The inaugural Chief People Officers Outlook, organized by the World Economic Forum’s Centre for the New Economy and Society, is sharing its insights into global workforce trends and how technological advancements and shifting expectations are driving disruption and a need to adapt in order to stay ahead of the curve.

Through research, surveys, and consultations with 130 chief people officers (CPOs) across various industries and locations, the Chief People Officers Outlook (called the briefing) highlights their top challenges, goals, and priorities as they navigate this ever-changing landscape and steer their organizations toward continued business success. Based on their perspectives, you can enhance your talent management solutions using data-backed resources.

Key Takeaways

Whether or not your company has one, the role of chief people officer is growing and becoming increasingly strategic in terms of organizational resilience, business transformation, and workforce readiness. Given recent economic threats and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in our work, the majority of chief people officers surveyed said that their organizations rely on them to “actively co-drive and co-design company direction.” This means that the “people” function within organizations is still influential in shaping business success.

That said, AI is also important in driving business success. In fact, the chief people officers surveyed stated that AI deployment is their top priority and they plan to collaborate with their technical departments over the next six to 12 months to design and deploy AI tools and policies. They also plan to map the impact of AI on people, jobs, tasks, and processes and, depending on those findings, they plan to redesign those jobs, tasks, and processes to utilize AI not only as a tool, but as a “catalyst for more fundamental workforce transformations.”

Economic and Talent Outlook

A common sentiment shared by the chief people officers was caution. When asked about their 12-month outlook, most had no clear consensus, with 42 percent expecting no changes and the remainder believing in either a weaker or stronger forecast. This is mainly due to the geopolitical climate and its effects on hiring practices. Many organizations are delaying hiring or restructuring decisions as they assess both the evolving landscape and rapid technological advancements.

While caution defines the current outlook, workforce transformation remains the longer-term imperative for many organizations, according to the briefing. CPOs emphasized the need to invest in longer-term change to navigate continued disruption and ensure organizational resilience and success. In many organizations, the “people” function is seen as playing a central role in designing and driving this transformation.

In terms of talent, availability and distribution are complex issues. Many countries are developing national talent strategies to attract skilled workers or position themselves as talent hubs. For chief people officers, this means global—not just local—work models that offer flexibility and collaboration.

Because the talent pool is skewing toward the younger generation, expectations and priorities are shifting. As one chief people officer observed, “today’s talent is confident, well-informed, and unapologetically selective. They’re clear about what they want and willing to walk away from what doesn’t serve them.” For the best chance at a win-win situation, organizations are addressing mental health concerns and reinforcing company values that stress diversity, purpose, and agency.

Navigating Workforce Transformation with the Right Partner

The insights from the 2025 Chief People Officers Outlook paint a clear picture: organizations need talent management partners who understand the complexity of today’s workforce landscape and can deliver solutions that drive real results. The challenges facing CPOs—from AI integration to evolving talent expectations—require more than transactional staffing solutions. They demand strategic partnerships built on expertise, agility, and a deep commitment to customer success.

Chief people officers believe that empowering the next generation is crucial for fostering resilience and navigating disruption. This means that organizations need to carefully integrate AI into their workflows while focusing on talent development. As they rethink their structures, cultures, and long-term goals, they have an opportunity to build a more resilient, inclusive, and agile workforce.

This is where Broadleaf excels. As a women-owned workforce solutions provider with decades of experience in talent acquisition and contingent workforce management, Broadleaf delivers talent management services that go beyond filling positions. We specialize in creating exceptional customer experiences and building inclusive workplaces—two priorities that directly align with the CPO outlook’s emphasis on purpose and organizational resilience.

Our approach is grounded in our common purpose: We help each other thrive. This mantra guides how we serve customers, contract employees, partners, and colleagues alike. Through our Exceed CX mindset, our team acts as trusted advisors who are authentic, approachable, curious, committed, and collaborative. We don’t just understand the challenges outlined in the CPO Outlook—we’re actively helping organizations address them through custom-fit solutions that meet specific needs while producing measurable results.

Whether you’re navigating workforce transformation, adapting to new talent expectations, or building the agile, inclusive teams that today’s market demands, Broadleaf brings the expertise and partnership approach you need to succeed. The future of work is complex, but with the right talent management partner, it’s also full of opportunity.