To reach the next level of skills development tech, organizations need more than just advanced tools—they need a strategy that aligns technology with real workforce needs. At HR Tech 2024, Dani Johnson, co-founder and principal analyst at RedThread Research, highlighted how HR leaders can make skills data actionable, supporting both learning and performance in a human-centric way.
RedThread Research is a firm that studies technology’s role in skills development, the evolving function of managers, performance management innovations and more. It also supports a consortium of tech providers promoting unbiased, reliable research on HR technology. Together, the consortium members fund tech research efforts and collaborate to educate the market.
In this video interview, Johnson discusses the evolution of skills management, emphasizing AI and technology’s role in making skills data actionable. She says RedThread has identified 80 vendors in the skills tech space that are focusing on building taxonomies and aligning skills with organizational structures. “And the interesting thing was, the things that they’re doing right now aren’t particularly sexy, but they’re so important to set up the next level of what can happen with [skills tech],” said Johnson.
How to get to the next level? Johnson recommends that HR leaders launch tech initiatives targeted at specific use cases to secure workforce support and prevent delays. She also emphasizes the importance of data literacy and collaboration between HR and people analytics, while highlighting a potential shift toward more flexible, task-based work structures.
Johnson sat down with HR Executive Tech Editor Jill Barth at HR Tech for a video interview to discuss how AI and other emerging technologies can be leveraged to help employees learn and perform their jobs more effectively while maintaining a human-centric approach. Plus, get her top advice for HR leaders anticipating a skills development tech initiative.
The HR Tech Conference 2025 call for speakers is open until Dec. 6. HR Executive invites industry experts and senior HR executives to submit proposals for high-impact presentations that provide HR leaders with valuable insights, actionable strategies and meaningful takeaways to drive organizational success. Make your submission now.
