Key Points 

• The Future of Jobs Report 2025 has thoroughly examined a number of macrotrends and technology trends, and reported on where countries are individually and globally in terms of predicting the share of organizations that have identified the trend as likely to drive transformation in their organization 

• It is predicted that by 2030, new job creation will amount to 170 million jobs (about 14 percent of today’s total employment), offset by the displacement of 92 million current jobs (about eight percent of today’s total employment)—this means there will be a net growth of 78 million jobs (seven percent of today’s total employment) 

• Advances in technology are anticipated to drive skills change more than any other trend over the next five years. The most common workforce strategy in response to the macrotrends analyzed in the report is upskilling the workforce (85 percent) 

  
  

What is Projected for the Future of Work? 

The World Economic Forum recently released its Future of Jobs Report 2025. The report discusses the perspectives of over 1,000 leading global employers across 22 industry clusters and 55 economies from around the world. What does it say about the future of work? What does it predict about AI in the workplace? This article answers these questions. 

More specifically, the article touches on drivers of labour-market transformation; the jobs outlook; the skills outlook; barriers to transformation and strategies that can improve talent availability; and industry insights.  

What is the Global Labour Market Landscape in 2025? 

Undoubtedly, 2025 has been marked by the rising cost of living, geopolitical conflicts, climate issues, and economic downturns. This report is dated January, 2025—before the recent tariff wars that were launched by America on several countries. At this point, the longer-term effects of these tariff wars are unclear when it comes to the markets, unemployment, and inflation. The projections for between 2025 and 2030 are outlined below. 

What are the Drivers of Labour-Market Transformation? 

The following trends are considered drivers of transformation in the global market, which reshape both jobs and required skills: 

• Technological developments: Hands down, 60 percent of employers expect broadening digital access to transform their businesses, which is more than any other trend. This makes sense since growing digital access is a critical enabler for new technologies to transform labour markets. The three technologies that are expected to have the greatest impact on business transformation are AI, robots and autonomous systems, as well as energy generation and storage technologies. By far, AI is expected to have the most impact, with employers responding that 86 percent expect that AI will transform their businesses by 2030. Indeed, there has been a rapid increase in investment and adoption across several sectors, and a surge in demand for GenAI skills 

• Economic uncertainty: Based on 2024 economic performance, there is some cautious optimism about the global economic outlook; however, more chief economists expect conditions to worsen rather than strengthen. Slow growth and political volatility keep many countries at risk of economic shocks, and 42 percent expect slower growth to impact their operations. Inflation is still high in low-income countries because of high food prices due to supply chain disruptions influenced by climate shocks, regional conflicts, and geopolitical tensions 

• Geoeconomic fragmentation: Geoeconomic tensions threaten trade and supply chains, especially in lower-income economies. Globally, governments are responding to geoeconomic challenges by imposing trade and investment restrictions, increasing subsidies, and adjusting industrial policies. The shift toward geoeconomic fragmentation has significant macroeconomic implications. In fact, about 34 percent of surveyed employers view heightened geopolitical tensions and conflicts as a key driver of organizational transformation 

• The green transition: About 47 percent of employers consider the ramping up of efforts and investments to reduce carbon emissions as a key driver for organizational transformation. As well, 41 percent of employers see the increased efforts and investments made to adapt to climate change as a significant driver for organizational change. The demand for green skills will continue to outpace supply. The report states, “To fully capitalize on opportunities created by the green transition and harness them in a way that is fair and inclusive, prioritizing green skilling is essential”. Employers agree, in that 71 percent in the Automotive and Aerospace industry and 69 percent in the Mining and Metals industry expect carbon emissions reductions to transform their organizations 

• Demographic shifts: we have an aging and declining working-age population predominantly in higher-income economies (due to declining birth rates and longer life expectancy), and a growing working-age population in many lower-income economies (where younger populations are progressively entering the labour market). As a result, we are putting greater pressure on a smaller pool of working-age individuals and raising concerns about long-term labour availability. Many employers facing the effects of the aging population are more pessimistic about talent availability and expect to face bigger challenges in attracting talent, and believe that they may need to rely on automation (79 percent) and advance workforce augmentation (67 percent). In fact, 92 percent of employers think that they will need to prioritize upskilling and reskilling in the next five years 

  
  

What is the Jobs Outlook? 

