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HR Priorities Shift in 2025: Leadership Development and Retention Take Center Stage, Says New HR Trends Report from McLean & Company

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A new report from McLean & Company, one of the world’s leading HR research and advisory firms, highlights the critical priorities for HR organizations in 2025. The firm’s research reveals that leadership development, employee retention, and cost management are essential focus areas for HR as organizations adapt to shifting economic conditions and evolving workforce expectations. These priorities reflect HR’s growing role in driving organizational success and navigating the challenges of the future of work. 

TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ – As HR leaders seek to prepare their teams and organizations for a future defined by rapid technological advancements, shifting organizational priorities, and an uncertain economic landscape, they are increasingly challenged to identify the most critical areas of focus that will support long-term organizational success. To provide HR leaders with guidance as they navigate the future of work, McLean & Company’s recently published HR Trends Report 2025 offers data-backed insights into the top five priorities for HR in 2025. The new report emphasizes that recruitment has been displaced as HR’s top priority for the first time in five years, replaced by developing leaders and reflecting a growing emphasis on internal talent cultivation and cost-effective workforce strategies.

The annual report draws on insights from 779 HR and business professionals across diverse industries and regions, including North America (84%), Europe (6%), Asia (4%), Oceania (2%), Latin America (2%), Africa (2%), and Middle East (1%). Respondents’ industries included manufacturing, finance and insurance, healthcare and social assistance, educational services, public administration, retail trade, construction, transportation and warehousing, professional, scientific, and technical services, and more. The wide scope of feedback highlights the critical role HR plays in preparing organizations for the unpredictable future.

“It is time to push the boundaries of HR’s comfort zone. HR leaders have a unique opportunity to redefine their impact in 2025 by prioritizing leadership development and retention,” says Will Howard, practice lead, HR Research & Advisory Services at McLean & Company. “These areas not only address immediate organizational needs but also lay the foundation for long-term growth by ensuring a strong internal talent pipeline.”

In the report, McLean & Company outlines the top five priorities for HR in 2025, as detailed below:

Developing Leaders. Leadership development ranks as HR’s foremost priority in 2025. HR’s effectiveness at developing leaders has an immense impact on financial outcomes like optimizing costs and growing revenues. The case for increasing investments in HR’s ability to develop leaders is clear, with research revealing that organizations excelling in this area are 1.9 times more likely to be high performing at achieving strategic goals and objectives and 1.7 times more likely to be high performing at revenue growth.

Retaining Employees. Employee retention is a new addition to the firm’s reporting and ranked exceptionally high on the list of critical HR priorities as organizations shift focus from external recruitment to strengthening internal talent pools, helping to mitigate high turnover costs. The report’s findings point to strategic listening as integral to delivering on HR’s second and fourth priorities in 2025 – retention and the employee experience. Despite the important role employee listening plays in retention, few organizations are listening to the employee voice strategically. McLean & Company’s new report spotlights that only 23% of organizations have a formal employee listening strategy, emphasizing the need for HR organizations to take steps to improve in this area.

Controlling Labor Costs. Labor cost management remains a key priority amid continued economic pressures, prompting HR to adopt strategic workforce planning and cost-optimization measures. As explained in the firm’s report, being strategic about total rewards is key to controlling labor costs. When HR has a formal total rewards strategy, they are 1.9 times more likely to be highly effective at controlling labor costs and maximizing the value of labor spend compared to those with no total rewards strategy. Labor costs are often the organization’s biggest expense, making a total rewards strategy essential to ensuring investments are directed in a controlled and impactful way.

Enhancing Employee Experience. Providing a positive employee experience remains critical in maintaining engagement and productivity. McLean & Company’s trends report notes that when used in HR, AI enhances key employee experience outcomes, including talent acquisition, the candidate experience, talent management, and learning & development. Though AI adoption within HR is increasing, there is still much progress to be made, with only 42% of HR respondents indicating they have implemented AI in HR. This is an indicator that HR must continue to work to elevate its data and technology skills, which will significantly impact the employee experience.

Recruitment. For the first time in five years, recruitment is no longer the top priority for HR in 2025. This drop in priority suggests that organizations may be shifting priorities to emphasize important areas like leadership development, where effectiveness has stalled over the past several years. However, recruitment continues to play a vital role in addressing talent gaps and building organizational capacity. The firm’s research findings explain that pay transparency is improving recruiting effectiveness, with organizations that have or are working on improving pay transparency being 18% more likely to report they are highly effective at recruiting compared to those who have not increased pay transparency.

“By addressing these priorities and leveraging data-driven strategies, HR can demonstrate its value as a clear strategic partner, ensuring organizations are well-positioned to navigate future challenges,” explains Howard.

