How Labor Markets Decide Who Gets Hired with Gregory Haile

What happens when companies say they can’t find talent while millions of highly skilled people remain underutilized? Why are qualified doctors, engineers, and technologists still overlooked in a labor market desperate for talent? In this episode of The Future of Less Work, host Nirit Cohen sits down with Gregory Haile, CEO of Upwardly Global, Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, and Chairman of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, to explore the growing mismatch between labor shortages and hidden talent. As demographic decline shrinks the traditional workforce pipeline, Gregory argues that the real problem is not simply a lack of talent, but outdated systems for recognizing it. The conversation explores how employers still rely on familiar credentials, networks, career paths, and signals of credibility that increasingly fail to reflect real capability. From internationally trained doctors driving taxis to highly skilled immigrants blocked by hiring systems they don’t understand, the episode uncovers how labor markets continue to overlook talent already available and ready to work. Together, they discuss why AI could either widen or narrow access to opportunity, how skills-based hiring still struggles against old assumptions, and why continuous learning, critical thinking, and adaptability are becoming essential in a world where skills change faster than ever before. If you’re trying to understand why companies struggle to find talent while capable people remain unseen — and how AI, demographics, and workforce redesign are reshaping who gets hired and who gets left behind — this episode explores the future of talent recognition itself. Guest Information: Gregory Haile is a nationally recognized leader at the intersection of economic mobility, workforce innovation, and U.S. competitiveness. As CEO of Upwardly Global—the nation's leading organization advancing the integration of internationally trained professionals into the American workforce—he works to unlock overlooked talent at a moment when workforce shortages, demographic shifts, and global competition demand smarter, more inclusive talent strategies. Greg also serves as Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the first educator to hold the role in 70 years, and as a Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, where his research examines how economic mobility, workforce readiness, and AI intersect with U.S. national security and global competitiveness. A former college president, corporate litigator, and advisor to businesses and governments, Greg brings a systems-level perspective across education, finance, public policy, and innovation. Chapters: 00:00 Why Companies Can't Find Talent While Millions Remain Unemployed 03:20 Will Demographic Decline Create a Permanent Talent Shortage? 07:33 Why Employers Still Miss Qualified Talent 08:55 Can Skills-Based Hiring Replace Degrees and Credentials? 10:05 How To Get Hired When AI Screens Your Resume 12:08 What Human Skills Matter Most In An AI Economy? 14:35 Why Young Professionals Still Need To Learn Without AI 16:07 Which Hiring Assumptions No Longer Match Reality? 17:00 Why Your Network Still Determines Your Career Opportunities 18:15 Will Remote Work Expand Access To Global Talent? 19:04 Why Companies Overlook Talent Hiding In Plain Sight 22:01 Can AI Help Employers Recognize Hidden Talent? 23:08 How Labor Markets Must Change To Solve Talent Shortages 24:32 Why Qualified Doctors Still Can't Get Hired 27:39 The $40 Billion Cost Of Wasting Skilled Talent 29:30 How Can We Increase Productivity Without Sacrificing Meaningful Work? ---- Welcome to the Future of Less Work! I’m Nirit Cohen, a Forbes columnist, international keynote speaker, and former senior HR executive with 30 years at Intel. On this channel, I explore how work is changing—across careers, leadership, HR, organizations, and education—through global trends like AI, flexibility, and workforce transformation. 📌 Each week, I share sharp insights and in-depth conversations with global thought leaders to help you understand what’s changing, why it matters, and how to stay ahead. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly videos:    / @niritcohen   🎙️ Listen on your favorite platform: https://workfutures.niritcohen.com/po... 💼 Visit Nirit’s website: https://workfutures.niritcohen.com/ 📩 For speaking inquiries & collaborations email: [email protected] 🌲All my content in one place: 🌲https://linktr.ee/niritcohen Let’s shape the future of work together!