Workforce planning is being rewritten by AI, and old build-or-buy thinking can’t keep up. Ciara Harrington sets out the Four Bs framework, Build, Buy, Borrow and Bot, powered by skills intelligence and skills gap analysis. It helps HR and L&D leaders make faster, evidence-based decisions and shape agile, future-ready workforces.
Traditionally, organisations have tackled workplace planning and closing skill gaps through two main strategies: building on internal talent in the organisation through training and upskilling and recruiting external talent to close major skill gaps. However, the rapid acceleration of modern technology, such as AI, suggests a new, more flexible approach is necessary.
Over a third of employees lack three increasingly important skill sets
As the workplace transforms, the gap between organisational demands and workforce readiness continues to widen. Over a third of employees lack three increasingly important skill sets needed for sustainable business growth: AI (43%), technical skills (34%), and leadership capabilities (31%).
To remain competitive in this evolving landscape, businesses need to move towards a modern workforce strategy that enables real-time visibility into workforce capabilities and allows HR leaders to make more informed decisions about their talent strategy. By focusing on skills intelligence, planning can shift from reactive guesswork to proactive, evidence-based decision-making.
This is where the “Four Bs” framework comes into play: Build, Buy, Borrow, and Bot. It empowers HR and L&D leaders with the tools needed to prepare for further capabilities by combining internal talent with strategic hiring, external partners and AI agents.
Build: Developing the basis of workforce resilience
Building and nurturing existing talent inside a business remains a key component to any sustainable and effective workplace strategy. Equipping employees with new skills helps them adapt to today’s fast-paced environment, and it is something they’re actively calling for. In fact, 62% of employees rate their organisation’s AI training as poor, highlighting a clear demand for improved offerings to adequately prepare employees for the future.
With the skills needed to succeed now changing in a matter of months versus years, organisations must have a clear understanding of their workforce’s skills and focus on building a skillforce for the future. By investing in targeted upskilling and reskilling, supported by clear metrics on proficiency, progress, and gaps, they can drive innovation while continuously aligning learning to business needs.
However, for this to work, businesses need to ensure that talent development is embedded into the organisation’s very DNA. This means moving beyond simply offering courses to creating a culture where curiosity and growth are closely aligned with business goals.
Embedding structured talent practices, like biannual 9-box reviews and performance cycles aligned to strategic priorities, into the organisation’s strategy cascade enables leaders to continuously assess workforce capability, identify critical gaps, and steer targeted development.
By weaving these “Build” mechanisms into the core of talent management, organisations create a strong foundation for the other strategic levers of workforce agility: Buy, Borrow, and Bot. This integrated approach not only strengthens resilience but also ensures the workforce is primed for the demands of tomorrow.
Buy: Recruiting to close the gaps
As technological advancement accelerates, external hiring presents a strategic opportunity for organisations to stay ahead of the innovation curve and strengthen existing teams. But to ensure new hires deliver real impact, businesses must adopt a skills-based hiring approach; one that prioritises competencies over formal credentials.
This evolution involves adopting tools like skills assessments and scenario-based interviews to identify candidates who can contribute immediately and address critical capability gaps.
Equally important is the early-stage integration of external talent. New starters are more likely to thrive when they receive clear and consistent expectations on their role, required skills and desired outcomes. A robust onboarding paired with continuous upskilling will ensure that the new role not only supports business growth but also complements and elevates the existing team.
Borrow: Gain flexibility through external talent
Many departments may require specialised skills for a limited time, making it more efficient to “borrow” expertise from external sources like partner agencies, contractors, or consultants. This enables organisations to respond quickly and flexibly during periods of change or transformation.
However, just like recruiting permanent talent, success depends on the organisation’s ability to collaborate, communicate, and adapt. Internal teams must be open to learning from external experts and capable of managing the knowledge they bring, so it can be retained, embedded, and scaled across the business. By fostering a culture that embraces external input and integrates borrowed talent effectively, organisations can unlock short-term agility while building long-term capability.
When embedded strategically, the Borrow approach becomes more than a stopgap; it becomes a catalyst for innovation, knowledge transfer, and sustained competitive advantage.
Bot: Harnessing AI to strengthen the workforce
AI now plays a pivotal role in daily workforce operations, streamlining and accelerating a wide range of tasks to drive greater efficiency across the organisation. The emergence of digital employees, in the form of Agentic AI has further transformed the landscape. Just like human employees, AI agents have a set of key skills where they demonstrate proficiency, and like humans have the ability to be upskilled and reskilled in these areas. AI agents excel over human employees in skills such as Workflow Automation, Pattern Recognition, 24/7 Operational Ability. These skills allow them to autonomously perform tasks once reserved for humans. On the flip side Humans excel in skills such as leadership, critical thinking, emotional intelligence and alignment with company values.
The skillsforce of the future references workforce of humans and AI agents, who sit “side by side” collaborate, learn, adapt and grow together. A skill-based model of assigning work provides a framework that is applicable across both digital and human team member. Assignment of work will start with understanding what are the skills needed to get work done, followed by an evaluation of who is best positioned to do the work, a digital employee and human employee or a hybrid of both. This integrated approach ensures AI is not simply implemented, but embedded in a way that enhances human performance, drives strategic outcomes, and reinforces organisational culture.
Yet, the true value of AI lies in how effectively it is deployed. Organisations must ensure their employees have the knowledge and confidence to harness these tools, understanding both their capabilities and limitations. Striking the right balance between automation and human connection is essential.
To unlock AI’s full potential, businesses should focus on building intelligent, skills-based teams where humans and AI agents collaborate, learn and adapt together. This integrated approach ensures AI is not simply implemented, but embedded in a way that enhances human performance, drives strategic outcomes, and reinforces organisational culture.
Skills gap analysis: A strategic starting point
Applying the “Four Bs” framework, Build, Buy, Borrow, Bot, will look different for every organisation, depending on industry, strategic priorities, and workforce maturity. However, the framework offers a powerful lens through which to address the talent crisis in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.
The starting point is a skills gap analysis, which helps identify the most pressing capability shortages and anticipate future needs. This diagnostic step is essential for making informed decisions about where to invest, where to accelerate, and where to automate.
From there, organisations can:
- Build a strong foundation by prioritising individual and organisational skill development
- Buy, Borrow, and Bot with intent ensures the workforce is equipped and willing to adapt to new talent models and technologies
By applying the Four Bs strategically, organisations can move beyond reactive hiring and build a resilient, agile workforce that’s ready to meet both current demands and future disruption.
Ciara Harrington is Chief People Officer at Skillsoft
