AI to Reshape Recruitment, Employee Well-Being and Team Structures by 2040, Report Predicts

• New foresight study from Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi (DGE) maps 16 emerging workforce shifts to inform how governments, HR leaders and employers can proactively respond
• Key predictions include the rise of gamified workdays, extended reality (XR) learning, and AI-led team design
• DGE is already applying its findings across the Abu Dhabi Government – using AI to reduce attrition and to reimagine career paths to stay competitive in the decades ahead

AI could soon hire employees, deliver personalised wellness plans and assign tasks, according to a new foresight study by the Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi (DGE).

The “Emerging Trends Report in Talent Management (2024–2040)” highlights 16 disruptive shifts that will define the next generation of public sector work — from AI-powered hiring and XR-based training to decentralised team models and predictive attrition tools.

The study draws on global horizon scanning and the Futures Platform — a strategic intelligence tool used by governments, corporations and research institutions to track more than 1,000 signals of change across industries. It combines these insights with DGE’s internal analysis to help policymakers, HR leaders and employers practically rethink how they recruit, engage and retain talent, aligning workforce planning with future economic and employee demands.

Her Excellency Ruba Yousef Al Hassan, Director General of Strategic Affairs and Future Foresight at DGE, said: “In times of unprecedented change, governments can’t afford to simply react — we must lead. Spotting trends is the easy part; the real work lies in building systems that prepare our people for what’s next. At DGE, we see talent as the foundation of every organisation. This report is a call to action: to equip our workforce with the skills, mindsets and tools needed to thrive in the future and to put people at the centre of public service transformation.”

Unlike typical trend reports, the Emerging Trends Report goes further — showcasing each trend alongside actionable guidance, helping policymakers, HR leaders and employers navigate what is next.

Crucially, the report is already informing DGE programmes — from AI-powered talent mapping and succession planning tools, to predictive analytics for attrition risk and upskilling initiatives such as the AI Accelerator Programme. DGE’s AI-powered Objective Builder, for example, is helping align goals across different Abu Dhabi Government entities while cutting administrative effort and improving clarity.

Three main themes — AI and tech, workplace culture and organisational shifts – are identified in the report to help policymakers anticipate disruption and plan for resilience.

Key findings from each theme are detailed below:

AI & Tech

• Trends identified: AI-powered and predictive hiring, immersive learning through extended reality (XR) and gamified work environments.
• What it means: AI is reshaping recruitment by providing data-driven decision-making, while mixed-reality technologies are transforming training and employee interaction. Game design elements — such as leaderboards and achievement badges — can boost employee engagement, learning retention and overall workplace productivity.

Workplace Culture

• Trends identified: Decentralised team structures (holacracy) and AI-led support and worker well-being.
• What it means: Autonomous, self-managed teams are becoming more prevalent, while the shift to well-being programmes will deepen using AI-driven tools.

Organisational Shifts

• Trends identified: Demand for data scientists, prioritising experience over education and the rise of early retirees.
• What it means: A growing reliance on AI technologies and data insights is expected to boost demand for data scientists. Waning relevance of higher education degrees are leading to a re-evaluation of existing hiring practices to prioritise relevant skills and achievements. Simultaneously, employees in their 30s and 40s opting out of traditional career paths in pursuit of greater freedom and purpose.

Novel concepts such as that of collective intelligence also feature, encouraging leaders to stress-test strategies against low-probability, high-impact developments. The report concludes with an interactive tool allowing readers to evaluate each trend’s potential impact and uncertainty — helping DGE and other public entities prioritise their response.

Looking ahead, DGE will continue to embed these findings into its broader mission — using them to inform educational programmes and digital workforce planning, accelerate AI integration across government services, and build a more agile, resilient public sector. This is being done to foster a talent-driven culture, while helping entities attract and retain top talent.

This report is the first in a foresight series developed by DGE’s Strategic Affairs and Future Foresight function — part of its broader mission to enable Abu Dhabi Government to operate as a unified, data-driven, and people-centric ecosystem.