Let me share something exciting from my recent conversation at HR Tech 2024. As part of Brandon Hall Group’s ongoing analysis of the HR tech landscape, I had the chance to sit down with Michael Dunne, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Eightfold, which is doing some fascinating things that I think you’ll want to hear about.
The Big Picture: It’s Not Just About Jobs Anymore
Remember when everything was about filling positions and moving people up predetermined career ladders? Well, those days are quickly becoming history.
At Brandon Hall Group™, we’ve been tracking this shift for years, and what Eightfold is doing aligns perfectly with what our research has been telling us: organizations need to think bigger than just jobs. They’re looking at the whole picture:
- What skills people have (and could develop)
- How people prefer to work
- Where they could go in their careers
- And most importantly, how all of this fits together
What’s Cooking for 2024/2025?
- Their AI Platform Got Even Smarter
Think of it as having a talent intelligence command center that’s constantly learning and adapting. Picture a system that’s continuously gathering insights from global databases, your company’s internal systems, and market trends, all working together to give you a comprehensive view of your talent landscape. It’s like having a talent intelligence expert working 24/7 to help you make better decisions.
- AI Copilots That Actually Make Sense
The term “AI assistant” gets thrown around a lot these days, but Eightfold’s approach is refreshingly practical. Their AI Copilot acts as a genuine partner in the recruiting process, handling everything from crafting personalized candidate communications to analyzing interview feedback. What impressed me most was how it helps recruiters write job descriptions that are not only compelling but also free from unconscious bias. For job seekers, it creates an interactive experience that feels more like having a conversation with a career counselor than navigating a typical job board.
- Talent Design That Works
Eightfold created a system that helps organizations design roles that reflect today’s rapid pace of change while maintaining a consistent skills vocabulary across the enterprise. And it connects these elements with real-world market data, letting you see how your organization’s talent capabilities stack up against industry trends and where you need to focus your development efforts.
Real Impact in Action
The real test of any HR technology is how it performs in the field, and Eightfold’s work with Foley provides a compelling example. This 84-year-old heavy equipment dealer faced a challenge many organizations are struggling with – finding skilled diesel mechanics in a tight labor market. Instead of just hoping qualified candidates would appear, they used Eightfold’s platform to identify service technicians who, with the right development path, could grow into diesel mechanic roles. The platform helped them create personalized upskilling journeys and connect every aspect of their talent strategy. It’s a perfect example of how taking a skills-based approach can open up talent pools you might never have considered before.
What This Means for You
Based on what we’re seeing across Brandon Hall Group’s research and advisory work, here’s what really matters:
- Stop thinking about static job descriptions and start thinking about skill portfolios.
- Get comfortable with AI – it’s here to help, not replace you.
- Look at the big picture of skills, roles, and market trends together.
- Focus on matching skills to work, not just people to jobs.
The Bottom Line
The way we handle talent is changing fundamentally. From what I’ve seen at Brandon Hall Group™, working with thousands of organizations worldwide, the companies that get ahead will be the ones that embrace this more dynamic, skills-based approach.
Eightfold AI isn’t just adding new features to old HR tech – they’re rethinking how we approach talent management from the ground up. And based on what I’m seeing from our research participants and across our network of corporate leaders, this is exactly the direction organizations need to go.
What’s particularly impressive is Eightfold has managed to make AI practical and responsible at the same time. In our conversations with HR leaders across Brandon Hall Group’s global network, this combination of innovation and responsibility consistently comes up as a crucial factor in technology adoption decisions.
