Podcast Summary

The Digital Executive — Ep 1130

AI and the Future of Staffing: James Terry on How Indeed Flex is Redefining Work
Guest: James Terry, Head of US Revenue, Indeed Flex
Date: October 19, 2025
Host: Brian, Coruzant Technologies

Main Theme

This episode explores how AI and automation are revolutionizing the staffing industry, emphasizing real-time flexibility, smart matching, and operational efficiency. James Terry, a workforce tech expert from Indeed Flex, discusses the challenges, innovations, and the future landscape of staffing platforms—balancing the role of technology and human experience to empower businesses and workers alike.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unique Realities of Revenue Leadership in HR/Staffing Tech

Timestamp: 01:51

• Unlike standard SaaS, staffing platforms must "deliver people, not just software," requiring operational excellence and reliability.
• Staffing companies must ensure the right people, with appropriate skills, show up at the right place and time—quality of service hinges on human performance, not just technology.

"Within HR tech and really the staffing industry, where Indeed Flex sits, there's a whole delivery side. ... the service actually that we're providing is the staff. It's the people, it's the hard working men and women."
— James Terry (02:12)

2. Smart Matching Technology: Balancing Fairness, Speed, and Choice

Timestamp: 04:11

• How it works: Workers are scored through a combination of client ratings, reliability metrics, and past performance; better workers are prioritized for the top jobs.
• Marketplace Model: Workers retain ultimate choice over which shifts and roles to accept—critical for satisfaction and engagement.
• Operational Challenge: Ensuring a dynamic and healthy equilibrium between supply (workers) and demand (shifts); too few jobs leads to worker churn, too few workers leads to unhappy clients.

"We're giving fundamentally control and choice. And, by the way... the control and choice drives better outcomes for the customer and for the worker."
— James Terry (05:28)

• Matching must account for skill sets, geography, pay rates, and personal preferences.

3. Human vs. Machine Decision-Making in Staffing

Timestamp: 08:25

• AI-driven Interviewing: Automated interviews are now widely accepted—88% of candidates in a recent study say they are as satisfied with AI interviews as human recruiters.
• Benefits:
  • Removes human biases, creating a fairer process.
  • Enables 24/7, on-demand access to job opportunities.
  • AI interviews can dig deeper with follow-up questions, providing a thorough assessment.

"A huge majority of people actually think [AI interviews are] as good, if not better, than being interviewed by a human recruiter. ... AI isn't going to judge you for how you look or how you sound."
— James Terry (09:23)

• Retaining Human Touch: Humans validate AI assessments and ensure quality.
• The right balance is using AI for efficiency and fairness, with human oversight for trust and experience.

4. The Future of Staffing: Flexibility, Gig Work, and On-Demand Labor

Timestamp: 13:12

• Two sides driving transformation:
  • For Businesses: Shift toward frictionless, AI-powered staff requests. Managers can simply message the number and type of staff needed—AI handles the details.
  • For Workers: Rising demand for flexibility and control, mirroring expectations from modern consumer experiences (e.g., instant online ordering).
• Flexibility is now essential: Workers want and expect to choose shifts that fit their lives. This trend is especially strong in the sub-$20/hour segment, where many juggle multiple jobs.

"Those consumers are demanding more choice... and that has started to bleed over into the work life as well. ... They demand more flexibility in their work life."
— James Terry (15:08)

• Business Advantage: Flexibility in scheduling, not just higher pay, is now a competitive edge for attracting and retaining talent.

"Sometimes you have to have other types of benefits to workers that sets you apart from the rest of the field. ... This type of flexibility is a really, really good way to offer a value proposition that differentiates yourself."
— James Terry (19:31)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Our motto is we help people get jobs instantly. ... But there's a lot that goes into that."
  — James Terry (03:17)
• "A really important component of our system... is this really strong equilibrium of supply and demand. ... All the workers that want to work are getting jobs, and not only are they getting jobs, they're getting the right type of jobs."
  — James Terry (06:48)
• "[With AI interviewing] ...you're missing the bias, you don't have that bias anymore. ... AI agents... actually do a better job interviewing."
  — James Terry (10:41)
• "As you're giving consumers more choice and more control in the way that they're interacting as consumers, they want the same type of flexibility when it comes to their work life."
  — James Terry (15:42)

Timeline of Important Segments

• 01:51 – Differentiating staffing tech from traditional SaaS
• 03:17 – The complexity and operational rigor behind "instant" staffing
• 04:11–07:41 – How smart matching and marketplace dynamics drive fairness and efficiency
• 08:25–12:14 – The rise of AI interviewing: candidate perceptions, eliminating bias, human validation
• 13:12–19:31 – The evolution to flexible staffing models, AI-powered business tools, and worker-driven scheduling

Takeaways for Listeners

• Staffing platforms are evolving from manual, high-friction operations to tech-driven, AI-powered marketplaces emphasizing both business and worker flexibility.
• AI is not just improving “speed,” but also fairness and choice in both candidate experience and employer operations.
• The future of work will be defined by platforms that allow “work-life on demand”—mirroring the convenience of modern e-commerce—and by employers who compete with benefits beyond just pay.

Host’s Final Thought:
The landscape of staffing is being redefined by technology, but success will remain grounded in operational excellence and a deep understanding of human needs on both sides of the marketplace.