The Jobs Outlook addresses the issue of how employers expect certain jobs to grow and decline in response to the above-mentioned trends.  

It is predicted that by 2030, new job creation will amount to 170 million jobs (about 14 percent of today’s total employment), offset by the displacement of 92 million current jobs (about eight percent of today’s total employment). This means there will be a net growth of 78 million jobs (seven percent of today’s total employment).  

The fastest growing job roles are driven by technological developments—Big Data Specialist, FinTech Engineers, AI and Machine Learning Specialists, Software and Applications Developers, Security Management Specialists, Data Warehousing Specialists, and Autonomous and EV Specialists . On the other hand, some of the top fastest declining jobs involve clerical roles, such as Cashiers and Ticket Clerks, Administrative Assistants and Executive Secretaries, Bank Tellers, as well as Accounting, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Clerks.  

Moreover, the largest growing jobs for 2025–2030 include Farmworkers, Labourers, and other Agricultural Workers, Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers, Software and Applications Developers, Building Farmers Finishers, related Trades Workers, and Shop Salespersons. Conversely, the largest declining jobs include Cashiers and Tickets Clerks, Administrative Assistants and Executive Secretaries, Building Caretakers and Cleaners, Material-recording and Stock-keeping clerks, Printing and related Trades workers, as well as Accounting and Bookkeeping Clerks. 

The researchers also examined how the above trends would affect employment. Technology has been predicted to be the most divergent driver of labour-market change—broadening digital access will likely create and displace more jobs than any other macrotrend. That is, 19 million jobs would be created, and nine million jobs would be displaced. Also, AI and information processing technology are expected to create 11 million jobs and displace 9 million jobs. When it comes to robotics and autonomous systems, it is predicted to be the largest job displacer with a net decline of five million jobs. In fact, broadening digital access, advancements in AI and information processing, and robotics and autonomous systems technologies are the drivers of the fastest growing and declining jobs. 

When it comes to technology, there is some question about the interplay between humans, machines, and algorithms as they redefine job roles across industries—is it about autonomation or augmentation? Automation will change the way in which people work. In particular, as technology becomes more versatile, the proportional share of tasks performed solely by humans is expected to decline. Today, 47 percent of work tasks are performed mainly by humans alone, with 22 percent performed mainly by technology (machines and algorithms), and 30 percent completed by a combination of both. But by 2030, employers expect these proportions to be nearly evenly split across these three things. Interestingly, the report states: 

“both machines and humans might be significantly more productive in 2030 – performing more or higher value tasks in the same or less amount of time than it would have taken them to do so in 2025 – so any concern about humans “running out of things to do” due to automation would be misplaced” 

Along the same lines, the researchers asked this question: If an increasing amount of a firm’s total output and income is derived from advanced machines and proprietary algorithms, to what extent will human workers be able to share in this prosperity? They stressed that technology could be designed and developed in a way that complements and enhances, rather than displaces, human work. In fact, they underscore the importance of ensuring that talent development, reskilling, and upskilling strategies are designed and delivered in a way to enable and optimize human-machine collaboration. 

That said, at an industry level, all sectors are expected to see a reduction in the proportion of work tasks performed by humans alone by 2030, but they differ in the share of this reduction that is projected to be attributable to automation versus augmentation and human-machine collaboration. For instance, there are four sectors where automation is projected to reduce the proportion of total work tasks done by humans alone and reduce the share of total work tasks currently delivered through human-machine collaboration.  

With respect to geoeconomic fragmentation, employers view increased government subsidies and industrial policy, increased geopolitical division and conflicts, and increased restrictions to global trade and investment to be net job creators. 

