Medtech talent leaders face a myriad of challenges in 2025 as the industry anticipates more uncertainty ahead. After last year’s normalization of the supply chain, tariffs imposed by the new administration in the U.S. may lead to shifting talent demands. At the same time, deregulation that will likely occur requires companies to become more agile and reconfigure their workforce in response. So, how are medtech and other life sciences companies preparing for what is sure to be a turbulent year ahead?

In its 10th annual Talent Trends research, Randstad Enterprise surveyed 1,060 organizations in 21 markets on their challenges and opportunities in 2025.¹ What we discovered was equally encouraging and concerning. Among life sciences companies, an enthusiastic embrace of AI, skills-building, and redefining work is accelerating the life-saving innovations these businesses create every day. At the same time, lingering challenges from the pandemic such as inflation and economic uncertainty remain the top concerns for talent leaders around the world. Without a doubt, they are bracing for more disruption ahead.

The Culture-Shaping Power of AI

Every company is focused on harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI), and our data reveals the extent to which technology is affecting not only how people do their jobs but also their relationship with employers. AI is having a metamorphic effect on corporate culture in ways never before possible. For instance, identifying high-potential talent to nurture and promote has always been a core function of human resources, but now this capability is being amplified exponentially thanks to the rise of AI-powered tools and intelligence. This is accelerating efforts to create a high-performance, outcome-based culture. In fact, 59% of life sciences leaders said they are investing in AI to analyze and recommend high-potential employees for leadership and/or promotions—more than any other reasons for adopting this technology.

There are other ways in which AI is reshaping company culture. To promote equity, 43% of life sciences companies surveyed are using it to reduce bias in relation to employee development and talent mobility. Nearly as many (42%) said AI is transforming how they service customers and how internal business is conducted. Furthermore, advancements in learning and development platforms enabled by AI facilitate bespoke learning and development for all employees, setting up the opportunity to super charge everyone.

All of these benefits help workers focus on higher-value tasks and become more efficient, innovative, and productive. This is leading to medtech workers feeling supported, individualized, and engaged with their jobs, co-workers, and organization. In fact, more than three-quarters (76%) of talent leaders said technology is creating a more personalized talent experience. Such sentiments not only lead to higher retention but also a more cohesive workplace culture and higher job satisfaction. This is especially critical for the industry as it competes for Gen Z and Millennial talent against better-recognized tech brands.

Redefining the Future of Work Starts Today

While the hallmark of the medtech industry is innovation, AI advancements not only have the potential to accelerate not just product development but all business functions, especially those affecting talent. One of the most profound ways this is occurring is in the pixelation of work, a process in which companies deconstruct jobs into tasks or “pixels” that can be performed with a variety of resources, including both people and technology.² These pixels are reorganized around desired outcomes, enabling dynamic reconfiguration to changing needs and priorities. Such an approach can minimize the impact of talent scarcity, optimize resourcing, enhance workforce agility, and improve cost efficiencies.
While this trend has been ongoing for some time, the proliferation of AI and other technology has accelerated its advancements. The shift from traditional full-time, permanent headcount to a more flexible and agile workforce has steadily risen since 2009, with the share of contingent talent growing from 12% to 22% of a workforce.³ This year, our research finds 73% of talent leaders said workforce agility is a top priority for their business and are investing in many ways to achieve this. The pixelation of work will indeed help them reach this goal.

At the same time, the AI revolution holds many ramifications for the future of work in medical devices. Talent and their employers must take steps to embrace and transition into this new era, starting with assessing the forthcoming changes to the industry, business, and organization. This will facilitate workforce planning, skills mapping, talent acquisition, and learning and development. Many companies are already well underway in the process, and some of the world’s largest medtech manufacturers we support are well invested in people, technology, and processes to accelerate their journey to success. In fact, 82% tell us HR technology, AI, and automation have had a positive impact on their business—the highest-reported positive influence for life sciences companies this year.

Beyond talent strategy, some are deploying their own versions of ChatGPT to create more efficient clinical trials or to help regulatory affairs personnel conduct their work. Product development times will likely shorten with the support of AI and analytical tools. This means commercialization efforts such as hiring sales staff and ramping up marketing campaigns may need to start earlier in the development cycle. Even post-market surveillance will fundamentally improve with the help of AI, since large volumes can be efficiently analyzed by quality assurance professionals using AI tools.

An Urgent Need to Focus on Skills

These changes place an urgent need for device makers to focus on skills-building for the future. Many companies are doing this by transforming into skills-based organizations, which prioritize people’s inherent abilities and potential, not just degrees and pedigree. Our research finds 82% of life sciences talent leaders said their organizations are already skills-based or in the process of transforming. Many are making this move because they believe it will help them better prepare for the future (40%), create better talent development outcomes (42%), and achieve better hiring outcomes (36%) than past approaches.

A skills-based approach also entails a robust learning and coaching strategy to accelerate employee development. This is one of the areas also primed for transformation with AI. By assessing and identifying the skills the organization needs for the future, and the areas in which talent are interested, AI learning platforms can recommend courses and provide career guidance to advance knowledge. Employers can further benefit from this learning through internal mobility. The rise of talent marketplaces and the internal gig economy are creating new work arrangements that allow people to acquire on-the-job experience while using their strengths across functions and businesses, benefitting themselves and their employers.

While 2025 will surely bring more disruption and uncertainty to the medtech industry, talent leaders are not idling by waiting for these challenges to unfold. Our data show they are actively investing in technology, learning, and culture building so their workforces are ready for any contingency that will come their way. For the industry, this groundbreaking work will mean getting life-saving and life-improving products into the hands of clinicians and consumers more quickly and efficiently. v

References
¹ tinyurl.com/mpo250391
² tinyurl.com/mpo250392
³ tinyurl.com/mpo250393

MORE FROM RANDSTAD: Talent Experience—Medical Device Firms’ Next Competitive Advantage

Elke de Loecker is EVP, Global Head of Enterprise Sales, driving growth for EMEA HQ-based organizations and supporting their talent lifecycles. With 20+ years of experience, she specializes in workforce transformation, solution design, and talent strategy, with a strong focus on life sciences, technology, and energy.