Jobs market set for major disruption says World Economic Forum
New research suggests that one in five of all jobs will be affected as new technology, the green transition, demographic shifts, and economic and political uncertainty redraw the labour map
The global jobs market is set to undergo profound structural changes over the next five years according to a new report from the World Economic Forum.
The Future of Jobs Report 2025 predicts that 170 million new jobs will be created, equivalent to 14 per cent of today’s total employment. However, this growth will be offset by the loss of 92 million current jobs, equivalent to 8 per cent of employment. In total, 22 per cent of today’s jobs will be affected by structural changes.
The World Economic Forum’s research is based a survey of more than 1,000 leading global employer, representing more than 14 million workers across 22 industry clusters and 55 economies from around the world.
Tech leads job race
Technology-related roles will be the fastest-growing jobs in percentage terms. These include big data specialists, fintech engineers, AI and machine learning specialists and software and application developers. Green and energy transition roles, including autonomous and electric vehicle specialists, environmental engineers, and renewable energy engineers, also feature among the fastest-growing roles.
Frontline job roles are predicted to see the largest growth in absolute terms of volume. They include delivery drivers, construction workers, salespersons, farmworkers and food processing workers.
Clerical and secretarial workers – including cashiers and ticket clerks, and administrative assistants and executive secretaries – are expected to see the largest decline in absolute numbers. Similarly, businesses expect the fastest-declining roles to include postal service clerks, bank tellers and data entry clerks.
Half of all firms polled by the study plan to reorient their business in response to AI, two-thirds plan to hire talent with specific AI skills, and 40 per cent anticipate reducing their workforce where AI can automate tasks.
Five key drivers
Five megatrends are identified in the report as driving these transformations:
- Technological change
- Geoeconomic fragmentation
- Economic uncertainty
- Demographic shifts
- The green transition
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