At this year’s Avionté CONNECT conference, we sat down with Will Skowyra, Director of Strategic Solutions at Express Employment International, to explore the trends reshaping the staffing industry and the strategies smart firms are using to thrive.
With Express Employment’s decades of experience in the staffing space and their ongoing transition to new technology platforms, Skowyra brings a unique perspective on both the challenges and opportunities facing staffing firms today. From the growing influence of VMS platforms on mid-market businesses to the return of client exclusivity agreements, his insights reveal how the industry is evolving — and what it takes to succeed in this new environment.
Skowyra discusses the mindset shifts required for digital transformation, shares practical advice for embracing AI tools, and explains why the next generation of staffing leaders will need to think more like strategic workforce partners than traditional service providers.
Q. What brought you to CONNECT this year — and what kinds of conversations have been the most impactful for you so far?
Will Skowyra: I come to CONNECT to learn what’s going on with other firms in the industry, what challenges they’re facing, what tools are available, how they’re offering solutions, and what they’re doing to partner with Avionté to meet their customers, associates, and prospects where they are. To find out if we’re dealing with the same issues and how we move forward, and whether they are good solutions that we might not have thought about at Express.
The most beneficial conversations I have here are with other staffing agencies, identifying what their experience has been like with Avionté and what they’re experiencing in the market. It’s always nice to connect with the vendors that are tied in and integrated with Avionté, too, and develop a relationship with them. So down the road, we’ll have more of a rapport and ability to work together and be a true partner, as opposed to a vendor and customer relationship.
It’s always a lot of fun, too, because everybody’s in a good mood. The culture here is so different from traditional or other conferences you go to. Everybody’s here to support Avionté, Avionté’s here to support the customers. It just feels different, and it’s a lot of fun.
Q. What industry trends are top-of-mind for Express this year?
WS: My focus is on VMS. You have your four or five big players in the staffing market and big staffing clients when it comes to VMS. But the downward pressure we’re seeing and the new products and solutions that are being offered by VMS tools to move that small- and mid-sized business — that’s our bread and butter at Express. So that’s top of mind for me. How do we continue to play defense and be proactive to get VMS tools in place before somebody else does?
The other thing is how are we pushing through our Avionté implementation? How are we a true partner with them to ensure that’s completed? And what are all the AI tools that are out there? It’s hard to come to a staffing conference now and not talk about AI and how it’s such a disruptor in the industry.
Q. How is your team approaching technology and automation to improve the experience for both clients and candidates?
WS: As we move to Avionté, we’re taking full advantage of the suite of the tools that they have available. Whether it’s through APIs, integrations, through Avionté+, whatever it may be, we’re looking for ways to streamline onboarding.
We’ve had a proprietary tool or proprietary ATS for 40-something years here at Express, and it’s been a great tool for our franchisees. But this next step will push us into the future and push us to start to utilize those tools that we may not have always been comfortable using.
So it’ll be a big change in mindset shift for Express, but I’m looking forward to it. And I know our franchisees are excited about it.
Q. How have your clients’ expectations changed — and what are they asking for that feels different than before?
WS: There’s a couple things that have evolved over the last couple of years. One is price point optimization and another is extended terms.
A third change is an increase in opportunity for exclusivity. If you can go out and provide great service and quality candidates, the end users are willing to grant exclusivity.
Technology definitely plays a role in that, because there’s speed-to-fill, onboarding, talent management, and the reporting that you can provide to clients to show them, “Hey, our time-to-fill is better. These are the things that we’re doing to outperform other agencies. Give us all your orders, and let’s take the wallet share from the other competitors.” It’s interesting to see exclusivity back on the table.
Q. What’s one blind spot you think staffing firms still have — and how should they be thinking differently?
WS: We’ve heard it a lot here this week — AI won’t replace people, but it will replace the people that don’t use it. And I can’t say that enough.
I think people are super scared of what AI is going to do. “Is it going to replace me?” And the fact is, it won’t. It’s going to make your job easier as long as you’re open and willing to engage with it.
I know AI is such a buzzword right now. It’s top of mind for everybody. But I think that the true blind spot is for the people who work in the industry who don’t embrace AI. Be open and willing to move forward and learn it.
Q. How do you suggest getting past that initial skepticism?
WS: Just start using it. Change is hard, but you have to get comfortable in the uncomfortable. You have to be willing to get in there and try it.
Start easy — don’t go in and start trying to code. Go in and try to figure out how to use it, like, “Hey, help me summarize this email.” Then, “Help me organize my day, help me sort emails.” It’s meant to help alleviate some of those monotonous things that you have to do every day and make your day easier. Use it where you want to use it.
Q. What’s one trait you think the next generation of staffing leaders will need that wasn’t as critical 10 years ago?
WS: I think the big shift is going to be around how leaders build relationships at the CEO level. Ten years ago, it was enough to run a good operation and have solid recruiting practices. But we’re all moving through digital transformation, and pretty soon most firms are going to have access to the same tech and the same recruiting tools. The real difference-maker will be how leaders position themselves as true workforce partners — not just staffing providers.
That level of partnership and visibility — that’s the trait I think the next generation of leaders will need to embrace.
Q. What advice would you offer to other staffing leaders navigating today’s market?
WS: There’s a book called The Slight Edge — the easy things are easy to do, but they’re also easy not to do. And that’s what makes it hard. So keep doing those little easy things that seem monotonous and are just part of your day. Keep doing them so that you keep moving forward. Don’t just put it off for a day.
It’s the same for learning AI. It’s changing so fast, but be committed to it. And say, “These are the little things I’m going to do every day just to get a little bit better.” Is it five, 10 things? That’s probably all it is.
Or if you think, “I don’t need to do my hundred pushups today,” go ahead and do them. You have 10 minutes, you can knock that out.
Doing the easy things to keep your life moving forward is going to be critical for almost anybody if they want to continue to grow and sit in a leadership role.
Connect with Will Skowrya and Express Employment International, or tune in to The Staffing Show to hear more of Will’s insights on the evolving landscape of staffing.
Interested in attending CONNECT 2026? Follow Avionté for updates.
