As we move into 2025, the world of work is undergoing rapid and significant changes, driven by technological advancements, environmental concerns, economic shifts, and evolving societal expectations.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 provides a comprehensive analysis of these interconnected trends, offering insights into how they are reshaping the global labor market. This report, based on a survey of over 1,000 employers representing more than 14 million workers across 22 industries and 55 economies, identifies key challenges and opportunities for workers, businesses, and policymakers.

Key Macrotrends Shaping the Labor Market

Several major trends are expected to transform the global labor market by 2030. These include:

  • Technological Change: This is seen as a major driver of labor market transformation. Advancements in technologies, particularly AI and information processing (86%), robotics and automation (58%), and energy generation, storage and distribution (41%), are expected to be transformative. The broadening of digital access is also considered to be the most transformative trend. These technological trends are expected to both create and displace jobs, and fuel demand for technology-related skills.
  • The Green Transition: Increased efforts and investments to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to climate change are also expected to drive business transformation. This shift towards sustainability is creating a demand for green skills.
  • Geoeconomic Fragmentation: Geopolitical tensions, increased restrictions on trade and investment, and government subsidies and industrial policies are expected to drive business model transformation. These trends may lead to companies offshoring or reshoring operations.
  • Economic Uncertainty: The rising cost of living and general economic slowdown are also considered significant trends. Inflation is predicted to have a mixed outlook for net job creation, while slower growth is expected to displace jobs.
  • Demographic Shifts: Aging and declining working-age populations are expected to impact talent availability. Some companies are prioritizing transitioning current employees into growing roles and automating processes in response to these demographic trends.

These macrotrends are not mutually exclusive and often interact to shape the labor market. For example, technological change can both displace jobs and also create new roles, while the green transition can spur new sectors of the economy, and aging populations can lead to increased automation.

Job Market Outlook

The report projects that the global labor market will experience a net growth of 78 million jobs by 2030, which is a 7% increase of total employment. This growth is offset by the displacement of 92 million jobs, mainly due to automation and technological advancements. The report indicates that some roles such as cashiers, ticket clerks, data entry clerks, bank tellers and postal service clerks are expected to decline. Roles such as Data Analysts and Scientists and AI and Machine Learning Specialists are expected to grow.

The Shifting Skills Landscape

According to the report, several skills are expected to see a significant increase in demand by 2030, with technological skills leading the way. Here’s a breakdown of the key skills expected to grow in importance:

  • AI and Big Data: This skill is projected to be the fastest-growing skill across nearly all sectors. The majority of employers expect this skill to increase in use. It is also considered a core skill that will continue to grow in importance.
  • Networks and Cybersecurity: This is another critical skill that is expected to see rapid growth. It is among the top 10 skills expected to increase significantly in use by 2030.
  • Technological Literacy: This skill is also projected to grow rapidly. It is considered a core skill that is projected to become more important.
  • Creative Thinking: This skill is expected to rise in importance, complementing the technological skills. It is also identified as a core skill that is projected to become even more important.
  • Resilience, Flexibility, and Agility: This combination of socio-emotional skills is also expected to see a substantial increase in importance. It is a core skill that is predicted to continue growing rapidly.
  • Curiosity and Lifelong Learning: This is another important socio-emotional attitude that is expected to increase in importance. It is also considered a core skill.
  • Leadership and Social Influence: This skill has seen a substantial increase in importance and is expected to continue growing. It is also a core skill that will continue to be critical.
  • Analytical Thinking: While already a highly sought-after core skill, analytical thinking is expected to continue to increase in importance.
  • Talent Management: This skill is also among the top 10 skills on the rise.
  • Environmental Stewardship: This skill is also expected to increase significantly in use. It is seen as increasingly important as businesses adapt to sustainability and green transitions.

It is worth noting that these skills are not just growing in importance in isolation, but many of them are interconnected. For example, technological skills like AI and big data are driving the need for analytical and systems thinking, while the need for adaptability is highlighted through resilience, flexibility and agility.

The report also highlights that manual dexterity, endurance, and precision are skills that are anticipated to see notable net declines in demand. Also, skills such as reading, writing and mathematics, which are currently considered stable, are expected to experience a small net decline.

Overall, the skills seeing the greatest increase in demand reflect a shift towards a more technologically driven and dynamic workforce, while also emphasizing human-centered skills such as creativity, adaptability, leadership and continuous learning.

Job creation and displacement  

Technological change is predicted to be a significant and divergent driver of labor market transformation, impacting job creation and displacement in several ways by 2030. Here’s a breakdown of the expected effects:

  • Broadening Digital Access: This is expected to be the most transformative trend, creating 19 million jobs while also displacing 9 million jobs. This indicates that while increased digital access will create many opportunities, it will also lead to significant shifts in employment.
  • AI and Information Processing: Advancements in AI and information processing technologies are expected to create 11 million jobs but also displace 9 million jobs. This highlights the dual nature of AI, both creating new roles and automating existing ones.
  • Robotics and Autonomous Systems: These technologies are expected to be the largest net job displacers, with a net decline of 5 million jobs. This suggests that automation through robotics will lead to a reduction in certain types of jobs.

These three technological trends—broadening digital access, advancements in AI and information processing, and robotics and autonomous systems—are expected to be prominent drivers of both the fastest-growing and fastest-declining jobs.

Overall, the report estimates that technological advancements will contribute to a net job increase, but this increase will be accompanied by a considerable amount of job displacement. The interplay between humans, machines, and algorithms is expected to redefine job roles across industries. By 2030, employers expect the proportion of tasks performed solely by humans to decrease, with more tasks being completed by technology or a combination of humans and technology.

It’s important to note that the report emphasizes that while technology will automate tasks, it also has the potential to augment human skills through human-machine collaboration. The design of technology and the implementation of reskilling and upskilling strategies will be critical in determining whether technology complements or displaces human work.

Workforce Strategies and Barriers

Companies are adopting various workforce strategies to adapt to these changes. Many are focusing on reskilling and upskilling initiatives, with employers largely expecting to fund their own training programs. However, skills gaps in the labor market remain a primary barrier to transformation, along with organizational culture and resistance to change, and outdated or inflexible regulatory frameworks.

Regional and Industry Insights

The impact of these macrotrends varies across different regions and industries. For example:

  • In Eastern Asia and Oceania, companies expect aging populations and slower economic growth to transform their labor markets.
  • In Malaysia, businesses are preparing for increased restrictions on global trade and investment.
  • In the Philippines, broadening digital access and climate mitigation are expected to shape labor market dynamics.
  • Companies operating in Morocco expect to see more demand for skills in AI and big data, creative thinking, and leadership and social influence.
  • In Argentina, skills gaps are seen as a major barrier to business transformation.
  • In Colombia, skills gaps and outdated regulatory frameworks are seen as key barriers.

The Path Forward

The Future of Jobs Report 2025 presents a mixed picture for the global labor market. While there is a positive outlook for job growth, it is also clear that significant disruptions are underway. To navigate these changes successfully, the report emphasizes the importance of proactive and dynamic job transitions, and it encourages a focus on reskilling and upskilling, as well as collaboration between businesses, governments, educators, and civil society to ensure a better future for workers. The report underscores that investment and policy decisions made today will shape the future of work.

This article provides a summary of the key findings from the Future of Jobs Report 2025. For more detailed information, refer to the full report and its accompanying Region, Economy, and Industry Profiles found here | The Future of Jobs Report 2025 | World Economic Forum