Additionally, increased government subsidies and industrial policy are expected to drive increased demand for Business Intelligence Analysts and Business Development Professionals. Increased restrictions to global trade and investment are also predicted to drive growth in those roles, as well as in Strategic Advisors and Supply Chain and Logistics Specialists. And increased geopolitical division and conflicts are projected to drive growth in all these roles, in addition to Information Security Analysts and Security Management Specialists. 

Employers were also asked about whether they were planning to offshore parts of their workforce, or move operations closer to home through reshoring, nearshoring, or friendshoring. Employers are driven to off-shoring and re-shoring due to the above geoeconomic trends. 

In terms of the green transition, climate change adaptation is likely to be the third largest contributor to net growth in global jobs by 2030, with an additional five million net jobs; similarly, climate change mitigation is the sixth largest contributor, with an additional three million net jobs. In this context, some fast-growing jobs (they are in the top 15 fastest growing jobs) include Environmental Engineers and Renewable Energy Engineers. Some other fast-growing jobs include Sustainability Specialists and Renewable Energy Technicians. Additionally, green transition macrotrends will also drive labour-market transformation; for instance, there will likely be net job growth for Building Framers, Finishers, and Related Trades Workers. 

In regards to demographic shifts, the trend of growing working-age populations is expected to be the second largest driver of global net job creation, with nine million net additional jobs by 2030. Likewise, aging and declining working-age populations are expected to be the third-largest driver of job creation (with 11 million additional jobs), as well as the main factor in a global reduction in jobs (with seven million fewer jobs). These demographic trends will likely be drivers for growth in roles for Assembly and Factory Workers, Vocational Education Teachers, Nurses, Sales and Hospitality professionals, Shop Salespersons, Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives, Food and Beverage Servers, as well as University and Higher Education Teachers and Secondary Education Teachers. 

The slower economic growth has caused employers to believe that there will be more job destruction (three million jobs) than creation (two million jobs). Similarly, employers believe that the rising cost of living and higher prices will cause some job creation (four million jobs) and displacement (three million jobs). This economic uncertainty will likely contribute to the decline in roles such as Building Caretakers, Cleaners, and Housekeepers, while slower economic growth is also among the top contributors to job decline in Business Services and Administration Managers, General and Operations Managers, and Sales and Marketing Professionals. 

That said, slower economic growth is also projected to be a top driver for growth in roles such as Business Development Professionals and Sales Representatives. Furthermore, growth in roles driven by increasing cost of living is concentrated in jobs associated with finding ways of increasing efficiency, such as AI and Machine Learning Specialists, Business Development Professionals, and Supply Chain and Logistics Specialists. 

What is the Skills Outlook? 

This part discusses expectations of skill disruption by 2030, the skills currently required for work, and whether employers anticipate that these skills will increase or decrease in importance over the next five years. It also examines the skills that are expected to become core skills by 2030, the key drivers of skill transformation, and anticipated training needs. 

When it comes to skills disruptions, there have been rapid advancements in frontier technologies (tech that significantly changes how we communicate, solve problems, and conduct business) since the pandemic—the post-pandemic era, we see an accelerated adoption of digital tools, remote work solutions, and advanced technologies such as machine learning and generative AI. At this point, employers expect 39 percent of workers’ core skills to change by 2030 and 61 percent of core skills that would remain the same; compared to this global average, Canada is at 38 percent, and the United States is at 35 percent of core skills will change by 2030. This may be why there is a growing focus on continuous learning along with upskilling and reskilling programmes. In fact, about 50 percent have completed training as part of long-term learning strategies. 

Interestingly, the top 15 skills that are the core skills in today’s workforce: analytical thinking; resilience, flexibility, and agility; leadership and social influence; creative thinking; motivation and self-awareness; technological literacy; empathy and active listening; curiosity and lifelong learning; talent management; service orientation and customer service; AI and big data; systems thinking; resource management and operations; dependability and attention to detail; quality control; and teaching and mentoring. Similarly, the top 15 skills that are on the rise include: AI and big data; networks and cybersecurity; technological literacy; creative thinking; resilience, flexibility, and agility; curiosity and lifelong learning; leadership and social influence; talent management; analytical thinking; environmental stewardship; systems thinking; motivation and self-awareness; empathy and active listening; and design and user experience. 

