Roles that no longer exist.

Many organisations are still hiring for roles that no longer exist. Workforce planning is becoming a critical leadership conversation as companies focus on effectiveness rather than simply growing headcount.

Recently, I spoke with an IT leader responsible for a team of around 100 people who was trying to map the skills already in the organisation against the capabilities needed to deliver current priorities, and questioning whether existing roles still reflected the work that actually needed to be done.

The conversation quickly shifted from job titles to tasks.

Before hiring, restructuring, or investing in training, organisations need to understand:
• what work is actually being done today
• what capabilities exist across the team
• what work should remain human-led
• what can be supported by AI

Only then can roles be redesigned with purpose.

This is workforce planning in practice, aligning people, skills, and business strategy so organisations can adapt to change with confidence.

And this has never been more important.
AI and automation are not just changing tools; they are changing how work itself is designed. Roles are becoming more fluid, skills more critical than titles, and organisations increasingly structured around capabilities rather than hierarchies.

Workforce planning has moved beyond HR and into the core of business strategy.

At iForce Connect, we support organisations through this shift, helping them understand capability needs, access verified engineering talent, and build teams aligned to real business outcomes.

Workforce planning then becomes a practical way to build the workforce needed for the future.