In this sixth and final issue of Global WINdow’s 2025 series, we spotlight the driving force behind the insights industry: talent and workforce.
This will explore how leading agencies, around the world, attract and retain top talent. It will delve into the skills researchers need today and tomorrow, and how the industry can become more appealing to younger generations, featuring insights from WIN members across Ireland, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Palestine, and Sweden.
Amidst technological innovation, societal change, and global uncertainty, market research and opinion polling remain essential tools for amplifying voices worldwide – whether for brands, businesses, or non-profit organisations. So how do agencies ensure they not only attract the best talent, but also equip them with the skills, purpose, and support needed to drive meaningful impact in an ever-evolving industry?
- How do you attract and retain top talent?
Across the WIN network, one theme stands out: talent is drawn to purpose. From all over the world, members agree that researchers stay when they see their work making a real impact. As Nabil Kukali, President and Founder of the Palestinian Centre for Public Opinion, explains, showing people that their research “gives communities a voice and informs policy, even under challenging circumstances” motivates them to join and remain.
Purpose also brings empowerment. Laura Ruvalcaba, CEO of Brain Research in Mexico, notes that being able to “join valuable discussions” gives researchers a sense of influence. Paired with continuous learning opportunities, says Nancy Córdova, Vice President of Cedatos in Ecuador, this creates loyalty. So, it’s crucial for companies to invest in the growth of individuals as researchers alongside technology.
As Urpi Torrado, CEO of Datum in Peru, puts it: “When people feel valued, empowered, and able to innovate, they choose to stay and grow with the company.”
Beyond purpose and career progression, practical conditions matter too. Richard Colwell, CEO of Red C Research in Ireland, points to flexible working, competitive pay, and a healthy work-life balance. The company’s reputation, like working with high-profile brands, has a largely influential role in attracting talent, too.
Karin Nelsson, CEO of Demoskop in Sweden, agrees, explaining that companies at the forefront of tech and research attract “a steady influx of highly regarded talent” who want to shape the industry’s future while upskilling themselves.
- How can we make research a more attractive industry for young people to work in?
Just as with attracting top talent, younger generations also seek purpose, flexibility, and training, but they place particular emphasis on career progression. While the industry can offer exciting opportunities, Urpi Torrado notes that it also faces an image problem: “We need to modernise the image of the industry… make the work exciting and future-oriented.”
Karin Nelsson echoes this sentiment, urging the industry to “make research visibly impact-focused, tech-forward, and growth-rich.” Richard Colwell adds that positioning insights as consultancy-led, showing its power to shape business decisions, policies, and society, helps young people see it as more than just data crunching.
And while purpose and growth matter, Nancy Córdova reminds the simple, tangible step companies can actively implement: “paid internships.” Practical entry points like this remain key to bringing in and retaining young talent.
- What skills are most in demand for market researchers today?
Today’s market researchers need a balanced skill set. On the technical side, modern tools are indispensable – from everyday platforms like Zoom, WhatsApp, and online surveys that enable global reach, to advanced capabilities in automation, coding, scalable data handling, and experimental design. As Karin Nelsson highlights, working fluently with LLM workflows and new technologies is becoming core to the profession.
Yet, as Nabil Kukali reminds us, “strong analytical foundations” such as survey design and critical thinking remain the engine of good research. Crucially, hard skills must be paired with “cultural sensitivity and clear storytelling” to stand out, he says.
With insights being more accessible to non-researchers in the form of today’s digital dashboards, Richard Colwell stresses the importance of “talking in the language business leaders understand” to ensure findings don’t just stay in reports and drive real-world action.
Finally, beyond technical and analytical expertise, it’s personal qualities that define future-ready researchers. As Laura Ruvalcaba puts it, curiosity, agility, and the drive to “look beyond the basics” are what enable researchers not just to survive but to thrive.
- How do you see these skill demands and the role of the researcher evolving as technology continues to advance?
Looking ahead, WIN members agree that researchers must hone a mix of technical, storytelling, and ethical skills. As automation takes over repetitive tasks, Urpi Torrado believes the human role will be to focus on cultural context, translate insights into action, and, most importantly, ask the right questions to unlock value from research.
And, of course, technology will continually and progressively play a bigger role in research beyond just AI-driven analysis and automation. Nabil Kukali points out that technology can be a “lifeline” when access or mobility is restricted, helping ensure “local voices are accurately represented in global conversations.” Here, the researcher’s role also becomes one of ethical stewardship, protecting representation and equity.
While technology undeniably plays an ever-growing role, it does not replace the researcher but rather redefines their work. As Karin Nelsson puts it, tech has become “the copilot… Humans become the editors, experiment designers, and stewards of quality, ethics,” and steering the journey and impact that market research has on people’s lives around the world.