It is important to keep in mind that there are industry-specific variations in the evolving importance of skills. For example, both analytical thinking as well as curiosity and lifelong learning are at the top of the list with respect to what is needed in education and training; likewise, environmental stewardship is at the top of the list for what is needed in oil and gas. 

How are the main trends expected to influence the skills evolution by 2030? In terms of technological change, advances in technology are anticipated to drive skills change more than any other trend over the next five years. In fact, the increasing importance of AI and big data, networks and cybersecurity, and technological literacy is driven by the expansion of digital access and the integration of AI and information processing technologies. These trends have also been seen as responsible for the growing importance of analytical thinking and systems thinking. In a data-driven landscape, there is an increasing complexity of decision-making and the need for critical problem solving. Similarly, design and user experience, along with marketing and media skills, are expected to grow because of technological advancements. 

On the other hand, technology has accelerated the decline in some skills, including manual dexterity, endurance, precision, and reading, writing, and mathematics—likely due to robotics and automation. As discussed above, the hope is that technologies such as Gen AI will help to augment human skills through human-machine collaboration instead of replacing them, and so there is a continued importance of human-centred skills. In fact, the report states: 

“These findings underscore an urgent need for appropriate reskilling and upskilling strategies to bridge emerging divides. Such strategies will be essential in helping workers transition to roles that blend technical expertise with human-centred capabilities, supporting a more adaptable workforce in an increasingly technology-driven landscape”  

The researchers recommend that employers recognize the need for training and upskilling initiatives that focus on both advanced prompt-writing skills and broader GenAI literacy. 

In terms of geoeconomic fragmentation and economic uncertainty, these trends have led to a demand for network and cybersecurity skills in order to protect digital infrastructure from emerging threats. They have also led to a need for human-centred skills including resilience, flexibility, agility, leadership and social influence, and global citizenship to manage multiple crises and complex social dynamics. 

With respect to the green transition, environmental skills are becoming increasingly integral across diverse sectors. Moreover, employers that anticipate a rise in the importance of global citizenship cite the convergence of climate-change adaptation, geoeconomic fragmentation, and broadening digital access as key factors.  

We cannot forget about demographic shifts as a driver of skills demand—aging and declining working-age populations are pressing organizations to prioritize talent management, teaching and mentoring, as well as motivation and self-awareness. At the same time, there is a rising focus on empathy and active listening, resource management, and customer service. This emphasizes the growing need for interpersonal and operational skills that can address the specific needs of an aging workforce and foster more inclusive work environments. 

What does this all mean when it comes to skills? Employers have increasingly invested in reskilling and upskilling initiatives to ensure that workforce skills are aligned with evolving demands. Since 50 percent of workforces have completed training across nearly all industries, there is a growing recognition of the importance of continuous skill development. However, some industries are outliers: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, and Real Estate are the only sectors that have seen a decline in training completion since 2023. 

For a representative sample of 100 workers, 41 will not require significant training by 2030; 11 will require training, but it will not be accessible to them in the foreseeable future; and 29 will require training and be upskilled within their current roles. Additionally, 19 out of 100 workers will require training and will be reskilled and redeployed within their organization by 2030. To fund the training, employers expect to fund their own training programmes (86 percent), free of cost training (27 percent), government (20 percent), public-private funding (18 percent), and co-funding across the industry (16 percent). From training initiatives, employers expect enhanced productivity (77 percent), and improved competitiveness (70 percent).   

What are Workforce Strategies? 

Employers were asked about the workforce strategies that they anticipate adopting in response to the macrotrends mentioned above that will shape the future of work. Also, this part also touches on key barriers to organizational transformation, talent availability, as well as planned workplace practices and policies. 

