People 1st EMEA 2025: Key Takeaways

Last week the Evidenced team joined Talent, HR and People Ops leaders at the People 1st EMEA conference for a day of thought-provoking discussion around AI adoption, workforce transformation, and the future of wellbeing at work.

Our Key Takeaways

The AI Reality Check: Readiness vs. Hype

A clear theme throughout the event was that whilst AI adoption is accelerating, many organisations still lack clarity on why they’re using it. Businesses feel they need AI to stay competitive, yet struggle to define meaningful use cases or measure maturity.

It was noted that adoption becomes much easier when there's a clear purpose for AI use; organisations that map tasks to skills, identify where AI can support, and communicate that purpose effectively see far higher engagement.

However, the speakers shared a striking statistic: 95% of AI projects are failing. They discussed many reasons for it, including a mix of poor data literacy, unclear objectives, and a lack of skilled “AI champions” to lead the way.

Ultimately, it was agreed that rather than seeing AI rollout as an IT initiative, it should sit within the People function, to be embedded into a company with a human first approach and used as an enabler, not a replacement.

Skills, Structure, and Change

Another key takeaway was the urgent need for skills data and taxonomies that actually fit into the flow of work. Many HR leaders acknowledged that traditional skill frameworks haven’t translated into real career mobility - particularly for the “missing middle,” where redeployment remains rare.

Moreover, with talent acquisition slowing and cost pressures mounting, TA teams are increasingly being pulled into internal mobility and re-skilling. This shift requires HR teams to become more data-driven, building confidence in people analytics and AI literacy.

It was also noted that as AI reshapes roles, organisations risk becoming “diamond-shaped,” with fewer mid-level opportunities and a widening talent bottleneck. Potential solutions were discussed as being to create more “player-coach” roles that blend leadership with hands-on contribution, and nurturing smart generalists who thrive in ambiguity.

Wellbeing: From Reactive to Proactive

Beyond technology, the conversation turned to the human side of change. Wellbeing was a strong focus, with many advocating for a shift from reactive interventions to proactive, colleague-owned wellbeing cultures.

Executives were encouraged to sponsor but not dominate wellbeing initiatives, allowing peer-led groups to thrive and giving employees permission to use available tools - not just when they’re struggling.

Psychological safety emerged as a foundation, as employees will only use mental health provisions if they feel safe to do so. It was stressed that leaders must model the behaviours they want to see by taking time for their own wellbeing too.

E.ON UK x Evidenced Fireside Chat

In the afternoon, our COO Lewis Moore sat down with Sally Lane, Head of People Development at E.ON UK, for a fireside chat exploring how E.ON is preparing its workforce for the energy transition. Sally shared how the organisation is using Evidenced to embed structured, skills-based interviewing across its hiring processes - bringing consistency, transparency, and data-driven insight into how roles are assessed.

With around 400,000 new jobs needed across the UK energy sector by 2030, E.ON is taking a proactive approach to re-skilling, guided by its Future Skills Framework and My Skills Guide competency model. Both tools help leaders identify emerging skill needs and build meaningful development conversations across teams.

By digitising interviews with Evidenced, E.ON can now see which skills are being prioritised, where gaps exist, and how to coach hiring managers more effectively. Sally also highlighted how this structure supports inclusion and fairness, giving every candidate - internal or external - a transparent view of what’s being assessed. The result is a clear, data-informed link between recruitment, development, and the future-ready skills needed to power the energy transition.

Looking Ahead

The overarching message from People 1st was clear: AI, skills, and wellbeing are deeply interconnected. To succeed, organisations must combine purposeful technology adoption with a genuine commitment to human growth.

A huge thank you to the organisers and speakers at Beamery, Awardco, MYNDUP and Zellis for creating an open, inspiring space for People leaders to learn and connect.