The future of work is changing faster than many of us would probably like to admit. Today’s worker is far different than the workers of the past—and technology, such as AI (artificial intelligence) is changing the game. It, then, becomes critical to keep an eye on the trends causing the workforce to remain competitive in a changing marketplace. A new report gives insights into skills development and technology adoption, helping to paint a picture of the future of work.
ADP Research recently unveiled its People at Work annual report, which is built on the results from the ADP Research Global Workforce Survey. The organization captured results from 38,000 working adults on six continents between July 23 and Aug. 6, 2024, and narrowed in by vertical market. One of the big takeaways in the report is skills development.
All about the Worker
The reality is workers are more than three times more likely to describe themselves as highly productive when training is provided and one in four workers felt highly confident, they have the skills to advance—but this varies greatly based on the type of worker they are.
The survey breaks this down a bit further, by different types of workers. We see:
- Knowledge worker: Have a level of freedom to use expertise to create something new.
- Skilled task worker: Use a level of expertise to solve similar problems each day.
- Cycle worker: Do similar repetitive tasks each day.
Understanding the different types of workers can help us better understand their skillsets and ultimately what type of training is fitting.
For instance, 31% of knowledge workers claim they have the skills needed to advance their career to the next job level in the next three years, while only 21% of skilled task workers and 15% of cycle workers say the same.
Meanwhile, 26% of knowledge workers said they feel their employer invests in the skills needed to advance their career in the future, while only 21% of skilled task workers and only 8% of cycle workers say the same.
Across the board, only 17% of workers strongly agreed that their employers were investing in the skills they need for career advancement.
Breaking this Down for Construction
Let’s break this down a bit more granularly, specifically for the construction industry. Roughly 25% of construction workers in North America are confident they have the skills needed to advance their career in the near future, while 18% believe their employer invests in the skills needed to advance their career in the future.
The hard reality is construction companies often don’t get the skills training necessary in order to thrive on the job. Now, with the rise of new technologies, training could be more important than ever before. We will need to reskill and upskill more in the future.
All about Technology
ADP Research also reviews workers’ opinions on the rise of AI (artificial intelligence) technology, and it again varies by the different types of workers. For example, knowledge workers are more likely to believe AI will have a positive impact on their jobs, but they are also more worried about being replaced by AI.
In our research report we released last year—Who Is the Worker of Tomorrow?—we see 65% of respondents stated the emergence of technology is having a profound impact. Roughly 69% of manufacturing professionals say their job is in jeopardy of being partially or fully replaced by technology, while 64% of construction professionals say the same.
Technology brings new opportunities to drive skill development. The birth of generative AI is bringing a shift to new work. At the same time, there are shifting attitudes that are reshaping work culture. Companies must recognize new workforce trends and align the workers and the technology. We must acknowledge we are in the midst of a revolution that is going to change how we run our businesses in the future. Are you ready?
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