Views from Nicky Banedoch, Co-founder at Genie
As B2B marketers navigate a rapidly evolving landscape, it is more important than ever to recognise the power of data-driven decisions—especially when it comes to talent management. Gone are the days when businesses relied solely on intuition or serendipity to find the right people for the right roles. Today, advanced AI-powered platforms are enabling businesses to take a more systematic approach to team creation, addressing the challenges of modern workforce management in powerful new ways.
The Friday Night Problem vs. the Monday Morning Problem
Nicky, co-founder and Chief Officer of Genie, a workforce management platform powered by AI, presents an insightful distinction between the “Friday night problem” and the “Monday morning problem”—two significant hurdles that businesses face when managing talent.
The Friday night problem refers to urgent, last-minute challenges where a company needs to pull together the right talent quickly. This could involve responding to unexpected demands, such as launching a new product, pushing for a major pitch, or tackling unforeseen workload spikes. Nicky describes this as, “I’ve got a massive pitch or a new product to launch, and we need to get the right resource onto this.”
On the other hand, the Monday morning problem is about proactively managing talent over the long term. Companies often struggle to visualise their entire workforce—both internal and external—making it difficult to allocate the right people to the right projects. “The UK arm of a global organisation can’t see who’s in the US, Singapore, or Australia,” Nicky says. Without a clear overview, businesses fail to maximise the potential of their internal talent pool and may overlook valuable resources.
AI is transforming the way businesses approach both problems by making talent management smarter, more efficient, and more scalable. The key lies in using data to match people with the right projects at the right time, whether it’s for immediate needs (Friday night problems) or longer-term strategic goals (Monday morning problems).
Cater to Complex Journeys: Account for Multiple Stakeholders and Entry Points
Just as businesses must account for diverse buyers in the B2B marketing space, workforce management also requires an understanding of the complex paths that employees and teams take. In modern enterprises, multiple stakeholders—whether project managers, department heads, or external partners—must work together to create high-performing teams. To be successful, AI platforms must recognise these varied entry points and adjust their processes accordingly.
For instance, Genie’s AI platform offers both manual and automated team-matching options, empowering different stakeholders within an organisation to engage with the system based on their needs. Whether a project manager needs to find the right internal resource for a short-term project, or a department head needs to strategically allocate employees across multiple initiatives, AI ensures that teams are formed with consideration for all stakeholders involved.
In this sense, AI platforms cater to the complex journey of workforce management by accounting for the multiple needs of a wide range of stakeholders—enabling businesses to make smarter decisions and execute projects faster.
Prioritise Metrics by Stage: Focus on Metrics That Align With Each Phase of the Buyer’s Decision-Making Process
In B2B marketing, we know the importance of aligning metrics with the buyer’s decision-making process. The same approach can be applied to talent management, particularly when considering the different stages of team formation.
When an organisation is addressing the “Friday night problem,” speed and efficiency are the key metrics. Here, the priority is to match the right people quickly, based on availability, skill set, and experience. For these types of urgent needs, metrics around response times, availability, and successful project completion rates are crucial.
However, when businesses move to the “Monday morning problem,” the focus shifts to longer-term metrics. These could include employee performance, engagement, and skill growth. As Nicky notes, Genie’s platform helps businesses “visualise who’s available, what skill sets they bring to the table, and where the trends are going in the business.” Metrics such as skill development and talent retention become essential in ensuring that businesses are not only solving immediate challenges but also fostering long-term growth.
Just as B2B marketers tailor metrics to different phases of the customer journey, organisations should similarly prioritise workforce management metrics depending on the specific phase of talent allocation.
Integrate Brand and Demand: Strong Branding Fuels Demand Generation at Every Stage
Branding is often viewed as a tool for generating demand in the marketing world, but its power extends to workforce management as well. Nicky emphasises the importance of building strong connections within teams, asserting that “When you bring the right people together, that’s when you unlock the full potential of talent.”
In a similar vein, a strong internal brand—one that represents opportunity, inclusivity, and professional growth—can fuel demand for top talent at every stage of the hiring or project allocation process. Whether you are sourcing talent internally or externally, the strength of your employer brand influences your ability to attract the best people. As Nicky reflects, “AI for good is about enhancing human potential and ensuring the right people are in the right room at the right time.”
Furthermore, by integrating branding with demand generation, businesses ensure that their talent pools are not just filled with capable individuals but with the best and brightest who are attracted by the company’s values, mission, and opportunities for growth.
External Resources to Explore Further
To dive deeper into the concepts of non-linear customer journeys and the role of brand equity in demand generation, B2B marketers can explore these valuable resources:
- Forrester’s Research on the ROI of Brand Equity in B2B: For more insights on how strong branding impacts demand generation and ultimately drives revenue in the B2B space, check out Forrester’s detailed reports on brand equity and its role in building a sustainable business.
- Harvard Business Review’s Articles on Non-Linear Customer Journeys: Customer journeys are no longer linear, and the same complexity applies to workforce management. For a deeper understanding of how modern customer journeys unfold and how brands can adapt, explore Harvard Business Review’s articles on navigating non-linear paths in both marketing and workforce management.
Conclusion: AI-Powered Talent Management for a Smarter Future
The future of workforce management is undeniably tied to AI. From addressing the “Friday night problem” to tackling long-term strategic needs, AI offers businesses the ability to make smarter, data-driven decisions about their workforce. By accounting for multiple stakeholders and entry points, prioritising the right metrics at each stage, and integrating strong branding with talent demand generation, businesses can harness AI to build teams that deliver results, drive growth, and unlock the full potential of human talent.
In the competitive world of B2B marketing, where success often hinges on innovation, adaptability, and speed, AI isn’t just a tool for efficiency—it’s a game-changer that will help organisations shape their workforce to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
External Resources:
- Forrester’s Research on the ROI of Brand Equity in B2B – Read More
- Harvard Business Review’s Articles on Non-Linear Customer Journeys – Explore Insights
