Silicon Luxembourg hosted its first “State of Talent” on Wednesday, unveiling its newest issue and bringing together more than a hundred HR and talent leaders for an evening dedicated to future-proofing Luxembourg’s workforce.
Held at PwC Luxembourg, the event featured speakers from major institutions including PwC Luxembourg, BIL, ADEM, RMT Labs and Up Luxembourg, each offering insights into the challenges shaping the Grand Duchy’s labour market.
A roundtable discussion moderated by Georges Weyer followed, featuring Veronika Stepanova (BIL), Killian Glendon (RMT Labs), Emeline Barbenchon (PwC Luxembourg) and Laurent Peusch (ADEM).
Peusch, Head of Employer Services at ADEM, highlighted Luxembourg’s persistent skills mismatch and the need for greater international visibility. He pointed to initiatives such as the new “Work in Luxembourg” portal, designed to guide professionals considering relocation.
AI’s expanding role in recruitment
A major theme of the discussion was the growing influence of AI in talent management. Barbenchon explained how technology can help companies map internal skills, activate dormant talent pools and identify employees who can be trained into emerging roles. “Once you have this data, it’s easier to navigate,” she said, emphasising that AI should support, not replace human decision-making.
Glendon echoed this view, noting that AI can remove repetitive tasks but “can’t make those decisions” without proper training, governance and bias controls.
Retention: shifting expectations
Retention emerged as another central topic. Where salary and company cars once dominated employees’ decisions to stay, expectations have shifted. Glendon noted that transparency has reshaped the landscape: salary ranges are now widely accessible, giving candidates immediate clarity. For many applicants, he said, “it’s not just the salary, it’s about the culture, the training allowance.”
Barbenchon added that flexibility has become essential, particularly for younger generations.
Stepanova expanded on the declining importance of purely financial incentives. “A healthy environment is really important, or else people will be leaving,” she said. She stressed the need for creativity in retention strategies, especially for younger talent. Traditional benefits such as complementary pension schemes are harder to sell to someone in their 20s. Instead, offering alternative early-career retention programmes focused on training and well-being.
Preparing for transformation, not replacement
The closing discussion returned to the question of AI replacing human jobs. Stepanova acknowledged that “of course there will be jobs that won’t exist anymore—that’s for sure,” but emphasised that new roles will emerge in parallel. “We need to train people in AI,” she said, underlining the importance of preparation. “Transformation? Yes. Only AI and robots? No.”
“Retention is not a lock, it’s more a garden”
The evening concluded with a keynote from Delphine Berlemont, PwC Luxembourg’s Head of Human Resources. She challenged traditional views of retention with a vivid analogy: “Retention is not a lock, it’s more a garden. Gardens don’t grow with a higher fence, they grow when you create the environment in which people want to stay.”
Berlemont stressed that healthy retention is not about achieving zero turnover but about cultivating trust, inclusion and everyday moments of connection. “People don’t leave organisations, they leave the culture,” she reminded the audience.
