The Jobs in Motion programme launched in 2020 by French financial services group Natixis aims to train staff for emerging roles in tech, data and corporate social responsibility. The initiative harnesses an artificial intelligence-based programme that detects the most suitable job for each employee. This innovation in the field of human resources, which should affect some 600 employees in France, received recognition from the French national association of HR directors in March.

UniCredit is planning for 1,200 voluntary early retirements, that will be partly offset by 725 younger hires. An agreement signed on 27 January 2022 by Italy's second largest bank and the Fabi, First-Cisl, Fisac-Cgil, Uilca and Unisin trade unions lays the foundations for realising the bank’s ‘UniCredit Unlocked’ 2022-2024 strategic plan by focusing on generational renewal, new skills acquisition and a revival of the branch network. This last point notably marks a break with the previous management.

The employer organisations Federmeccanica and Assistal have joined forces with three trade unions – Fiom-Cgil, Fim-Cisl and Uilm – to launch a digital platform called MetApprendo, with a view to aiding the implementation of the individual right to training provided for in the collective agreement for the engineering and metals sector. The digital platform will provide companies in the sector with a series of services to gauge training needs, build customised plans and provide online training. In the Italian world of industrial relations, this initiative is particularly innovative in nature.

For about a year, HDI Service AG, part of Germany’s third largest insurance group, Talanx, has been using voice recognition software which can define forty-two different facets of someone’s personality after just a fifteen minute session. HDI uses this tool when recruiting and training its board members as well as senior executives at the two hierarchical levels immediately below the board. Thomas Belker, HDI Service board spokesperson and head of Human of Resources, has personally tested the software and has kindly agreed to explain to Planet Labor how this kind of tool is expected to help HDI transforming into an agile company.

What is the impact of digitalization on training and lifelong learning within businesses? How can we identify essential competences several years ahead? How can we learn to learn in the digital age? Working on these types of questions is the daily work of Matthias Reuter, Global Director Learning and Digital Transformation, at Siemens AG. Matthias Reuter explained to Planet Labor to what extent the company has to shorten the time required for developing new competences as well as to alter how learning occurs. Matthias Reuter details what is at stake, how the Siemens intelligent learning experience platform operates, and how it enables employees to receive personalized training opportunities.

In May 2017 the Minister of Economic Affairs appointed a steering group to prepare Finland for reaching its goal of becoming a global leader in the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The group has already published two interim reports and its recommendations have been included in government policy. HR professionals are particularly focused on the second report called  ‘Work in the age of artificial intelligence’ that was published in June 2018 and that asks questions about the HR role and activity.