Gareth Flynn on Workforce Reinvention, Skills Kool-Aid, and Why HR Must Get Real About AI

There’s a seismic shift happening in the world of work—and if you blink, you might miss it.

In this episode of Skills Connect, Reejig CEO Siobhan Savage is joined by Gareth Flynn, Founder and Managing Director of TQ Solutions, to unpack the real story behind skills strategy, AI disruption, and the reinvention of work itself.

With two decades at the helm of workforce transformation, Gareth’s insights cut through the noise. From calling out the “skills Kool-Aid” to urging companies to face AI’s impact honestly, this one’s for every leader ready to stop spinning wheels and start building what’s next.

1. “I had to ask myself—had I drunk the skills Kool-Aid?”

Gareth admits he once went all-in on skills strategies. But a moment of reflection (and a dog walk) led him to a bold rethink.

“I started wondering… are we solving the wrong problem?”

The big shift? Realizing that skills aren’t the foundation—work is. To redesign the future of work, you need to start with task intelligence: a detailed, data-driven understanding of what work actually needs to be done.

Takeaway: Skills are the outcome. Task intelligence is the input. Stop starting at the end.

2. “AI doesn’t automate skills. It automates tasks.”

This might be the most misunderstood truth in workforce strategy today.

“One task can require five different skills. If you’re trying to automate using skills alone, your data is wrong.”

AI is a task engine. And if your workforce planning isn’t task-first, you’re flying blind.

Takeaway: Don’t confuse the tool with the target. Get clear on the work before chasing the skills.

3. “Workforce analysis is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a survival skill”

The market is already shifting. CEOs, CFOs, and CHROs are no longer asking if they should reinvent. They’re asking how fast they can do it.

“If you’re not rethinking your operating model, you’re going to have a Kodak moment.”

From legacy job architectures to outdated HR tech, Gareth says it’s time to blow it up and start again—with a dynamic work ontology that reflects how work actually gets done.

Takeaway: Forget job titles. Build a common language of work. And start now.

4. “There’s a lot of BS in the market right now”

Many vendors are selling a feel-good future—one where AI simply augments humans and everyone gets a better job. Gareth’s not buying it.

“We need to stop lying to our workforces. Not everyone is coming on the journey—and we need to be honest about that.”

Whether it's agents replacing repetitive workflows or AI cutting operational costs, leaders must own the impact and plan responsibly.

Takeaway: Reinvention must be bold and responsible. Build with heart—but lead with truth.

5. “If you don’t teach your people how to amplify themselves, none of this works”

The tech is only half the battle. The other half? Adoption.

“You could build the best agents in the world. But if your people don’t use them, it fails.”

To succeed, organizations need to set new expectations, create a “what’s in it for me,” and show employees how to amplify themselves with AI—not fear it.Takeaway: Your transformation is only as strong as your people’s buy-in. Show them the benefit, or they’ll opt out.

Final Thought: This isn’t about tweaks. It’s about reinvention.

As Gareth puts it:

“If I were 25 again, I’d build an AI-native business from the ground up—and I’d ask myself: Who am I going to disrupt?”

This is the moment for every company to decide: Will you reinvent? Or be reinvented by someone else?

Love bold conversations like these? Tune in live to Skills Connect every Wednesday at 11am EST.