As industries across the globe navigate unprecedented transformation driven by technology, shifting demographics, and evolving workforce expectations, we often find ourselves asking what it really means to be “future-ready.” At ArcelorMittal, the future is built on people and on a strategy rooted in adaptability, learning, and purpose.

Navigating the Ageing Workforce Challenge

One of the most pressing issues that global HR leaders process is the ageing of our workforce. As baby boomers exit the labour market, often sooner than expected due to factors like the pandemic, they take with them invaluable knowledge and experience. For ArcelorMittal, this isn’t just a demographic challenge; it’s a risk to continuity, expertise, and performance.

That’s why my team has taken a proactive, people-centric approach. This includes mapping when and where retirements will occur, identify successors early, and beginning knowledge transfer well in advance, sometimes a year before the transition. Retirement is not treated as a last-minute event but as part of a broader workforce plan that creates time for learning, coaching, and mentorship.

Embracing Generational Diversity

The modern workplace spans multiple generations, from baby boomers and Gen X to millennials and Gen Z, each with distinct values and expectations. We see this diversity as both a challenge and a tremendous strength.

Businesses must learn to never assume what younger generations want. Instead, focus on listening. Many of our older employees value loyalty and deep expertise, while younger colleagues often look for flexibility, work-life balance, and purpose-driven work. By engaging directly with our workforce, culture, offerings, and communication can adapt.

One practice I am especially proud of is our reverse mentoring programme. By creating opportunities for younger employees to share their perspectives on technology, digital tools, and cultural trends with senior leaders, we not only foster inclusion but also help our leadership stay adaptive and empathetic.

Rethinking Learning in the Age of Change

Skills become obsolete quickly, so learning can no longer be a one-time event. That’s why we champion a model of continuous, flexible learning that’s embedded into everyday work.

This strategy prioritizes experiential development, mentorship, and digital learning but retains the value of face-to-face engagement for onboarding, collaboration, and team building. Our internal university enables employees to create personalized learning journeys, access content relevant to their goals, and even co-create new programs.

The ultimate goal is empowerment: giving employees the tools and freedom to drive their own growth while ensuring our learning infrastructure remains modern, inclusive, and aligned with business needs.

Attracting and Retaining Talent with Purpose

Today’s talent is looking for more than a pay check. Many new hires want to work for companies that align with their values, whether that’s sustainability, innovation, or global impact. Younger employees in particular want their work to mean something.

We therefore aim to ensure ArcelorMittal is a company where purpose and performance go hand in hand. With roles that range from metallurgists and geologists to data scientists and engineers, and opportunities across the globe, we offer diverse and meaningful career paths. Unique rotation programs also give employees the chance to gain cross-border and cross-disciplinary experience.

Retention, comes from giving people space to grow, contribute, and stay aligned with company vision. ArcelorMittal invests in internal mobility, psychological safety, and continuous learning, all foundations of a culture where people want to build their careers.

Collaborating with Education to Shape Tomorrow’s Talent

Businesses cannot rely solely on the market for talent. We have a responsibility to help develop the skills of tomorrow ourselves.

That’s why we work closely with universities and communities worldwide. Leaders contribute to academic programs, and we create internships, PhD projects, and real-world challenges for students to solve with our teams. Beyond higher education, we also partner with local communities to provide vocational training and employability programs especially in places where access to quality education is limited.

These partnerships create shared value: we strengthen talent pipelines, and communities benefit from opportunity, innovation, and long-term support.

Facing the Future: AI, Automation, and Workforce Transformation

No discussion of the future of work is complete without talking about AI and automation. I don’t see technology as a threat, I see it as an enabler that augments human capability, enhances efficiency, and creates new value.

To get there, businesses need to build AI literacy across the organization so employees not only know how to use AI but feel empowered by it.

At the same time, I take the ethical side of AI very seriously. Data security, transparency, inclusivity, and trust must guide every decision as we embed AI into our operations.

A People-First Approach to the Future

The biggest lesson is this: the future of work isn’t just about technology, it’s about people. It’s about creating a workplace where every employee, regardless of generation, geography, or role, feels seen, valued, and empowered to grow.

Through succession planning, multigenerational engagement, personalized learning, educational partnerships, and responsible AI adoption, at ArcelorMittal, we are building a truly future-ready workforce.

In this new world of work, it’s not only about doing things better, it’s about doing better things.