The Future of Jobs Report 2025
At a glance
- Broadening digital access identified as most transformative trend; 60% of employers expect it to reshape business by 2030.
- AI and information processing anticipated by 86% of employers; robotics and automation by 58%; energy transition by 41%.
- Net employment growth projected at 78 million jobs (7% of current total), offset by 92 million job displacements.
- 39% of workers' skills forecast to become outdated by 2030, down from 44% in 2023 and 57% in 2020.
- Skill gaps identified as biggest transformation barrier; 85% of employers plan workforce upskilling; 11 of 100 workers at risk.
What the report covers
The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 examines labour market transformation across 2025–2030 through insights from over 1,000 global employers representing 14 million workers across 22 industry clusters and 55 economies. The report assesses how five macrotrends—technological change, geoeconomic fragmentation, economic uncertainty, demographic shifts and green transition—will reshape job creation, role displacement and skill demand.
Key findings
Broadening digital access ranks as the most transformative trend overall, with 60% of employers expecting it to reshape their business by 2030. AI and information processing is anticipated by 86% of employers, robotics and automation by 58%, and energy generation and storage by 41%. These advancements are forecast to drive demand for AI and big data skills, networks and cybersecurity, and technological literacy—the three fastest-growing skill categories.
Rising cost of living is the second-most transformative trend, expected to affect 50% of businesses despite anticipated global inflation reduction. General economic slowdown is forecast to transform 42% of businesses and displace 1.6 million jobs globally. Economic pressures are expected to intensify demand for creative thinking, resilience, flexibility and agility skills.
Climate-change mitigation ranks third among transformative trends, with 53% of employers affected, and adaptation at 41%. These drivers forecast demand for renewable energy engineers, environmental engineers and electric vehicle specialists—all among the 15 fastest-growing roles. Environmental stewardship has entered the report's top 10 fastest-growing skills for the first time.
Geoeconomic fragmentation and geopolitical tensions are expected to transform business models in 34% of surveyed organisations. Over one-fifth of employers identify increased trade and investment restrictions, and 21% cite subsidies and industrial policies as operational factors. These trends drive demand for security roles and cybersecurity skills, alongside resilience, flexibility and leadership.
Frontline roles—farmworkers, delivery drivers, construction workers, salespersons—are forecast to see the largest absolute job growth. Care economy jobs such as nursing professionals and personal care aides, alongside tertiary and secondary education teachers, are expected to grow significantly. Conversely, clerical and secretarial workers—including cashiers, administrative assistants and data entry clerks—face the largest decline in absolute numbers.
Key numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Employers expecting broadening digital access to transform business | 60% |
| Employers anticipating AI and information processing as transformative | 86% |
| New jobs to be created globally | 170 million |
| Jobs forecast to be displaced globally | 92 million |
| Net employment growth forecast | 78 million jobs (7%) |
| Workers' skills forecast to become outdated or transform | 39% |
| Employers identifying skill gaps as major transformation barrier | 63% |
| Global workforce needing training by 2030 | 59 of 100 workers |
Figures as published in the source; forecasts and survey results are labelled as such in the note.
Why it matters
DMOs & destinations
Demographic shifts and climate-transition jobs forecast to reshape tourism labour supply and visitor composition. Destinations must anticipate skills shortages in hospitality and frontline roles, and understand how geoeconomic fragmentation affects international visitor flows and workforce mobility. Rising cost of living and economic slowdown may dampen demand in price-sensitive segments.
Hotels & hospitality
Frontline roles including delivery drivers and food-processing workers forecast to grow in absolute terms, but clerical and administrative roles face decline. Hotels must prioritise reskilling hospitality staff for emerging roles and invest in upskilling; 85% of employers plan this. Focus on employee health and well-being is key to talent attraction; 64% of employers identify this as a strategy.
Travel tech & distribution
AI, big data and networks and cybersecurity skills rank among the three fastest-growing categories, directly relevant to technology hiring and product development. Geoeconomic fragmentation—expected to transform 34% of business models—may accelerate re-shoring or off-shoring of tech operations. Tech firms must compete for AI talent; two-thirds of employers plan to hire staff with specific AI skills.
Methodology and limits
The report aggregates perspectives from over 1,000 leading global employers, collectively representing more than 14 million workers across 22 industry clusters and 55 economies. Survey methodology details are not included in the source text. All figures presented are employer forecasts and survey responses regarding expected business transformation, job creation and displacement by 2030, not observed statistics. This brief is based on the publicly available digest only.
Official source
The report is © World Economic Forum. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel — it quotes only figures published in the source and never reproduces the document.
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