We’re living through a seismic shift in the way we work. Across Aotearoa, artificial intelligence is already reshaping job design, recruitment, and how we think about productivity. It’s fast, it’s powerful – and it’s not going away.
But amid all the excitement (and anxiety), we need to ask some big questions. What is the impact of AI on jobs and what does it mean for entry-level roles? For learning on the job? For building the next generation of leaders? And most importantly, how do we keep the workplace human?
AI is changing entry-level roles – fast
The Beyond Recruitment Economic & Labour Report 2025(BELR), reveals a sharp increase in the number of New Zealand organisations reporting AI-related role changes – rising from just 7% in 2023 to 18% in 2025, more than doubling in two years. While the broader impact of AI on jobs may still seem overhyped, the upward trend is clear and likely to continue. Entry-level professionals are currently at the sharpest end of this change.
Traditionally, junior roles have been the training ground of the workforce. New hires cut their teeth on admin, support work, or process-heavy tasks while learning how organisations function. But AI can now do many of those tasks faster and cheaper – CV screening, customer service kōrero,, data entry, drafting emails, research summaries. It’s already happening.
What happens to leadership development if there aren’t enough entry points into the workforce? The risk is that organisations lose the stepping stones that help people grow. There is less space to make low-impact mistakes, which is vital for learning and development in any discipline. Fewer junior employees will have the exposure to colleagues, clients, and organisational context that builds business judgment and critical thinking skills. While AI removes friction and theoretically enables efficiency, pace, and innovation - working through that friction is often what leads to a toolkit of experience and expertise that can be drawn on in different contexts. As an example - in the HR profession, we often reflect on the importance of real world experience of managing ER case loads. That is a skillset that simply cannot be replaced by theoretical knowledge - or by AI. Navigating through the friction and "humanness" of an ER case creates learning and interpersonal connection that we should value, rather than avoid.
In other words, the impact of AI on jobs goes further than job losses or displacement. It also represents learning loss within organisations, which could have a profound impact on long-term workforce capability.
It’s worth considering that a workforce lacking broad foundational experience may struggle to innovate or respond to market changes. This can put organisations at a competitive disadvantage.
We need new pathways to grow talent
Assuming the trends of AI adoption and a reduction in junior positions continue, entire industries could face shortages of skilled professionals, which pose a threat to their long-term growth and sustainability.
If existing workforce models are being disrupted, it’s time to get intentional about how we train and grow people. Here are some ideas gaining traction:
Redesigning entry level roles to focus more on the strategic, creative, and people-centric tasks that AI cannot replicate. In essence, creating AI-augmented entry roles where humans work with AI, not in competition with it. This requires rethinking job design and development pathways. These augmented roles could offer early-career workers a chance to upskill on the job while becoming fluent in the tools that will shape their careers.
Rotational programmes that expose new talent to the bigger picture. With fewer traditional pathways into a single function, structured rotation through different departments or teams can give emerging talent a broader understanding of the business. This gives them the chance to build cross-functional skills and understand where they can add the most value.
Mentorship at scale, where learning is embedded into everyday workflows. Mentoring doesn’t have to be limited to formal 1:1 arrangements. Scalable approaches, like peer learning groups, micro-coaching via digital platforms, or manager-led development check-ins, can help junior staff grow faster, even in lean teams.
Modern apprenticeships for non-trade roles – across the full suite of Corporate Services. Apprenticeships aren’t just for electricians and plumbers anymore. There’s growing interest in structured, earn-while-you-learn programmes designed for knowledge-based roles, such as HR, Finance, and Technology. These models can build job-ready capability from day one, while helping to bring in more diverse talent. Several global professional services and consulting firms have long established traineeship programmes for this purpose.
In one experiment at a technology company, early career professionals who were given more complex projects to work on reported higher levels of learning and attained more certifications and recognition compared to those who were given simpler tasks. Organisations, to a large extent, do have agency in cultivating the leaders of tomorrow.
It’s not enough to hope our future leaders emerge. We need to design the environments that grow them.
Recruitment can’t Lose its Human Touch
AI is also changing how we hire. Done right, it can streamline processes, reduce bias, and improve candidate experience. As we’ve highlighted previously, one of the most promising uses of AI is in identifying transferrable skills that traditional keyword filters might miss. With the right settings, AI can broaden the talent pool rather than narrow it.
Done wrong, AI in recruitment can do the opposite: it can actually amplify bias, lock out diverse candidates, and strip away the human connection that builds employer brand.
AI in recruitment isn't a silver bullet. It requires careful oversight, transparent communication with candidates, and a clear understanding of why it’s being used in the first place. One example worth noting is the public commitment from a leading New Zealand bank to responsible AI hiring. Their published principles emphasise human oversight, testing for fairness, and transparency with applicants, a model that balances innovation with integrity. It’s an approach other employers can learn from.
If we want diverse, future-ready workforces, we can’t afford shortcuts in hiring.
What AI can’t replace
Here at Beyond, we’ve long observed the growing importance of soft skills at work. In all the noise, it’s easy to forget about the skills and attributes that AI cannot replicate or replace in the workplace:
Showing empathy.
Reading the room.
Leading through ambiguity.
Understanding cultural nuance.
Building trust, loyalty and a thriving team.
Such qualities cannot be replaced by AI. As machines take on more of the routine, human skills–curiosity, judgment, creativity and collaboration – become more valuable, not less.
Findings from our BELR survey shows 34% of respondents believe strategic thinking and adaptability will be the most critical skills for leading a workforce impacted by AI.
Research from The World Economic Forum shows analytical thinking is currently the most in-demand core skill, with 70% of employers rating it as essential, followed closely by resilience, flexibility, agility and leadership and social influence – all qualities that WEF predicts will become increasingly vital in the future workforce.
Let’s not downplay these soft skills. Let’s invest in them.
So, where to from here?
The future of work question encompasses much more than technology. It’s one that highlights the choices organisations will need to face about their workforce capabilities.
As employers, we get to decide:
How we design early-career roles.
How we train and grow people over time.
How to use AI responsibly and ethically.
How we centre people, not just productivity.
AI is here to stay. But so are people. If we want a future of work that’s productive, inclusive, and distinctly Kiwi, we need to design for both.
Let’s keep it human. Let’s keep it fit for purpose.
Over to you:
How is your organisation preparing for the future of work? Are you using AI in recruitment, onboarding, or early-career development? What’s working and what still feels risky? We welcome input and feedback from hiring decision makers and professionals about the impact of AI on jobs and hiring in New Zealand.
At Beyond Recruitment, we believe technology should enhance the human side of hiring, not replace it. Our team is here to support you with recruitment solutions that balance innovation with people-first insight. Let’s talk about how we can help you build a future-ready workforce. Please feel free to contact our team for more information.
