Why your talent system isn’t keeping pace with AI and how to fix it, with Indeed’s Jessica Hardeman

Jessica Hardeman is the global head of attraction, engagement, and culture for Indeed, where she is responsible for designing and scaling programs that attract, develop, and retain Indeed’s workforce. She is set to speak at HR Brew’s upcoming summit, Talent 2030 Collective: Recruit, Retain, Repeat, on April 21 about how the hiring landscape is changing amidst an evolving AI era. Before then, we had a chance to catch up with her about why talent systems haven’t kept pace with the speed of AI and what it actually takes to build ones that do.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

If you zoom out, what’s the biggest shift happening in the talent landscape right now that HR leaders can’t afford to ignore?

The biggest shift is that skills are evolving faster than roles, and talent systems haven’t kept pace. AI is accelerating how work gets done, but it’s also exposing how rigid many hiring, development and mobility models still are.

Speed has quietly become a competitive advantage. The data shows 87% of hiring managers say speed differentiates them in attracting talent, and 93% see AI-powered screening as essential to making hiring work at scale. But speed only helps if it’s paired with good judgment and proper infrastructure.

There is also a growing disconnect between how jobs are written and how work actually shows up day to day. Companies that stick to static role definitions and narrow credentials are going to struggle. The companies that will win are designing for adaptability, building AI literacy across the workforce, and treating reskilling and internal mobility as core infrastructure rather than side projects.

Where do you see organizations falling short today when it comes to hiring, development, or retention?

A common issue is over-optimizing for speed instead of clarity. In hiring, that often looks like vague, buzzword-heavy job descriptions to attract attention. In reality, these can deter strong candidates, invite unqualified applications, or create mismatched expectations.

In development, it shows up as training that isn’t connected to how roles are evolving. And in retention, it shows up as listening without meaningful follow-through.

People are more likely to stay when they understand what’s expected of them, how they can grow and how decisions are made. When those systems aren’t clear or consistent, even competitive pay or strong culture messaging won’t compensate for the uncertainty employees feel.

AI is showing up everywhere in the employee journey right now. Where do you think it’s actually adding value, and where is it being overhyped or misused?

AI adds the most value when it removes friction and expands access. We see real impact when it helps organizations interpret skills more accurately, surface adjacent capabilities, personalize learning, or free people from administrative work so they can focus on judgment and problem-solving.

Where it gets overhyped is when it’s framed as a replacement for leadership or strategy. AI won’t fix unclear expectations, poor job design or weak development pathways. That’s why AI literacy matters so much. Without a shared understanding of how to use these tools thoughtfully and responsibly, AI can actually create more confusion than progress.

What’s one thing HR leaders can start doing differently tomorrow to build stronger, more resilient teams?

Start designing talent systems around skills and movement, not just job titles. That means being clear about what capabilities matter today, which ones are emerging, and how people can build and apply them over time. It also means explaining to people how these skills can build toward their future within the company.

Leaders also need to be held accountable for developing talent, not just delivering results. Resilient teams are built when people trust that the organization is investing in their growth and giving them room to adapt as work changes. That clarity alone can significantly improve engagement and retention.

When you think about talent in 2030, what do you hope organizations have finally figured out?

I hope organizations have moved past the idea that adaptability, equity, and performance are trade-offs. By 2030, skills-first hiring should be the norm, AI literacy should be universal and accessible to all roles, and internal mobility should be expected—with clear pathways that help people build and apply skills throughout their careers.

Most importantly, I hope companies are judged less by the programs they launch and more by the systems they’ve built. Inclusive, resilient workplaces don’t happen by accident. They’re designed intentionally, with clarity about what skills matter, how people can build them, and where they can take their careers embedded into how work gets done every day.