PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2024, the fifth in a series dating back to 2019, finds that more than half of workers feel there’s too much change at work happening at once, and 44% don’t understand why things need to change at all. At the same time, workers also report increased workloads, uncertainty about job security and pervasive financial struggles.
However, there are also strong signs of optimism and engagement. Most employees say they’re ready to adapt to new ways of working. Many are eager to upskill, and they see potential in using generative AI (GenAI) to increase their efficiency. More than half agree that recent changes they’ve experienced make them feel optimistic about their company’s future.
These mixed signals, based on a survey of more than 56,000 workers in 50 countries and regions, suggest a global workforce caught between today and tomorrow. Workers are open to the future, but present-day pressures may be clouding their vision of what the future could look like and how they can contribute.
Although there are compelling business reasons for change – CEOs are urgently trying to evolve their companies to remain economically viable over the long term – leaders must double down on making the case for change to their most important stakeholders: their workforce. Unless employees understand and help drive change, transformation plans are unlikely to succeed.
Regarding the challenges leaders are facing, the Survey pinpoints two key actions: Lead in new ways to build resilience among a stressed-out workforce and engage employees on change to drive transformation.
Research Survey available here: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/workforce/hopes-and-fears.html
Photo: Yan Krukau, pexels.com
