Education & Training
Three HR priorities for 2026: flexibility, training and skills-based hiring
Published on 19 January 2026
Interview with Myriam Sibenaler, Head of Human Resources at ABBL Digitalisation, new ways of collaborating and evolving expectations around flexibility are reshaping the way work is organised in the banking sector. Questions around skills, employability and modern work arrangements are now central for both employers and employees in Luxembourg. As part of Paperjam’s #FutureOfWork interview series, ABBL’s Head of Human Resources, Myriam Sibenaler, was invited to share concrete views on what should change to better reflect today’s reality of work. In this ABBL version of the interview, she outlines three clear priorities for 2026: enabling flexibility through a fit-for-purpose framework, making training a genuine right, and recruiting with a stronger focus on skills and potential. This interview was originally prepared for Paperjam’s #FutureOfWork series
Summary
If you could remove one rule or obligation from Luxembourg’s legal texts, which would go first?
Work in the banking sector has changed significantly in recent years, driven by digitalisation, new ways of collaborating and stronger expectations around flexibility. If I could prioritise one change, it would be to remove or modernise rules that are no longer aligned with these realities, especially those that make flexible work organisation unnecessarily difficult.
Luxembourg’s legal framework would benefit from evolving further so it can support these transformations more effectively and strike a fair balance between employers’ operational needs and employees’ expectations today.
I would start by removing the rules that no longer match today’s realities, especially those that hinder flexible work organisation.
Myriam Sibenaler
Head of Human Resources, ABBL
If there were one measure that could immediately improve your colleagues’ quality of life or career progression in 2026, what would you choose?
I remain convinced that an effective right to training, like the one we have put in place in the collective agreement for bank employees, is one of the strongest levers we have.
In a constantly changing world of work, quality of working life and career progression depend above all on sustainable employability. That is why training should no longer be seen as an optional extra, but as a strategic tool shared by everyone involved.
We strongly believe in a collaborative approach. Employers and employees need to move forward together to meet tomorrow’s challenges. On our side, we provide the tools, resources and opportunities to develop skills. Employees, in turn, actively commit to building and updating their competencies throughout their careers.
What radical but realistic decision could immediately transform how you recruit, retain or train in 2026?
For me, the most transformative shift would be to adopt recruitment that focuses on skills, potential and human qualities, rather than giving so much weight to traditional academic pathways.
By valuing curiosity, open-mindedness and the ability to learn, we widen our talent pool and attract profiles that are better equipped to adapt and innovate. This also supports retention, because it enables more meaningful development journeys.
It would allow organisations to build tailor-made training pathways that reflect real business needs and support employees’ development over time.
ABBL supports its members in navigating the sector’s transformation through social dialogue and initiatives that promote sustainable employability, skills development and forward-looking HR practices across Luxembourg’s financial industry.
Myriam Sibenaler
Head of Human Resources, ABBL
Published on 19 January 2026