Five major macrotrends are expected to reshape the global workforce between 2025 and 2030. According to a report (pdf) published by the World Economic Forum, technological change, economic uncertainty, geoeconomic fragmentation, green transition, and demographic shifts will be the driving factors behind future employment behavior, based on insights from over 1k global employers, representing more than 14 mn workers across 22 industry clusters and 55 economies.

(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to external sources.)

Technological change emerges as the most transformative force, with broadening digital access expected to impact 60% of employers by 2030. Artificial intelligence and information processing technologies stand out as particularly significant, with 86% of employers anticipating business transformation from these advances. The surge in genAI adoption since late 2022 has been widespread, though adoption remains uneven across industries. Robotics and automation follow as the second most impactful technology trend, with 58%of employers expecting significant changes, while energy technology innovations are anticipated to transform 41% of businesses.

The report projects a significant shift in task distribution between humans and machines. Currently, humans perform 47% of tasks, technology handles 22%, and 30% involve human-machine collaboration. By 2030, this is expected to reach rough parity on a global scale, with each category accounting for approximately one-third of all tasks. This transition highlights the growing importance of human-machine collaboration while simultaneously raising questions about job displacement and the need for new skills development.

In Egypt, the report expects the numbers to flip, with technology being responsible for 45% of tasks, and humans only 30%, but both collaborating on 25%. Of the 51.4 mn people of working age in the country, 49 in 100 would not need additional training by 2030, 28 would be upskilled in their current role, 16 would be upskilled and redeployed, and 7 would be unlikely to upskill. 73% of the Egyptian organizations surveyed expect the primary barrier for business transformation to be skill gaps in the labor market, and only 65% are willing to invest in reskilling and upskilling their existing workforce to better work alongside AI.

The global economic outlook presents a mixed picture for the global labor market. While global growth is projected at 3.2% for 2025 and inflation expected to ease to 3.5%, the rising cost of living ranks as the second most transformational trend, with 50% of global employers and 61% of Egyptians employers expecting it to impact their businesses within the next five years. Other pecuniary pressures, including slow economic growth that is expected to displace 1.6 mn jobs globally, are creating a complex environment for employment planning and development and highlight the need for adaptable workforce strategies. Regions with robust economic foundations are expected to better weather these uncertainties and create pockets of opportunity for employment growth.

Runner-up economic concerns include geoeconomic fragmentation and geopolitical tensions. Trade restrictions have doubled between 2020 and 2024, and one third of all of the organizations surveyed expect it to drive their business model transformation in the near future. Over 20% of global employers — particularly those with significant trade exposure to the US and China — identify the subsequently increased restrictions on trade and investment and the changing subsidies and industrial policies as major factors shaping their operations in the upcoming five years.

These uncertainties have been reshaping consumer and employment behavior, driving an increasing demand in security related job roles, network and cyber security skills, and human-centered skills such as creative problem-solving.

Climate mitigation and adaptation rank among the top drivers of organizational transformation. Over 40% of employers anticipate substantial job creation in roles such as renewable energy engineers, environmental specialists, and electrical vehicle technicians. These roles are driven by global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and transition to sustainable energy systems.

The increasing importance of environmental stewardship is reflected in the inclusion of related skills among the fastest-growing competencies, with 25% of employers considering them to be current core skills for their workforce, and almost 80% expecting the demand to grow by 53% by 2030. However, the shift to green economies, while necessary, presents challenges for workers in traditional energy sectors and carbon-intensive industries, who now face significant displacement risks, necessitating large-scale reskilling initiatives to enable a just transition.

Two major demographic trends will inform future workforce dynamics. Aging populations in higher-income economies are leading to an increase in the demand for healthcare professionals, while a growing working-age population in low-income economies presents an opening for economic expansion. The report projects that 22% of today’s jobs will be affected by structural transformation by 2030, including the creation of 170 mn new jobs (14% of current employment), and the displacement of 92 mn jobs (8%), resulting in a net growth of 78 mn jobs (7%).

Employers in Egypt are optimistic. 55% of participating companies in Om El Donia — significantly above the global average, just under 30% — expect the availability of talent to rise, even in the face of the possibility that 48% of the Egyptian workforce’s on-the-job skills are expected to change within the next five years. 39% of surveyed Egyptian companies expect hiring conditions to improve by 2030 despite slow economic growth, while employers in Europe expect hiring to become more challenging.

Egypt has proven inclusive in its hiring practices, and was ranked first in employing people with disabilities and people from low-income backgrounds. We have also scored in the top three countries hiring people from disadvantaged religious, ethnic, or racial backgrounds. However, women and youth still face high unemployment rates across the board despite both demographics being top priorities for 76% of global employers. Addressing this disparity, especially in an economy with a significant gender and age-based labor market gap, requires targeted policies to improve access to employment and education.

Tags: