The War for Shared Services Talent Is Here — And You Might Be Underprepared

The AI hype might be loud, but let’s be honest: people still run the show. And right now, the people powering Shared Services are rethinking everything. 

If you’re leading a Shared Services or GBS org and still treating talent like a back-office function, this report will hit like a brick.

We surveyed global leaders and dug deep with ScottMadden to uncover how Shared Services are really navigating the new talent equation.

Here’s what you need to know – and what to do about it.

The Skills That Matter Now – and the One Gaining Ground Fast 

It’s not about headcount anymore. It’s about capability gaps that block transformation.

The #1 skill in demand? Problem solving.

Close behind: digital proficiency and data analytics. 

These aren’t just buzzwords. They’re capabilities that directly enable:

🟨 Faster decision making 

🟨 Self-service analytics 

🟨 Embedding AI into core workflows 

🟨 Business partnership - not back-office processing 

Also worth noting: between 2021 and 2024, empathy and stakeholder engagement have more than doubled in importance – a clear signal that Shared Services teams are being asked to operate as consultative partners, not just execution engines. 

 Gen Z Isn’t Leaving – They Were Never Staying!

Retaining younger talent isn’t just hard – it’s rare. 

84% of leaders believe Gen Z will stay less than 3 years.

But it’s not a loyalty crisis. It’s a relevance gap. 

Gen Z isn’t walking away because they lack commitment – they’re walking away from environments that don’t reflect what matters most to them. In 2025, that means: 

🟨 Remote-first flexibility (71%)

🟨 Strong, authentic culture (57%)

🟨 Fair compensation (50%)

🟨 Tech-enabled environments (47%)

🟨 Autonomy over hours (46%)

These aren’t perks — they’re prerequisites. 

Your Recruitment Playbook Is Broken – But Fixable

Gen Z’s short tenure isn’t just a retention issue – it exposes the misalignment in your hiring model. Most Shared Services still recruit for yesterday’s roles, then wonder why top talent disengages.

Today’s top talent demands digital dexterity, strategic problem solving, business acumen, and relationship intelligence…not just transactional execution. 

If your job descriptions don’t reflect this shift, and if your recruiters aren’t aligned, they’re hiring for yesterday’s model. 

But recruitment is only half the battle. 

With shorter average tenures and rising expectations, high-performing teams are rethinking what happens after the hire. 

🟨 Fast-tracking onboarding and capability development

🟨 Embedding mentorship and rotational programs

🟨 Redesigning career growth in shorter, agile cycles

Career paths today aren’t linear – and Gen Z isn’t waiting. They value project-based wins, lateral moves, and continuous learning over traditional ladders. This isn’t just a hiring challenge – it’s a full-scale redesign of the employee experience.

What You Should Do Next

The data speaks for itself: time, budget, and internal capability are the biggest roadblocks to upskilling Shared Services teams. But they’re not excuses – they’re strategy gaps.

High-performing GBS teams are responding by:

🟨 Focusing efforts where it counts: Map current capability gaps to future-state priorities so training isn’t a luxury – it’s mission-critical. 

🟨 Co-owning the talent agenda with HR: The smartest GBS leaders aren’t waiting for HR to lead. They’re shaping learning pathways that support operational goals – and accelerate performance.

🟨 Bringing in scalable, ready-to-run solutions: If building internal expertise is slow or unrealistic, external programs like the GBS Certification Program (beginning September 9th) offer proven frameworks, practitioner-led coaching, and flexible formats that work around real-world demands.

🟨 Redesigning the experience, not just the training: Upskilling works when it’s part of a culture – not a checkbox. That means creating space for continuous learning, internal mobility, and career progression that reflects today’s pace – especially for Gen Z.

Final Thought

🟨 There’s no transformation without talent. 

🟨 You can’t automate your way out of a workforce strategy. 

🟨 And if you’re not investing in the people powering your services, someone else will. 

AI might be accelerating the future of Shared Services, but it’s your people who’ll make or break it. From redesigning roles to reimagining retention, the organizations winning today are those treating talent like a strategy, not a support function.

The full report goes deeper, including functional skills shortages, retention strategies, and how to build a future-ready capability pipeline.

👉 Download the full Talent Strategy Report from SSON Research & Analytics
https://www.sson-analytics.com/hr-talent-workforce/reports/how-to-drive-an-effective-talent-strategy-for-shared-services-2

Want to see how your GBS team stacks up?
Access over 50 Shared Services talent benchmarks – from attrition and onboarding, to digital proficiency, leadership development, and more – all available via our self-service benchmarking tool.

Until next time, Naomi Secor, Global Managing Director, SSON Research & Analytics