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Workforce Innovation: From WERC to AI, What’s Next
One leader’s shift from frustration to confidence, plus the latest from Handoff and beyond.
Alaitz Ruiz
September 10, 2025
The world of work is moving fast, and agility has become the true competitive edge.
At Handoff, we see it every week: from milestones and client wins to the latest conversations shaping how organizations hire, build, and grow.
This newsletter is where we share it all: from industry updates, behind-the-scenes growth at Handoff, and stories from leaders to talent making an impact.
Today’s edition brings a little of everything we’re working on right now:
🌎 Global milestone — joining WERC and taking Handoff to São Paulo
🤖 Future of work — Anthony Gonzalez on why humans + AI together are the real double multiplier
♻️ From frustration to success — how the Good Future Design Alliance turned a draining search into a mission-driving hire
🌴 Community in action — from roundtables to sunset networking at the SoCal Beach Party
🚀 Talent you can hire today — meet a global strategist behind campaigns for Amazon, Coca-Cola, and more
Milestone Update: Handoff Joins WERC
We’re now proud members of the Worldwide Employee Relocation Council (WERC).
This puts us in direct collaboration with a global network of mobility leaders and expands how we deliver smarter, faster, and more reliable solutions for scaling teams across borders.
And we’re already putting that membership into action: Handoff is heading to São Paulo! 🇧🇷🌎
Our own Cassia Neumann and Abod Fakhrany will be on the ground representing Team Handoff at WERC LATAM 2025, where the relocation and mobility industry comes together to tackle everything from strategic talent management and global mobility programs to the evolution of mobility careers and policy design.
As we highlighted on LinkedIn:
“Remote-first doesn’t mean staying behind the screen. As proud WERC members, we show up IRL to stay in the room where the future of workforce mobility is being written.”
Founder Spotlight: Anthony at Startup Grind
Founder Anthony Gonzalez recently joined the AI Versus Talent panel at Startup Grind and STAKVentures’ Silicon Valley Summer Bash.
His message was clear: the future isn’t about choosing between AI and people — it’s about combining them. AI can accelerate strengths and unlock efficiency, but it’s humans who bring leadership, creativity, and relationships.
Technology helps reduce time spent in front of computers so we can spend more time with one another, where real culture and growth take shape.
“AI doesn’t replace people — it frees them up to do what only people can do.”
Anthony reminded the audience that productive friction, the push and pull of ideas when people challenge each other, is what sparks innovation. AI doesn’t offer that. What it does offer is amplification, and when paired with well-equipped people, it multiplies impact.
That’s the core of Handoff: using AI to give our talent more bandwidth, while equipping them to focus on strategy, growth, and client-facing work.
The result is a double multiplier: efficiency from technology, and lasting value from people.
Fueling Sustainable Design Through the Right Talent
When Kathryn Soter, Executive Director of the Good Future Design Alliance, set out to grow her team, she faced a familiar challenge: endless searches, underwhelming candidates, and hours wasted on platforms that left her drained instead of supported.
For Kathryn, hiring meant more than adding capacity, it was about enabling her nonprofit’s mission to help design and building professionals reduce waste and create a more sustainable future.
That’s when she turned to Handoff.
Within days, she was matched with a candidate who not only had the right skills but also the cultural alignment her mission demanded. Instead of drowning in résumés, she had a partner managing the process end-to-end: one who understood what was at stake for her team and her leadership.
What stood out most was just how different the experience felt.
Instead of the stress of endless sifting and chasing candidates, the process felt calm and focused. Each step came with a sense of confidence: guided, professional, and aligned with her mission.
And the result?
A trusted hire who made an immediate impact.
They were professional, responsive, and listened carefully. They found me a great candidate that met my needs quickly. I would definitely recommend Handoff, it was so much better than going it alone.
By taking the weight of hiring off her shoulders, Handoff gave Kathryn the space to focus on leading and on advancing GFDA’s mission to rethink design and reduce waste.
Post of the Week: Beach, Business & Big Conversations
Our Founder & CEO Anthony Gonzalez and Chief of Staff Jazmin Esparza joined the Southern California Relocation Council Beach Party at Newport Dunes.
From insightful roundtables to sunset networking on the sand, it was the perfect mix of community and conversation about the future of workforce mobility.
Talent Spotlight: Hire Today
Meet Joaquín Osias, a global marketing strategist who’s led campaigns for Colgate-Palmolive, Amazon, Coca-Cola, Unilever, and Papa John’s.
So what makes Joaquín stand out?
He’s fluent in Spanish, English, and French, has led multimillion-dollar influencer and digital campaigns, and knows how to execute across SEO, e-commerce, and social platforms.
Ready to Scale Smarter?
Handoff helps you hire faster, reduce risk, and build stronger teams across borders.
We’re passionate about helping businesses like yours unlock global talent, adapt to change, and scale smarter.
Let’s redefine how work gets done, together.
Cheers,
Alaitz Ruiz
P.S. We’d love your perspective:
What shift will matter most in the next year: AI and automation, changing regulations, or new approaches to global hiring?
Reply back to this email and share your take.
We’ll feature select insights in future editions!