The main barrier to organizational transformation is skill gaps in the labour market (63 percent). This challenge exists across practically all industries and geographies. Second and third in line are organizational culture and resistance to change (46 percent), and outdated or inflexible regulatory framework (39 percent). In terms of talent availability outlook, it has decreased since 2023: in 2025, only 29 percent of businesses expect talent availability to improve between 2025–2030. That said, employers are optimistic about talent development (70 percent). But when it comes to talent retention, only 44 percent expect to see improvements in their ability to retain talent. 

The most common workforce strategy in response to the above macrotrends is upskilling the workforce (85 percent). This is the case across all geographies and economies at all income levels, with employers in high-income economies (87 percent) slightly ahead of those in upper-middle-income (84 percent) and lower-middle-income (82 percent) economies. In addition, process and task automation is expected to be the second most common workforce strategy (73 percent). Automation is a more pronounced strategy in high-income economies (77 percent), compared to upper-middle-income (74 percent) and lower-middle-income economies (57 percent). And third on the list, employers plan on complementing and augmenting their workforce with new technologies (63 percent). 

It is important to note that 70 percent of organizations plan to hire new staff with emerging in-demand skills, 51 percent plan to transition staff from declining to growing roles internally, and 41 percent plan to reduce staff due to skills obsolescence. Also, 10 percent plan to move operations within closer control through reshoring, nearshoring or friendshoring, and eight percent plan to offshore significant parts of their workforce. 

In terms of business practices, a top priority is supporting employee health and well-being (64 percent). Other top priorities include providing effective reskilling and upskilling (63 percent), improving talent progression and promotion processes (62 percent), offering higher wages (50 percent), tapping diverse talent pools (47 percent), and offering remote and hybrid work opportunities within countries (43 percent). 

In regards to public policies, employers identified funding for reskilling and upskilling (55 percent) and provision of reskilling and upskilling (52 percent) as the two most crucial policy measures. The researchers state that there is a clear desire for sustained public investment in skills development to align workforce capabilities with future labour-market demands. 

Interestingly, 83 percent of employers have already implemented diversity, equity, and inclusion  measures; this represents a marked increase since 2023, where there were 67 percent of employers. These measures include training for managers and staff, recruitment and retention initiatives, setting goals and quotas, pay equity reviews, salary audits, having anti-harassment protocols, and ensuring these goals are across the supply chain. 

And wages are also affected by these trends—52 percent of employers expect to see an increase in the share of their revenue allocated to wages by 2030, 41 percent expect to see wages stay stable, and seven percent expect to see a reduction in wages. It appears that two main factors are related to wage expectations: aligning wages to productivity and performance (77 percent) and competing to retain talent (71 percent).  

With respect to assessing skills, work experience continues to be the most common assessment mechanism in hiring (81 percent plan on continuing to use this strategy). Second in line is pre-employment tests (48 percent), and third is psychometric tests (34 percent). Of course, resumes are still important (43 percent). Thus, in addition to education, employers want to see applicants use their skills and demonstrate their behavioural traits, cognitive abilities, and cultural fit.  

In response to AI adoption, 86 percent of employers expect that AI and information processing technologies will transform their businesses by 2030—though certain sectors would have higher numbers due to possible higher anticipated AI exposure, such as the Financial Services (97 percent) and Electronics (95 percent) sectors. In contrast, certain sectors have lower numbers likely due to lower exposure to AI disruption, including Energy Technology and Utilities (72 percent) and Government and Public Sector (76 percent).   

The following are barriers to AI adoption: lack of skills to support adoption (50 percent), lack of vision among managers and leaders (43 percent), high costs of AI products and services (29 percent), lack of customization to local business needs (24 percent), complex regulations around AI and data usage (21 percent), and lack of consumer demand (16 percent). What the foregoing suggests is that there is a gap in skills required for AI adoption for managers and workers alike. 

The most anticipated workforce strategy among employers (77 percent) in response to AI disruption is reskilling and upskilling of the existing workforce to work more effectively alongside AI (this applies to 45 out of the 55 covered economies).

