The skills that will disappear in 2025... and those that will dominate in 2026

How to prepare your organization for accelerating change

We are approaching the end of 2025.
And what HR has been observing for the past three years is being confirmed:
👉 Skills are evolving faster than organizations.
Digitalization, generative AI, automation, new working models... the world of work is changing at an unprecedented rate.

What was strategic yesterday becomes secondary today.
Some skills are emerging.
Others are declining.
And 2026 will be a pivotal year.

Palm has analyzed thousands of business data points, international reports (WEF, McKinsey, PwC), and the weak signals we observe among our clients.

Here's what will disappear in 2025, and what absolutely must be developed in 2026.

Skills that will gradually disappear by 2025

(decline observable in companies)

1. Repetitive administrative tasks

What is declining:

• manual entry
• Excel extraction/cleaning
• static reporting
• transactional HR tasks

Why?
👉 AI performs faster, more reliably, 24/7.
👉 HR refocuses on analysis, not execution.

2. Technical skills that are not renewed

Examples:

• outdated technologies
• mastery of obsolete tools
• fixed technical expertise

Why?
👉 The obsolescence cycle has gone from 8 years to... 18 months on average.

3. Silo skills

Examples:

• highly specialized expertise
• low transferability
• roles built around a single task

Why?
👉 Companies are looking for versatile candidates who are capable of evolving.

4. Routine cognitive skills

Examples:

• pure memorization
• mechanical process application
• repetitive execution

Why?
👉 Purely linear work is being absorbed by automation.

5. Vertical and non-cooperative management

What is declining:

• micromanagement
• rigid hierarchical models
• top-down decisions

Why?
👉 Teams expect coaching, transparency, and feedback.

The skills that will emerge in 2026 (and dominate the decade)

(which is becoming essential to remain competitive)

1. AI Literacy applied to the profession

By 2026, it will no longer be a "plus." It will be the norm.
Examples:

• know how to collaborate with AI
• design augmented workflows
• using AI to improve quality, not just speed

👉 AI-native organizations gain +30% productivity.

2. Analysis, judgment, and decision making

Also known as "irreplaceable skills."
Examples:

• interpret the data
• translate a weak signal into action
• arbitrate quickly
• reasoning in uncertainty

👉 Companies are looking for decision-makers, not "task-doers."

3. The ability to learn continuously (Learnability)

The WEF's top skill for 2026.
It includes:

• adaptability
• speed of acquisition
• structured curiosity

👉 Employees who are quick learners will outperform those who "know."

4. Enhanced interpersonal skills

Examples:

• clear communication
• positive leadership
• emotional intelligence
• hybrid collaboration

👉 The more technology becomes prevalent, the more valuable humans become.

5. Skills related to internal mobility

In 2026, mobility = competitive advantage.
Examples:

• transferability
• controlled versatility
• activation of internal routes
• ability to switch roles

👉 Organizations that structure their internal mobility increase their retention of key talent threefold.

How can you prepare your business for 2026 right now?

1. Finally having real visibility on skills

Most companies are still navigating by sight.
Mapping skills = essential first step.

Palm does this automatically.

2. Identify gaps and risks 2025–2026

Business risks will not be the same in 18 months.
Predictability is becoming essential.

3. Designing career paths that evolve with the market

In 2026, career paths will no longer be "linear" but "dynamic."

4. Equip managers

The manager becomes the center of gravity:
👉 he supports,
👉 he detects,
👉 he activates mobility.

Palm gives it immediate visibility.

5. Moving from an Excel culture to an AI-native culture

It's not a question of tools.
It's a question of skills governance, rapid decision-making, andalignment between HR, managers, and the executive committee.

This is exactly the shift that Palm is accelerating among its customers.

Conclusion: 2026 will be the year of truth for skills

What we are observing:
2025 is the year when many companies will become aware of the limitations.
2026 will be the year when they will have to act, structure, and anticipate.

.
. They reflect a rapidly changing market.

Companies ready to manage their skills with an AI-native approach will have a head start.
The others... will continue to discover their risks too late.

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