HRD and HRM can sometimes operate in silos or at cross-purposes. The increasingly FRAGILE world order confronting business (i.e., Fragmenting boundaries; Resurgent populism; Accelerated digitalisation; Growing inequality; Inverted populations; Loss of Trust; and the Ecological crisis) mandates greater collaborative engagement across HRD and HRM.

Following a detailed review of the skills-based implications of the FRAGILE world order, the article unpacks the nascent skills-based agenda, detailing the transition from traditional job to task-based understanding, and outlining some examples of what it can look like in practice. Ultimately, to effectively navigate the FRAGILE world order organizations must have a clear understanding of both their current skill demands and deficiencies, and equally skills required of the future.