Moreover, 69 percent plan to recruit talent skilled in AI tool design and enhancement, and 62 percent anticipate that they will hire people with skills in working with AI. What’s more, 49 percent expect to reorient their business models toward new AI-driven opportunities, and 47 percent expect to transition employees from AI-disrupted roles to other positions. However, it is important to keep in mind that 41 percent expect to downsize their workforce as AI capabilities to replicate roles expand. 

The report also contains insights involving the various macrotrends mentioned above in relation to particular regions and industries. For instance, in North America, technological advancements, demographic shifts, and economic uncertainties are driving strategic decisions of companies. Focusing more precisely on Canada, employers are anticipating an evolving business landscape marked by advances in digital technologies, geoeconomic fragmentation, and increased climate-mitigation efforts. It is important to note that 97 percent of companies expect AI and information processing technologies to transform their operations. In order to ensure that there is a steady flow of talent, employers in Canada are trying to improve talent progression and promotion processes and invest in reskilling and upskilling.

The Economy Profile on Canada also contains some helpful information. In Canada, 90 percent have secondary education and 68 percent have tertiary education. However, Canada only invests in mid-career training at a rate of five percent.  

Moreover, Canada’s individual rates on macrotrends and technology trends (share of organizations that identified the trend as likely to drive transformation in their organization) compared to the global rates were presented: 

• Broadening digital access: 70 percent compared to the global rate of 60 percent 

• Increased geopolitical division and conflicts: 58 percent compared to the global rate of 34 percent 

• Increased efforts and investments to reduce carbon: 54 percent compared to the global rate of 47 percent 

• Increased efforts and investments to adapt to climate change: 52 percent compared to the global rate of 41 percent 

• Slower economic growth: 52 percent compared to the global rate of 42 percent 

• Rising cost of living, higher prices or inflation: 47 percent compared to the global rate of 50 percent 

• Ageing and declining working-age population: 42 percent compared to the global rate of 40 percent 

• Increased focus on labour and social issues: 41 percent compared to the global rate of 46 percent 

• Growing working-age populations: 30 percent compared to the global rate of 24 percent 

• Increased restrictions to global trade and investment: 27 percent compared to the global rate of 23 percent 

• Increased government subsidies and industrial policy: 16 percent compared to the global rate of 21 percent 

• Stricter anti-trust and competition regulations: 16 percent compared to the global rate of 17 percent 

• AI and information processing technologies (big data, VR, AR): 97 percent compared to the global rate of 86 percent 

• Robots and autonomous systems: 54 percent compared to the global rate of 58 percent 

• Energy generation, storage, and distribution: 40 percent compared to the global rate of 41 percent 

• New materials and composites: 24 percent compared to the global rate of 30 percent 

• Semiconductors and computing technologies: 21 percent compared to the global rate of 20 percent 

  
  

What Can We Take from This Report? 

This report surveyed over 1,000 global employers on several topics involving employment. For instance, we learned about the trends that will affect organizations and drive business transformation up to 2030, including the rising cost of living, geopolitical conflicts, climate issues, and economic downturns—these issues were noted before the tariff wars began, and the tariffs could worsen the situation and cause further economic uncertainty.   

Given the above findings, I would like to suggest that employers need to prioritize upskilling and reskilling their workforces—and start thinking about this as soon as possible. Throughout this article, there were important revelations suggesting that, when it comes to skills, there is great opportunity with upskilling and reskilling and most employers say that it is their top workforce strategy that will help address skills misalignments and shape the future of work.  

Indeed, employers have identified funding for reskilling and upskilling and provision of reskilling and upskilling as the two most crucial policy measures. Employers also want to ensure that there is sustained public investment in skills development to align workforce capabilities with future labour-market demands. 

The researchers recommend that employers recognize the need for training and upskilling initiatives that focus on both advanced prompt-writing skills and broader GenAI literacy. As I wrote here, the purpose of improving an employee skill (upskilling) or teaching a brand-new skill or skills (reskilling) is to appreciate the nature of continuous learning.