A new edition of the Global Workforce study explores how employees in the medium and long term perceive the shifts ahead, helping organizations prepare and support their teams. This first section highlights key issues for organizations, including ongoing investment in personal skills and the adoption of Generative AI, with emphasis on accessible training for this technology.
According to Iker Barricat, President of The Adecco Group Spain, the arrival of artificial intelligence is reshaping productivity in the labor market. His words reflect a broader truth: seven in ten skilled workers now use AI tools regularly. Generative AI and overall productivity have become powerful engines for automating routine tasks and boosting efficiency across sectors. Yet the human factor remains essential for value creation in business. Personal skills such as emotional intelligence, empathy, and effective interpersonal interactions are unique, hard to replicate, and indispensable in the workplace.
Appropriate education and skills training are crucial for the effective use of Generative AI. Companies must manage this adoption responsibly to ensure all teams—across generations and experience levels—have equal access to tools and the benefits they bring.
The organization emphasizes its societal and labor-market responsibilities and calls for ethical, careful use of this tool. It acknowledges both the questions and opportunities generated by the growing use of generative AI in the labor market and advocates for a balanced adoption in which humans remain a central element.
The message ends with a reminder of the ongoing role of people in productive progress.
Productive artificial intelligence fascinates workers
Across the study, a large share of employees report positive expectations about Generative AI. A substantial portion believe AI will be broadly adopted and cited tools such as ChatGPT and Google Bard as examples. A notable portion of workers also indicates current use of Generative AI at work, while a smaller share admits limited familiarity or knowledge of these tools. Only a small minority believes AI could threaten their jobs.
Among those who anticipate positive impacts, many expect AI to make tasks easier, expand opportunities to learn, and potentially create new roles within their industries. The technology is seen as a means to reduce administrative burdens, free up time, and allow focus on more strategic activities. A majority also feel AI can save time and support higher-value tasks in daily work.
Beyond productivity, Generative AI is viewed as a career gateway by many respondents, with a significant share believing it could open doors to roles previously out of reach. The main reasons reported for using AI include saving time on routine tasks, rapid information retrieval, generating new ideas, and facilitating communication processes.
However, concerns persist about unethical or discriminatory uses of AI. A sizable portion of respondents sees potential risks in applying AI within labor markets and beyond, underscoring the need for ethical guardrails and transparent governance.
Investment in productive AI and soft skills
Many workers express interest in training in Generative AI, though a sizable share has not yet received formal orientation from their employers. The study notes that a majority still sees personal skills as crucial in the labor market, potentially outpacing the immediate benefits of Generative AI.
Emotional intelligence, empathy, and listening are highlighted as highly valued soft skills, along with interpersonal abilities like communication and collaboration. While there is confidence in AI to support routine tasks, workers also identify human competencies that could best complement or even outpace AI’s capabilities, such as judgment, time management, and strategic planning.
Methodology
The Global Workforce of the Future 2023 is a worldwide study that gathers perspectives from employees and managers across a broad set of countries where the Adecco Group operates. The latest survey included tens of thousands of workers globally, conducted during a defined period to ensure a robust cross-section of sectors and roles. The data are representative with a high confidence level, with quotas designed to reflect age and gender distributions. Most interviewees hold skilled or office-based roles that align with the use of Generative AI.