New research from Cornerstone highlights a growing workforce challenge around AI adoption. The study surveyed 2,000 people across several regions. Respondents included HR leaders, IT leaders, and employees.
The findings show strong agreement at leadership level. Some 94% of HR and IT leaders want shared workforce planning. They see faster technology change affecting skills, roles, and productivity.
However, many companies still plan in separate teams. Only 35% of decision-makers said HR and IT make AI decisions together. Also, just 48% said both functions work toward shared goals.
This gap matters for telecom and VoIP teams. New automation tools now affect routing, support, analytics, and collaboration platforms. Engineers may need new skills before systems go live.
The research suggests shared ownership delivers better speed. Companies linking the CHRO and CIO acted on workforce changes 13% faster. They were also 67% more confident about rapid decisions.
Yet employee readiness remains a concern. Around 65% of employees said their daily responsibilities changed last year. Another 58% said they were learning new skills for current roles.
Despite that, only 39% received support from their employer. Just 17% felt fully prepared for role changes ahead. That creates risk during fast technology rollouts.
For IT professionals, this is a familiar pattern. A new platform can improve speed and efficiency. But poor preparation can reduce adoption and damage trust.
There are clear gains when HR and IT work together early. Teams can map which roles will change. They can also decide which skills need urgent development.
This approach can prevent rushed training after deployment. It can also reduce delays in hiring, redeployment, and restructuring. Cornerstone found these delays already affect many organizations.
Still, coordination requires more than meetings. Leaders need shared workforce data and joint accountability. They also need planning cycles that move faster than annual reviews.
That shift may challenge traditional business structures. HR often owns skills and employee development. IT usually owns platforms, security, and technical delivery.
But AI blurs those boundaries. A tool choice can change workflows almost overnight. Therefore, workforce planning must sit beside technology planning.
For telecom operators and service providers, the message is timely. Networks, customer platforms, and collaboration tools keep gaining automation. Staff must understand both the systems and the business impact.
Cornerstone’s research points to a simple conclusion. Technology change cannot remain an IT-only project. Companies need to prepare people before transformation reaches their desks.
