The “Great Skills Merge”: Human and Technical Abilities Must Now Go Hand in Hand, Finds Cornerstone Report

Cornerstone OnDemand, a leading provider of workforce agility and talent management solutions, released its 2025 “Skills Economy Report,” which outlined a dramatic shift in employer expectations: that jobs across industries increasingly require a 50-50 blend of technical and human skills. The trend, coined the Great Skills Merge, signals a decisive collapse in the traditional divide between so-called “technical jobs” (e.g., engineering, data, IT) and “people jobs” (e.g., customer service, human resources, sales).

The report says that data literacy demand in customer-facing roles has increased by 22%, while emotional intelligence, once considered a soft skill, is now in demand even for advanced technical roles, increasing 95%.

Meanwhile, “AI implementation” has surged by 245% year over year, marking the most in-demand global skill; this replaces communication, which had held the top position for more than a decade.

Meanwhile, the report notes sharply dropping demand for purely human-driven roles: traditional customer-service jobs plunged by 45%, sales and marketing fell 22%, while administrative support dropped by 38%.

Other human-centric capabilities such as creative thinking (+18%), resilience and flexibility (+42%), leadership and social influence (+28%) are going up in relative demand, underlining the importance of the attributes truly unique to humans in an increasingly automated world.

The shift reflects, according to Cornerstone’s CEO, how AI is “rewriting how we work” — but with people still at the core of progress and innovation.

Implications for the HR Industry

Rethinking Workforce Planning: Skills Over Job Titles

The Great Skills Merge means a fundamental shift for HR leaders and talent acquisition teams-success will now come not from filling traditional roles, but from building blended skill sets. It also means mapping required competencies more dynamically, in combination with technical, analytical, emotional, and interpersonal skills, rather than relying on fixed job descriptions or rigid role hierarchies.

This makes skills-based hiring all the more important. Instead of degree requirements, years of experience, or job titles, companies may look at finding those who can apply the right mix of technical literacy and soft-skills or would be willing to learn. This also cuts into broader changes around the world, where skill-based hiring is starting to become top-priority.

Upskilling & Reskilling Become Strategic Imperatives

With routine tasks being taken over by AI and automation-such as basic customer support, administrative work, or repetitive operations-HR and L&D teams will have to accelerate upskilling and reskilling efforts to maintain relevancy. High growth in demand for emerging skills was underlined by the report’s findings, but there is also a corresponding risk: organizations that fail to invest in people may find themselves under-resourced.

This will, in turn, mean that training programs have to be increasingly designed around hybrid skill development: building data literacy, AI fluency, and technical skills in concert with emotional intelligence, creativity, adaptability, and leadership. HR departments could become central to strategic workforce planning: they should forecast needed skill mixes, invest in continuous learning, and foster a culture of adaptability.

Evolving Role of HR: From Administration to Strategic Workforce Architects

As boundaries between functionally distinct roles fade away, HR’s role may also change. Instead of managing static frameworks of jobs, HR should be talent architects designing fluid roles, facilitating cross-functional mobility, anticipating skill needs, and directly connecting people strategy to the business.

This shift also places greater emphasis on employee potential, growth mindset, and adaptability-rewarding those who can thrive in a hybrid human-AI environment, rather than those with narrow, traditional skill sets.

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Effects on Businesses

Enhanced Business Agility and Innovation

Companies adopting the Great Skills Merge will have a more agile workforce. This team can shift between functions, learn new technologies, and react quickly to market changes. This flexibility offers a competitive edge in innovation and growth.

Improved Diversity and Inclusion in Talent Pool

This helps companies access a broader and more diverse talent pool. Skills-based hiring and blended roles are key. People from non-traditional backgrounds might lack formal credentials, but they often have strong human skills and a desire to learn. They can now find opportunities in career paths that once felt out of reach. This shift could lower talent shortages and make in-demand jobs easier to access.

Risk of Capability Gaps for Unprepared Companies

Companies that don’t adapt may face serious talent and performance gaps. The shift in demand might make roles based on traditional human or technical skills irrelevant. If companies keep hiring using old job descriptions, they risk having a workforce that lacks the skills needed for new requirements.

Strategic Value in Upskilling Investments

Organizations that invest in both hard and soft skills can see high returns. They enjoy better retention, more internal mobility, improved performance, and long-term resilience. In contrast, those that view upskilling as unimportant may face talent shortages, lower engagement, and increased inefficiencies.

Conclusion

What Cornerstone calls the “Great Skills Merge” marks a turning point in work and talent assessment. AI and automation are changing job tasks. The most valued workers will combine technical skills with human strengths like empathy, creativity, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. For HR leaders and businesses, this means rethinking hiring practices. They need to invest in ongoing learning and focus workforce strategies on skills instead of roles. Companies that adapt early and see their people and evolving skills as strategic assets will handle disruption better. They will also drive innovation and succeed in the new hybrid human-AI economy.