Research by European HR service provider SD Worx, has found just under 60 per cent (59.7 per cent) of UK organisations consider workforce planning to be a critical or high priority in 2026. This focus sits alongside the rise of automation and AI as nearly a third of UK organisations (30.4 per cent) cite preparing for automation and AI as a driver for workforce planning, higher than the European average (26.1 per cent). The research also found that organisations are increasingly looking at skills and competencies rather than job titles when hiring staff.
The research is based on surveys of 5,936 HR decision-makers and 16,500 employees in sixteen European countries, including 305 UK employers and 1,000 UK employees.
The results found in the UK organisations are focusing more on workforce planning for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, they want to guarantee sufficient staffing levels and make planning more efficient (53.8 per cent). This is followed by keeping personnel costs under control (40.3 per cent) and ensuring continuity in service provision and customer experience (50.0 per cent). Talent shortages and increasing staff turnover (37.5 per cent) and complying with complex regulations (16.9 per cent) complete the top five. Technological developments also play a role: 30.4 per cent are focusing more on workforce planning to prepare for automation and AI.
The way organisations approach workforce planning is also changing. Over half of UK organisations (54.9 per cent) say workforce planning is based on a mix of job roles and skills. A further 24.9 per cent say it is primarily based on skills, while 12.9 per cent say it is primarily based on job roles/headcount. Some 7.3 per cent say they have no structured workforce planning in place at all.
However, many are still not confident about what comes next: nearly a third (30.8 per cent) do not yet have a clear picture of the skills their organisation will need in the next two to three years. Employers do indeed appear to have insufficient knowledge of the skills already present within their organisation.
In the UK, 23.4 per cent of employees disagree that their talents and potential are being fully used in their current role (while 51.1 per cent agree). At the same time, employees show a strong appetite to develop: 64.2 per cent agree that they are eager to learn and grow at work. However, only 45.3 per cent agree that they see opportunities to grow or move within the organisation if they want to, and 46.2 per cent agree that their organisation makes it easy to explore internal jobs, roles or projects that match their skills and interests.
Employees are slightly more positive when it comes to daily planning. In the UK, 66.9 per cent agree that it is easy to coordinate their work with colleagues, and 52.7 per cent agree that their team’s work planning process is efficient and well structured. However, many organisations still lack the necessary support: 49.7 per cent agree that their organisation offers tools and systems for work planning.
“If nearly a third of employers don’t yet have a clear picture of the skills they’ll need in the next two to three years, that’s a serious risk, especially as automation and AI continue to reshape roles,” said Bruce Fecheyr-Lippens, Chief People Officer at SD Worx. “The priority now is skills visibility: understanding what capabilities you already have, where the gaps are emerging, and how work is likely to change. That takes collaboration beyond HR, including IT, finance and operational leaders, and it requires a continuous process, not a once-a-year exercise. When organisations make skills more transparent and create real pathways for internal moves, projects and reskilling, they can fill more needs from within and respond faster to change.”