In addition to HR’s top five priorities in 2025, the new report from McLean & Company spotlights key trends that will inform the way HR plans and prepares for the future of work:

Human Leadership in a Complex Digital World.AI Transformation in HR. Navigating Multiple Threats to Wellbeing. Emerging Trends.

McLean & Company advocates that delivering on HR’s top priorities requires elevating HR’s data and technology skills, noting that increasing HR’s data literacy skills will enable HR to drive effective decision-making and deliver on their top priorities. HR must also be prepared to use technology for data-driven insights and guide its implementation to ensure people-informed technology implementation in 2025 and beyond.

For more in-depth details regarding the HR trends in 2025, please visit the official HR Trends Report 2025 press release.

To access the full report, which offers comprehensive insights into these priorities and trends, along with actionable recommendations for HR leaders as they guide their organizations through a new year of possibilities, please contact ktame@infotech.com.

To register for McLean & Company’s free upcoming CHRO panel, Leading the Way: CHRO Perspectives on Emerging HR Trends for 2025, on February 13, 2025, at 1 PM ET | 10 AM PT, please visit the official registration page.

Media interested in accessing full research insights or connecting with McLean & Company analysts for exclusive, research-backed insights and commentary on HR Trends in 2025, HR’s critical role in digital transformation, and the future of work, and more can contact Communications Manager Katie Tame at ktame@infotech.com.

About McLean & Company

McLean & Company pairs evidence-based research and immediately applicable tools with deep HR expertise to position organizations to meet today’s needs and prepare for the future. The global HR research and advisory firm’s member organizations enjoy comprehensive resources, full-service diagnostics, workshops, action plans, and advisory services for all levels of HR professionals, from executive leadership to HR leaders to HR team members, that help shape workplaces where everyone thrives.

McLean & Company is a division of Info-Tech Research Group.
Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm’s Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact ktame@infotech.com.

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SOURCE McLean & Company

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Toku launches Makimoto Flows, a visual builder for speech AI pipelines, taking its open-source initiative beyond transcription

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Developers can chain transcription, summarisation and call tagging on one canvas, test each step and export the pipeline as code, with every step processed in Singapore

SINGAPORE, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Toku Ltd. (SGX: TKU), a Singapore-headquartered AI-powered customer experience (CX) platform, has launched Makimoto Flows (“Flows”), a visual builder within its open-source conversational AI initiative where developers assemble speech AI pipelines block by block and test each stage on a recorded call. Flows is now live at makimoto.ai.

On the Flows canvas, developers connect blocks to build a speech AI pipeline and test each step individually. The Transcribe block converts audio into text using Kawa, the Summarise block generates a topic and short summary from the transcript, and the Tags block classifies each call across seven categories, including customer sentiment. Developers can see how audio moves from transcription to analysis, and control how each stage connects and runs. Every block runs in Singapore, so audio, transcripts and the resulting analysis stay in-country.

The Chained Analysis starter template puts these blocks together in one click, and developers can adjust any block and rerun it to compare results. Each block maps to a Makimoto API endpoint, and any flow can be exported as ready-to-run Python code, so developers can take the same capabilities into their own code for applications such as call recaps and call triage.

“Developers should have control over how their voice AI works, from the models they use to the way each stage connects. That is the principle behind Makimoto. Flows puts the orchestration layer in front of them: they can build a pipeline, run a recorded call through it and see what each step produces before anything reaches their customers. Models will keep changing. The ability to compose them, and to know where they run, is what lasts,” said Thomas Laboulle, Founder and CEO at Toku.

Flows builds on the composable architecture Toku set out when it introduced Makimoto in April 2026, and takes the initiative beyond transcription. Kawa, released on schedule on 1 July 2026, established the transcription layer through a Singapore-hosted API; summarisation and tagging endpoints followed in September; Flows now lets developers compose them visually. Next, Makimoto plans to add audio preparation blocks, starting with noise filtering, giving developers more control over how recordings are processed before transcription.

By pairing open-source development with enterprise-grade deployment, Makimoto complements Toku’s existing customer experience platform and supports long-term innovation opportunities across the Group’s AI roadmap.

Developers can create a free account at makimoto.ai, open the Chained Analysis template and run a sample recording, or one of their own call recordings, through it; each account includes 1,000 free minutes. Feedback reaches the Makimoto team directly from the portal.

About Toku

Headquartered in Singapore, Toku Ltd. (SGX Catalist: TKU) is a cloud-native, AI-powered customer experience platform purpose-built for enterprises operating in complex, multi-market environments. With deep roots in the APAC region and an expanding global footprint, Toku’s modular 360° CX Platform orchestrates customer interactions across voice, chat, email and digital channels while managing regulatory, linguistic and infrastructure complexity at scale.

