Scale Funding at Avionté CONNECT 2026

The staffing industry is entering a new era, and the message from Avionté Connect 2026 was clear: agencies that embrace change will be the ones that thrive.

Across 3 days of keynotes, roundtables, and industry discussions, leaders from Avionté and the staffing community focused on labor market challenges, artificial intelligence, operational excellence, and evolving candidate expectations. While the topics varied, a common theme emerged: staffing firms must become more agile, data-driven, and technology-enabled to stay competitive.

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Discover how AI, evolving candidate expectations, and skills-based hiring are shaping the future of the industry.

1. Uncertainty Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage

During the CEO Keynote on August 6, Avionté CEO Dirk Izzo challenged attendees to rethink economic uncertainty.

“Uncertainty is our tailwind.”

Rather than viewing market volatility as a threat, he encouraged staffing leaders to see it as an opportunity. Businesses facing unpredictable hiring needs often turn to staffing firms for flexibility, creating opportunities for agencies that can respond quickly.

The labor market continues to face significant pressure across multiple sectors, including:

• Information Technology
• Healthcare
• Industrial Staffing
• Professional Services, including accounting and finance

He pointed to a growing labor squeeze driven by several factors:

• An aging workforce reaching retirement age
• Smaller generations entering the workforce
• Ongoing immigration challenges reducing available talent pools

For staffing agencies, these trends create both challenges and opportunities. As employers struggle to find qualified workers, staffing firms can play an even more critical role in connecting talent with open positions.

2. Talent Expectations Have Changed Forever

One of the most discussed topics throughout the conference was how dramatically candidate expectations have evolved.

Today’s workforce expects:

• Mobile-first experiences
• Text messaging over phone calls
• In-app communication
• Faster hiring processes
• Faster access to pay

For many candidates, especially temporary workers, convenience is no longer a differentiator. It’s an expectation.

Attendees noted that speed remains important, but speed alone is not the goal. Agencies must focus on delivering a smooth candidate experience that balances efficiency with quality.

The takeaway? Agencies that continue relying on traditional communication methods risk losing talent to competitors who meet candidates where they are: on their phones.

3. AI Is No Longer Optional

Artificial intelligence dominated conversations throughout Avionté Connect. Izzo’s message was straightforward: AI is not optional.

Yet surprisingly, conference speakers shared that fewer than half of staffing agencies have meaningfully adopted AI into their daily operations.

The focus wasn’t on replacing recruiters. Instead, speakers emphasized using AI to eliminate repetitive administrative work and create more time for recruiters to build relationships with candidates and clients.

As Izzo explained, the goal is to take the mundane tasks off recruiters’ plates so they can focus on higher-value activities.

During a session on growth trends, Reed Laws highlighted the importance of deep AI adoption as one of the key differentiators between agencies that are growing and those that are standing still. While the discussion left room for interpretation, the underlying message was clear: agencies need to start building AI capabilities now to prepare for future market shifts.

4. Operational Discipline Makes Technology Work

Technology alone doesn’t create results. That was one of the most practical lessons shared by Iris V. Miller who stressed that technology is only as effective as the processes supporting it.

According to Miller, operational discipline starts with something simple: Everyone must follow the same SOPs and workflows.

Why does that matter? Because consistency creates reliable data. Reliable data improves reporting accuracy, strengthens decision-making, and increases the effectiveness of AI tools. Without standardized processes, even the most advanced technology platforms struggle to deliver meaningful insights.

For staffing agencies looking to scale, operational excellence remains a foundational requirement alongside technology adoption.

5. Skills Are Becoming More Important Than Credentials

Another recurring theme was the shift toward skills-based hiring. Traditional credentials and educational requirements are becoming less important than proven abilities and experience.

Speakers highlighted how skills-based hiring often results in:

• More predictable hiring outcomes
• Better employee performance
• Longer worker tenure
• Improved placement success rates

As employers focus more on capabilities than resumes, staffing agencies have an opportunity to refine their screening and matching processes around skills rather than credentials alone.

6. Owning the Candidate Experience Matters More Than Ever

During a discussion led by Jane Hamilton, attendees explored the importance of owning the sourcing channel and creating a true 360-degree experience for candidates and clients.

The conversation centered on extending front-office capabilities while leveraging technology and specialized teams to support back-office functions.

The broader message was simple: agencies that own the candidate relationship will be better positioned to retain talent and grow market share.

AI Isn’t Eliminating Jobs, But It Is Redirecting Investment

One of the more nuanced conversations from the event focused on AI’s impact on employment. Speakers argued that AI is not currently replacing large numbers of staffing jobs. Instead, organizations are reallocating resources and investments toward AI initiatives.

A notable example discussed involved major technology companies redirecting investments toward AI development. The takeaway was that AI is reshaping business priorities rather than simply eliminating positions.

For staffing agencies, this means preparing for changing client needs while helping employers navigate workforce transformation.

The Future of Staffing: Local Relationships, Corporate Procurement

Another major trend discussed was the evolving structure of workforce planning. Organizations continue to centralize procurement and workforce strategy at the corporate level while maintaining local labor needs.

One quote captured this shift perfectly: “Staffing remains local and procurement becomes corporate.”

As companies pursue centralized workforce planning, staffing firms will need to balance enterprise-level relationships with local market expertise.

This trend may increase the importance of specialization, vertical expertise, and strong regional talent networks.

Final Thoughts

If there was one overarching message from Avionté Connect 2026, it was this:

• The future belongs to staffing agencies that combine technology, operational discipline, and human relationships.
• AI adoption is accelerating. Candidate expectations are rising. Labor shortages continue to challenge employers. Through it all, staffing firms remain uniquely positioned to help businesses adapt.
• The agencies that embrace AI, build consistent processes, focus on skills-based hiring, and create exceptional candidate experiences will be best equipped to capitalize on the opportunities ahead.
• As Dirk Izzo reminded attendees throughout the conference, uncertainty isn’t just a challenge. For prepared staffing firms, it can be a tailwind.

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