The Future of Jobs: Key Insights from the 2025 WEF Report

The World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Jobs 2025 Report examines how major factors, such as demographic change, will shape the worldwide job market by 2030. The report is based on a survey of over 1,000 global employers, representing more than 14 million workers across 55 countries and 22 industry groups.

The Future of Jobs Report provides valuable information for businesses and workers on the evolving job market, in-demand skills, and those sectors that will face growth or decline.

Key Findings

The Future of Jobs 2025 Report highlights the major trends and factors expected to shape the world of work by 2030. From technological advances to demographic shifts, here are the most significant findings.

  Technological Advances

Greater access to digital technologies and the internet is expected to be the leading trend over the next few years. 60% of the employers surveyed believed it would have a significant effect on their businesses by 2030.

Technological advances, especially in artificial intelligence (AI), automation, robotics, and information processing, are expected to drive both the creation of new job opportunities, and a decline in certain roles.

  Economic Shifts

Economic changes, such as the rising cost of living and slowing down of the economy, will affect the availability of jobs. According to the report, the increasing cost of living is expected to impact 50% of businesses by 2030, and a general economic slowdown will affect 42% of businesses globally.

  Geoeconomic Fragmentation and Geopolitical Tensions

Geoeconomic fragmentation is the process of economic separation between countries. This may be caused by trade disputes, geopolitical tensions, or a clash in economic policies. Brexit is an example of geoeconomic fragmentation, leading to changes in trade relationships and economic policies between the UK and the EU. This kind of economic division can result in disrupted supply chains, shifts in trade alliances, and market instability.

According to the report, geoeconomic fragmentation and geopolitical tensions are expected to affect 34% of the businesses who were surveyed over the next five years. 23% of the employers were concerned about the effect of increased restrictions on trade and investment on their businesses. 21% were similarly concerned about policies on subsidies. Almost all the above businesses were based in countries that have strong trade ties with the United States and/or China.

  Demographic Changes

Demographic changes are shifts in the makeup of a population. That might be age, gender, ethnic background, or income level. The report flags up two demographic shifts that are likely to affect global economies and job markets. The first is an aging and declining working age population, mainly in higher income countries like the UK, Germany, and the US. The second is an expanding working age population, this time mainly in lower income countries.

Aging populations demand an increase in healthcare jobs, while a growing working age population drives growth in teaching jobs.

  Environmental Concerns

Both climate change mitigation and adaptation were important factors in the report. 47% of the employers surveyed believed that the drive to prevent climate change would affect their businesses over the next few years. 41% felt that adapting to climate change would have a significant impact on their businesses.

These concerns are the main reason for an increase in the number of green jobs and demand for green skills.

The Future of Jobs for Workers

So what do these trends mean for workers?

  Top Growing Jobs

According to the report, the types of job that will see the greatest growth over the next five years are:

• green jobs and energy transition roles, such as renewable energy engineers
• healthcare jobs
• cyber security jobs
• front line roles that involve direct interaction with customers, such as delivery drivers and salespersons
• construction roles
• care economy jobs across nursing, social work, and counselling
• teaching jobs
• technology jobs, especially in big data, fintech, AI, and software development
• agricultural roles
• food processing roles

Top 5 growing jobs

1. Farmworkers, labourers, and other agricultural roles
2. Light truck or delivery drivers
3. Software and application developers
4. Building framers, finishers, and related trade roles
5. Shop salespersons

  Jobs in Decline

The Future of Jobs 2025 Report found that the jobs most likely to see a decline are clerical and secretarial roles. The main factor driving this decline is the increasing use of AI and autonomous systems.

Top 5 jobs in decline

1. Cashiers and ticket clerks
2. Administrative assistants and executive secretaries
3. Building caretakers, cleaners, and housekeepers
4. Material-recording and stock-keeping clerks
5. Printing and related trades workers

  Skills in Demand

The Future of Jobs 2025 Report also looked at the type of skills employers want now and what skills will be important to businesses by 2030. While the report admits that those skills may vary depending on the specific industry, these were the top five skills that surveyed businesses considered to be important in 2025:

1. Analytical thinking
2. Resilience, flexibility and agility
3. Leadership and social influence
4. Creative thinking
5. Motivation and self-awareness

These were closely followed by technological literacy and empathy and active listening.
By comparison, the top five skills that surveyed businesses believed would be important in 2030 are:

1. AI and big data
2. Technological literacy
3. Creative thinking
4. Resilience, flexibility, and agility
5. Curiosity and lifelong learning

Wrapping it up

The Future of Jobs 2025 Report highlights both the opportunities and challenges of the global job market over the next five years. While new factors like geoeconomic fragmentation and AI adoption may make the situation more complex, the report offers a positive outlook on employment. In the next five years, around 170 million jobs are expected to be created, with a smaller loss of 92 million jobs, resulting in an overall increase of 78 million jobs.

The challenge for businesses, industries, and governments is to remain informed and adaptable as factors like technological advances alter the type of roles and skills that are needed. The key to building a workforce who have all the skills envisioned as important in 2030 is to focus on reskilling and upskilling now.