Global workplaces are entering a period of rapid change as employers reassess the skills they expect from their workforces. While fewer than half of companies currently view AI and big data capabilities as essential, that picture is set to shift significantly, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025. The findings reflect input from more than 1,000 major employers representing over 14 million workers across 22 industries and 55 economies.
A recurring theme in the report is the speed at which skill requirements are evolving. Some abilities are rising in value, while others are slowly fading from job descriptions. The influence of new technology has prompted debate over the stability of roles, particularly at the entry level, as automated systems take on routine tasks. Many organisations have already reduced hiring for functions that rely heavily on repetitive work.
Among the skills employers need most, analytical thinking sits at the top of the list. The report states that 69 percent of employers consider it a core requirement. Resilience, flexibility and agility follow closely, with 67 percent naming these qualities as essential in adapting to shifting work environments. Despite workplace changes, leadership and social influence remain firmly valued, with 61 percent of employers identifying these traits as necessary for their teams.
By contrast, a smaller share of companies see AI and big data skills as fundamental today. Less than half included these abilities among their primary requirements. Multi-lingualism and global citizenship also ranked lower on employers’ lists. Sensory processing abilities were cited the least, identified by only 6 percent.
Although current demand for technological expertise appears limited in some areas, employers expect the greatest rise in these capabilities over the next five years. AI and big data skills are forecast to grow by 87 percent, making them the fastest-expanding category. Networks and cybersecurity follow with a projected rise of 70 percent, while technological literacy is expected to grow by 68 percent.
New workplace priorities are not limited to technical areas. Creative thinking, curiosity and lifelong learning, along with resilience, flexibility and agility, are also projected to increase in demand. Leadership and talent management are expected to remain stable and important.
The report highlights that disruptions to skills will not be uniform across regions. Lower-middle and upper-middle income economies anticipate more significant changes, while high-income economies expect less disturbance. Ten of the twelve countries predicting the least change between 2025 and 2030 are in Europe, including Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.
These findings reflect a global transition that is reshaping work as new technologies spread across industries. Employers and workers alike are assessing how best to prepare for the next phase of the labour market.
