a different mix of duties for early-career workers at IBM. Since AI tools can handle most routine coding tasks, the company’s junior software developers now spend less time on that and more time working with customers. In the HR department, entry-level staffers now spend time intervening when HR chatbots fall short, correcting output and talking to managers as needed, rather than fielding every question themselves.
Slashing early-career recruitment may save money in the short run, but it risks creating a scarcity of mid-level managers later on, LaMoreaux said. That could force firms to poach talent from competitors, which tends to be more costly than promoting internally. Those hires also typically take longer to acclimate to the company’s culture and systems than those trained in-house, she said.
Some executives and economists argue that younger workers are a better investment for companies in the midst of technological upheaval.