Built on end-to-end ownership of its technology stack, from carrier-grade connectivity to AI applications, Toku delivers enterprise-grade security, reliability and deployment flexibility in commercial cloud, private data centres and hybrid environments. Its AI capabilities include transcription, summarisation, sentiment analysis, conversation analytics and governed virtual agents, designed to integrate seamlessly with enterprise systems and customer data.

Trusted by leading enterprises and public-sector organisations, Toku helps organisations streamline operations, scale customer engagement and deliver consistent experiences in fragmented markets worldwide.

For more information about Toku, visit toku.co.

About Makimoto

Makimoto is Toku’s open-source initiative, operated through Makimoto Technology Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Toku Group, dedicated to building composable conversational AI infrastructure for Asia-Pacific. Its releases include Makimoto Kawa, a Singapore-hosted transcription API; summarisation and tagging endpoints; and Makimoto Flows, a visual builder for composing speech AI pipelines. For more information about Makimoto, visit makimoto.ai.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Toku’s expansion plans, business strategy and planned product releases. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Toku undertakes no obligation to update these statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Sponsor’s Statement

Toku Ltd. (the “Company”) was listed on Catalist of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the “Exchange”) on 22 January 2026. The initial public offering of the Company was sponsored by PrimePartners Corporate Finance Pte. Ltd. (the “Sponsor”). This press release has been reviewed by the Sponsor. It has not been examined or approved by the Exchange and the Exchange assumes no responsibility for the contents of this press release, including the correctness of any of the statements or opinions made or reports contained in this press release. The contact person for the Sponsor is Ms. Ng Shi Qing, 16 Collyer Quay, #10-00 Collyer Quay Centre, Singapore 049318, sponsorship@ppcf.com.sg.

Investor Relations Contact:
investor.relations@toku.co

Developers and Partners:
contact@makimoto.ai  

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SOURCE Toku Ltd.

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Conscious Spark LLC Launches Alphimiya® Neuro-Recalibration Framework Designed to Resolve C-Suite Revenue Plateaus

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New research-backed neuro-recalibration framework targets the autonomic nervous system’s threat response to managing high financial amounts, offering enterprise leaders a biological pathway to scaling.

ANTALYA, Turkey and ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Conscious Spark LLC, a research and advisory firm specializing in applied neuroscience for executive leadership, today announced the official launch of Alphimiya®, a proprietary C-suite neuro-recalibration framework designed to resolve corporate revenue plateaus by upgrading the biological capacity of enterprise decision-makers.

Developed to address the root causes of stalled enterprise growth, the Alphimiya® framework targets the human autonomic nervous system’s subconscious threat response to managing high financial amounts. When commercial leaders and CEOs attempt to scale past historical capital thresholds without recalibrating their stress response, the body’s natural survival mechanism triggers decision fatigue, strategic risk aversion, and systemic self-sabotage. Alphimiya® recalibrates this biological safety brake, enabling executive teams to hold, absorb, and scale larger financial volumes without physiological or operational friction.

“A corporate revenue plateau is rarely an operational or marketing failure; it is a biological safety brake embedded within executive leadership,” stated Dr. Ahmed Al-Nashi, Founder of Conscious Spark LLC. “When managing high financial amounts triggers an underlying physical stress response, the enterprise subconsciously contracts to remain in its perceived safe zone. Alphimiya® removes that biological friction, allowing C-level leaders to multiply revenue with calm, biological authority.”

The Alphimiya® framework restructures executive performance across three core operational pillars:

Sovereign Enterprise Scaling: Expands the nervous system’s tolerance for high-stakes capital, allowing leadership teams to scale revenue without experiencing executive burnout.

High-Value Deal Execution: Regulates autonomic stress responses during multi-million-dollar negotiations and volatile market entries, eliminating hesitation under pressure.

Restored Strategic Clarity: Removes chronic decision fatigue across C-suite teams, restoring mental focus and strategic presence inside and outside the boardroom.

By recalibrating the autonomic nervous system’s response to high capital exposure, Alphimiya® removes the subconscious biological brakes that lock corporate revenue at a standstill. Senior C-level executives and enterprise leadership teams seeking to evaluate their organization’s biological capacity can access the official executive briefing, case studies, and framework assessment directly at https://alphimiya.co/.

About Conscious Spark LLC

Conscious Spark LLC is a U.S.-registered firm specializing in executive education, training, and strategic performance consulting. Pioneering applied neuroscience for C-level leaders, founders, and commercial decision-makers, the firm utilizes its proprietary Alphimiya® methodology to enable leadership teams to recalibrate biological stress responses, resolve revenue ceilings, and build scalable corporations.

