What does it mean to be “ready” for a role? In 2026, HR leaders will measure employee readiness not by course completions or scores, but by how quickly people can contribute, no matter what is happening around them.
“Readiness no longer means completing a training or passing a test,” says Jayney Howson, senior vice president of global workforce skills and talent readiness at ServiceNow. “It means showing up ready to perform in an environment that’s constantly evolving.” She describes this as a move away from passive consumption toward learning that is active, applied and connected to daily work.
Howson expects a broader change in learning culture. Traditional training models, long treated as scheduled, siloed and separate from the work itself, are giving way to continuous development supported by real-time validation.
Through ServiceNow University, Howson spearheads talent and workforce transformation, helping the company reach its goal of upskilling 3 million learners by 2027.
In Howson’s view, organizations will prioritize “minimum viable time to readiness,” tracking how quickly someone can apply new skills rather than how many hours they spend in training.
The rise of the ‘mind gym’
As AI takes on more cognitive load, workers are left with the functions that machines can’t replicate: judgment, creativity and the ability to lead with clarity in uncertain situations. Those capabilities, Howson argues, need their own form of deliberate practice for new training approaches.
She calls these spaces “mind gyms,” settings where employees can exercise the mental and interpersonal muscles required to stay sharp in an AI-driven workplace. The goal, she says, isn’t a one-time learning event. “Like a real gym habit, it’s short, frequent repetitions that build strength over time.”
These mind gyms reflect a shift toward learning that is personalized, adaptive and delivered at the moment of need. They support what Howson describes as three core human advantages: cognitive fitness, character strength and trust.
She points to research from thinkers like Adam Grant, Seth Godin and Brené Brown that has reinforced the importance of these traits. She argues these are becoming the “only sustainable competitive advantage when AI handles technical execution.”
Guarding against cognitive dependency
Early-career talent faces a unique challenge in the AI era. With machines increasingly able to take on routine tasks, young workers risk losing the opportunity to build foundational skills through practice.
This concern is reflected in recent research. Based on new research from ServiceNow and non-profit org Comic Relief, Howson points out that Gen Z’s top worry isn’t job loss; rather, it’s the potential for cognitive decline. They fear that heavy reliance on AI could erode human intelligence, creativity and social connection. More than 65% of respondents in the study said they want stronger AI governance.
“Organizations have a choice: Automate for efficiency or enable for growth,” she says. “[ServiceNow is] choosing growth.” That means creating structured spaces where employees can test decisions, build resilience and strengthen their own thinking alongside AI. Habits, feedback loops and communities of practice become core elements of early-career development, she says.
A widening trust gap
Even as organizations invest heavily in AI tools, Howson expects a trust gap to emerge by 2026, one that many leaders won’t see coming. When organizations measure trust in both directions, asking not only how much employees trust leadership but also how much employees feel trusted by leadership, she anticipates a discrepancy.
“Employees may not feel empowered, informed or equipped to thrive in an AI-native workplace,” she says. Leaders may assume that giving employees access to tools is enough. However, Howson says that without equal investment in skills and confidence, employees can feel left behind. A two-way trust index can reveal this gap, she suggests. It helps organizations close it through clearer communication, personalized learning and spaces for ongoing practice.
What human leadership looks like now
Human leadership in 2026, Howson says, means “making it safe to grow.” With 90% of employees expected to need new skills by 2030, according to reporting from Boston Consulting Group, learning has shifted from optional to essential. Leaders must extend trust through autonomy, model vulnerability and create a protected space for experimentation.
Psychological safety becomes the foundation of transformation. When employees feel secure enough to take risks, they are more willing to try, fail, adjust and try again. That is where growth takes root.
Howson outlines three leadership capabilities that define effective guidance. These are developing mindset and character, communicating clearly with emotional intelligence and championing change together. These qualities, she notes, are not aspirational. They are practical necessities for navigating constant learning and change.
Normalizing experimentation and failure
To keep pace with rapid skill demands, HR leaders are also rethinking how organizations relate to failure. Learning environments built on fear or perfectionism slow transformation. Howson says the answer is to “start with play.”
Drawing on principles from cognitive science, she describes an environment where exploration, social connection and joyful repetition foster mastery. This approach helps people build both skill and confidence. Howson says that adults learn best when they feel safe, engaged and free to experiment. When that happens, progress accelerates.
“We’re replacing ‘don’t break this’ with ‘let’s try this,’ ” she says. “When experimentation is normalized, progress accelerates. And when people feel safe to play, they grow stronger and more prepared for what comes next.”
Credit: Source link
