Luxembourg faces a talent exodus whilst AI reshapes hiring. Matassa Recruiting’s founder Enrica Pellegrini makes the case for placing human skills at the heart of retention strategies.
1. Looking ahead to 2026, what’s your vision for the company? Where do you see Matassa Recruiting making the biggest impact?
Enrica: The start of 2026 already feels very different from the start of 2025. The world of work is changing faster than ever. Skills that felt essential just a few years ago can quickly become outdated. In this context, the real question is no longer what we know, but how we work, adapt, and make decisions.
That is why I believe it is very important to reaffirm a strong belief that has guided Matassa’s philosophy since its inception in 2019: human skills are not a soft add-on to technical expertise, but they are its foundation.
2. Is this what you are referring to when you mention “Human-shaped recruiting”?
For years, social and interpersonal skills were labelled as “soft,” as if they were optional or secondary. Things like emotional intelligence, communication, empathy, and conflict resolution, they were rarely prioritized in hiring, development, or leadership metrics.
Today they sit at the core of organizational performance. You can’t lead remote teams, run cross-functional projects, or balance speed, quality, and wellbeing without them. In 2026, these are not nice-to-have skills — they’re mission-critical.
3. Based on your experience, what practical actions have proven most effective in helping organizations retain talent in fast-changing environments?
Retaining talent today means building adaptability.
New tools emerge before old ones are fully mastered. Business models shift. Entire functions are redefined in the span of months, not years. Best retaining practices shall include training people to manage change, unlearn outdated habits, and work through uncertainty — not assuming they’ll “figure it out.”
Invest in continuous learning, transparent communication, and flexible career paths. People stay where they feel supported, relevant, and able to grow as roles and tools evolve.
4. AI is transforming recruitment globally. How do you see it playing a role in your work, and how do you balance technology with your human-centered approach?
No reflection on the future of work would be complete without addressing AI. Opportunities are enormous. But so are the ethical implications.
As algorithms increasingly influence hiring, evaluation, access to services, and information, we face fundamental questions about human rights, fairness, bias, accountability, and dignity. Technology can optimize — but it cannot replace moral responsibility.
Ethical judgment is emerging as a core skill for leaders and professionals alike. It requires critical thinking, moral awareness, and the courage to question automated outcomes. In 2026, this may be one of the most underestimated — and most necessary — capabilities of all.
5. Do you want to leave us with a human-centered takeaway for 2026?
Technology will continue to evolve at extraordinary speed. That is inevitable. What remains a choice is “where we place our focus”.
My takeaway for 2026 is simple but demanding: the faster technology advances, the more intentionally we must invest in people. In their human skills. In their ability to connect, adapt, and judge ethically.
Because in a world where almost everything can be automated, what makes the real difference is still — and perhaps more than ever — deeply human.
Pellegrini’s message is clear: in Luxembourg’s fast-evolving market, organisations that invest in people’s adaptability and value human skills will outpace those chasing CVs and automation alone.
