AI and technological changes are shifting the value of work. Roles often seen as vulnerable to automation are showing the strongest rate increases. This is evident from the latest Talent Monitor.
Strong increase in unexpected roles
Customer service, secretarial roles, and HR administration see the greatest growth within the freelance segment. Customer service staff see their rates increase by 15.8% and HR administration by 12.4%. Secretarial roles show similar growth. Despite this increase, absolute rates in these roles remain relatively low: an average of €64 per hour, compared to, for example, €89 per hour for specialised healthcare professionals.
Restructuring and temporary deployment as drivers
The rising rates are linked to restructuring and changing role distributions. AI accelerates the process: tasks are disappearing, roles are shifting, and teams are being reorganised. This results in three clear patterns:
- Junior roles disappear or shift first.
- Experienced professionals remain needed for continuity and specialisation.
- Temporary deployment supports reorganisations and implementations.
Whereas extra capacity was previously used mainly for growth, it is now often about bridging gaps and specific expertise, for example in the case of:
- Reorganisations.
- The implementation of AI solutions.
- The redesign of processes.
The structural demand may decrease in the long run, while the temporary need and demand for specific experience increase.
What this means for external hiring
Job title and education level are less indicative of rates than before. The content of the work and the experience someone brings weigh more heavily at present. Organisations can manage this by:
- Focusing on skills and employability instead of job profiles.
- Incorporating flexibility around technological changes.
- Combining permanent staff with targeted external expertise.
AI does not make roles redundant, but changes tasks and shifts the value of expertise. By deploying the right experience at the right time, you ensure that processes run smoothly, knowledge is retained, and new technologies are implemented quickly and effectively. This keeps your organisation agile, regardless of how the market changes.
Discover all the figures and trends in our latest Talent Monitor. This way, you'll know exactly which roles are under pressure, which rates are rising, and how to plan your external hiring smartly.
