HR Confessional #04: Why your career path is actually a soap opera (and not the good kind)

The problem

Let's be honest about the 10-year tenure. In the old world of HR, sitting in the same seat for a decade was a badge of honour. In 2026? It’s often just a sign of stagnation.

Most companies treat talent like furniture – once you’ve bought it and stuck it in the corner, you expect it to stay there forever. But humans aren't wardrobes. We get bored, we evolve and we want to try new things. When we force people into a "permanent role" with a fixed job description, we’re essentially asking them to play the same character in a soap opera for 20 seasons – eventually, they stop acting and start coasting.

The disruptive idea

It’s time to stop being a staffing department and start being a film studio.

In Hollywood, nobody is permanent staff for a studio – they are cast for a specific production. They give it 100% of their creative energy for six months or a year, they hit the wrap party and then they move to the next project.

What if we "gig-ified" our own offices? What if, instead of a career path, we gave our people a production schedule? You aren't hired for life – you’re cast for a 12-month mission. When the mission is over, we either greenlight the sequel (a new project) or we celebrate your wrap as you move on to your next big role elsewhere.

The strategy

How do you turn a beige office into a high-octane film set? Here’s your script:

Move from roles to missions: stop hiring for "marketing assistant" – start hiring for "The 2026 Brand Launch Lead." Give the role a clear beginning, middle and end. It creates urgency and a sense of achievement that a standard job description never could.

Internal casting calls: when a new project pops up, don't just look at the department it belongs to. Open it up to the whole company. Does the guy in IT have a hidden talent for scriptwriting? Cast him – let people gig across departments to keep their skills sharp and their boredom at bay.

Celebrate the wrap: in the Hollywood model, someone leaving isn't a betrayal – it’s a successful completion of a project. When an employee moves on after a brilliant 18-month production, throw a party. If you treat them like stars, they’ll be your best ambassadors – and they might even come back for the sequel.

The 9am verdict

So am I ready to do this? Okay, I admit maybe it needs a bit more development, but I am seriously considering it. Let’s face it the "sea of beige" is full of people waiting for their contract to end – the "disrupted" workplace is full of people who are excited for the next scene.

By gig-ifying your own staff, you aren’t losing loyalty – you’re gaining intensity. You’re trading time served for impact delivered – and in a world moving this fast, I know which one I’d rather have on my balance sheet.

So, are you running a boring department, or are you producing a blockbuster?