privacy [and] security rules … if that proprietary information is being put on there,” Catino said.

AI-transformation’s impact on roles

Catino said that the use of AI for automating singular, repetitive tasks will reduce the pipeline for entry-level roles. He noted that as a result, there will be fewer opportunities for career progression due to a smaller cohort of young workers.

He emphasised that this reduction in entry-level roles will be one of the biggest changes that workplaces will face in the years ahead, noting that entry-level workers are a company’s “future talent” that will grow with the organisation.

According to data from the Deel platform, there was a 40 per cent increase in the share of companies that created AI-specific roles over the past year. “The share of that is increasing dramatically,” Catino said.

In addition, Catino said that Deel data showed Australia is not behind on AI and is ahead in some areas. He highlighted that 70 per cent of Aussie organisations are training their workers on AI use in recruiting and operations.

Catino said: “Make sure AI is at every level of your organisation. Make sure you have policies in place to have it being used responsibly and have your organisations as efficient as possible … And it’s not too late if you haven’t started adopting AI into your workplace, but it might be soon, so you better get going.”

“Everyone is using it fundamentally for every aspect of work. It’s unreal to even think about. So you better make sure you’re planning for your organisation with that in mind.”