The Age of Adaptability

2024 Workforce Trends Shaping the Future of Work

What You Will Find In This Report:

4 key FORCES impacting the future of work
14 underlying TRENDS that are accelerating
Key INSIGHTS and takeaways to help you plan ahead

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Trends Driving The Age of Adaptability

Amid rapid technological and socio-economic changes, people and companies need to adapt to thrive. A “New Employer-Employee Compact” is emerging as innovations in digitization, automation, and sustainability reshape and reinvent traditional roles and transform the modern workforce.

Shifting Demographics

Despite influxes of Gen Z workers, workforces globally continue to age. To fill gaps, organizations must leverage untapped talent pools, including seasoned employees, returners/career changers, and employees with less traditional experience.

Tech Advancement

As generative AI evolves at a rapid pace, experience tells us that technology has proven to be a powerful ally, augmenting rather than replacing human capabilities. Harnessing the potential of AI to drive growth and productivity gains will require companies to prioritize people.

Competitive Drivers

Amid economic uncertainty and intensifying competition for talent, organizations must take decisive actions to attract and retain top talent while advancing their sustainability commitments. Employees today are increasingly seeking purpose and meaning in their work, flexible arrangements that integrate with their lifestyles, opportunities to continuously develop new skills, fair pay for fair work, and leadership that cares about more than just profits.

Individual Choice

Centered around the “consumerization of work,” a new employer-employee relationship has emerged where people expect to “consume” work much like they do other aspects of life — on their own schedules and in ways tailored to their individual needs.

Jonas Prising

Chairman and CEO, ManpowerGroup

“The pace of technological development coupled with the global prioritization of climate action is rapidly accelerating the transformation of jobs and skills. Organizations have a responsibility to their people and communities to provide transparency, upskilling, and dedicated career support to navigate this new era.”

The world of work is changing more rapidly than ever before. Shifting Demographics, Tech Advancement, Competitive Drivers, and Individual Choice create both challenges and opportunities for employers. One constant, however, remains — megatrends, such as generative AI, automation, nearshoring, and green business transformation, will continue to accelerate.

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About the Research

For more than 70 years, ManpowerGroup has researched, tracked and compiled data globally to look beyond current economic indicators to find the most compelling insights into shifting demographics, technology usage, employee expectations and workforce pressure points.

The New Human Age research took place in November 2022 and features input from 13,000 decision-makers and 8,000 workers from across eight countries, and identifies 14 key trends shaping the future of work and impacting today’s employers and the people they employ.