Why Future-Ready Banks Need a Skills-Based Approach to Workforce Planning

 

• What does the future workforce in banking look like, and how should banks start preparing for it today?
  
  
• How can a skills-based approach help banks stay competitive and agile in a rapidly changing industry?
  
  
• How can financial institutions build skills-based strategies to successfully become AI-driven? And what is currently holding them back?
  
  
• In a global IT skills shortage, how do financial institutions not only find the right talent, but also manage what future skills are required as AI agents enter the workforce?
• Which critical skills will be most in demand in the next three – five years, and how do we assess and develop them internally?

As technological change advances at a rapid pace, the existing skills shortage that has been plaguing financial services is being exacerbated. As organisations increasingly struggle to find – and retain – the right talent, one question looms: what will the future workforce look like? According to a Workday survey, 51% of business leaders are concerned about a future talent shortage and foresee a need for upskilling or reskilling.

A skills-based approach is quickly becoming essential for banks to remain competitive and agile. By focusing on skills rather than traditional roles, banks can better identify capability gaps, redeploy talent efficiently, and adapt to new business models with greater flexibility. But developing a robust, skills-first strategy is no small feat: it requires cultural change, strategic planning, and the right technology enablers. As AI continues to reshape the industry, the need for financial institutions to become truly AI-driven is more urgent than ever.

However, many banks face barriers such as fragmented data, outdated talent frameworks, and a lack of visibility into future skill needs. With a global shortage of IT and data talent, banks must also find innovative ways to attract, retain, and continuously develop the right people while forecasting which skills will be essential as AI innovation evolves. Closing the IT and AI skills gap by strategic hiring and uncovering hidden talent within the organisation are necessary aspects of successfully shaping AI-driven and AI-enabled businesses.

Financial institutions must act today to align their talent strategies with emerging trends and ensure their workforce is equipped for the demands of tomorrow. So how do today’s skills line up with tomorrow’s needs? How is AI reshaping the way teams work, and how can financial institutions determine which skills are needed across various business functions? What roadblocks are complicating the implementation of these strategies?

Register for this Finextra webinar, hosted in association with Workday, to join our panel of industry experts who will discuss the impact of AI on human capital, and how financial institutions can develop successful, skills-driven AI strategies.