Media Relations Team
Conscious Spark LLC
Email: hello@consciousspark.online 
Website: https://alphimiya.co/

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SOURCE Conscious Spark LLC

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Daffodil Software Brings Multilingual Conversational AI to Aadhaar’s Udai Mascot

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GURUGRAM, India, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Daffodil Software showcased an AI-powered conversational experience featuring UIDAI’s Udai mascot at Aadhaar Samvaad 2026. Developed by Daffodil Software, the assistant is designed to help users access Aadhaar-related information through natural conversation, using official UIDAI as its reference knowledge base.

Daffodil Software has developed Udai, an AI-powered virtual mascot that helps users get clear, reliable answers about Aadhaar simply by talking to it. The assistant was showcased at Aadhaar Samvaad 2026, held in Kolkata on 29 September, coinciding with the 17th Aadhaar Day, where visitors watched it listen, respond, and gesture in real time in their own language.

For most people, questions about Aadhaar come up in daily life, and they usually need answers fast. Which documents do I need for an address change? How much does an update cost? How do I link Aadhaar to my bank account or mobile number? The answers exist, but finding them usually means working through long help pages and documents.

 Udai is designed to answer exactly these questions in a natural conversation, without anyone having to search through long help pages.

A conversation in the user’s own language

Udai speaks and understands 11 languages: Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Odia, and English. A user simply asks a question. Udai listens, works out the answer, and replies in the same language, with natural speech, matching lip movements and expressive hand gestures.

What sets Udai apart is how it is built. AI avatars rely on expensive, specialised graphics hardware to bring a face to life. Udai takes a simpler route. The character is created from pre-filmed footage, and its lip movements are matched to its speech in real time using lightweight processing that runs in a web browser.

The result is a smooth experience at 24 frames per second on ordinary servers, at a fraction of the usual cost per user. For a programme that serves hundreds of millions of people, that efficiency is what turns a nationwide rollout from an ambition into a practical plan.

“Our focus with Udai was to make Aadhaar-related information easier to access through natural conversation. Combining multilingual voice interaction with official reference content allowed our team to build an experience that is practical, approachable, and useful to users,” said Yogesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO, Daffodil Software.

Answers drawn only from official sources

The assistant uses official UIDAI material as its reference knowledge base: frequently asked questions, provisions of the Aadhaar Act, and government policy documents on Aadhaar services. It covers the topics users ask about most:

Enrolment and registrationAddress and demographic updatesFees, required documents and eligibilityeKYC and Virtual IDLinking Aadhaar with bank accounts, PAN and mobile numbersmAadhaar servicesGrievance redressal

Users don’t need to phrase their questions in any particular way. Udai understands everyday language, whether a question is spoken in English, Hindi, or asked in a mix of both, and finds the most relevant official information to answer it.

Built to be accurate, respectful, and secure

When a public service speaks directly to users, trust matters as much as convenience. Udai is protected by three layers of safeguards.

Accuracy first. Udai answers only from its verified knowledge base. Responses are grounded in a curated knowledge base of official UIDAI material. If a question falls outside Aadhaar, it guides the user back rather than offering an answer it cannot stand behind.

Respectful conversations. A screening layer catches abusive or offensive language in English, Hindi, and Hinglish before it reaches the assistant. Screening is designed to identify abusive language while supporting legitimate queries

Protection against misuse. Udai cannot be talked into abandoning its role, pretending to be someone else, revealing its internal setup, or answering beyond its approved scope. These checks work almost instantly, so users experience no delay.

What comes next?

Udai is planned to roll out in two phases.

In the first phase, the mascot will be placed in Aadhaar Centres. Visitors will be able to check information and understand processes on their own, such as which documents they need for an address change. This frees centre staff to focus on their core work instead of answering the same questions again and again.

In the second phase, Udai will come to the Aadhaar website and mobile app, taking the place of the current text-based chatbot, which was also built by Daffodil.

About Daffodil Software

Daffodil Software is a software engineering and AI solutions company serving businesses across industries. Its services span software consulting, product engineering, UI/UX design, AI/ML development, quality assurance, cloud and DevOps, and maintenance. The company serves sectors including healthcare, fintech, banking, technology, and digital commerce. Its client portfolio includes organizations such as the Reserve Bank of India, Mount Sinai Hospital, Maruti, Samsung, Pramerica Insurance, and Dangote Group. Daffodil Software has also been featured in industry research and recognition by Gartner, Everest Group, Zinnov, and Frost & Sullivan. For more information, visit https://www.daffodilsw.com

Media contact

Kunwar Pal Singh
media-relations@daffodilsw.com

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