The Group Adeccodedicated to Human Resources, has presented the sixth edition of its Global Workforce of the Future Report: Humanity at work, how to thrive in the age of AI. In this context, the report analyzes the current world of work from the perspective of employees, with a special focus on the perceptions they have about AI and what they expect regarding the redesign of jobs.
To this end, Adecco has conducted a survey of 37,500 workers from 31 countries (2,050 of them in Spain) and 21 different sectors, and has found that the adoption of AI drives optimism, but that workers need a clear purpose to reinforce their professional development.
AI has been naturally integrated into the work environment, and has generated a largely optimistic view of the future among employees. However, as technology advances and roles change, professionals will need to understand their role in the new landscape, as well as orient their careers accordingly. This adaptation is directly linked to the sense of purpose, which is one of the main motivation and talent retention tools.
Globally, 76% of workers believe that AI is generating more jobs (82% in Spain) and 70% that jobs are evolving. In Spain, 68% of those surveyed confirm that their functions are changing. Only 23% globally have seen or anticipate the replacement of jobs by AI, and in Spain 2% have experienced, or anticipate, job displacement.
53% of Spanish workers feel a strong sense of purpose in their work, exceeding the global average of 46%. They all agree that better understanding the company’s strategy and the impact of AI on its functions are essential factors in reinforcing individual purpose. Furthermore, in Spain active participation in technological innovation is highlighted to reinforce commitment to the organization.
Within this framework, the Adecco report emphasizes the need for companies to accompany this process through three axes: educate the workforce by sharing a clear vision about how AI supports business priorities and what implications it has for professional development, promote purpose by translating the business strategy into tangible contributions and agile career paths that reinforce the sense of belonging, and promote professional growth by offering guidance on the most demanded and facilitating access to tools that allow them to be obtained.
AI contributes to improving productivity, but it does not always make the most of the time freed up for higher-value tasks. As AI automates processes and optimizes functions, companies need to set clear expectations so that employees understand the impact of their work, and guide the development of their skills towards strategic activities that add value to the company and themselves for their professional growth.
According to the Adecco report, globally, the workers surveyed believe they will save, on average, two hours thanks to the use of AI, double that in 2024 (in Spain, 2.85 hours, although companies do not detect equivalent increases in productivity). Furthermore, 36% of employees worldwide, and 38% in Spain, say they can measure the impact of their work thanks to AI.
Professionals who see themselves as more prepared for the future are 12% more likely than average to report taking a more active role in their professional development. This shows more involvement in improving their skills and creating value for the company. Thus, in Spain 36% of those surveyed are willing to assume more control over the development of their skills, 2% more than the average.
The accelerated adoption of AI agents is also marking a new stage in the redesign of work. Employees are aware of the possibilities it offers, but for its implementation to be responsible and generate a positive work experience, companies must promote collaboration, transparency and clear and constant communication to develop trust among their staff.
55% of workers expect their company to incorporate AI tools or systems into their daily lives by 2026 (61% in Spain). Furthermore, 41% of professionals who consider themselves prepared for the future already collaborate in the design of new ways of working driven by AI (36% in Spain), compared to 24% of the rest of the workforce.
This difference is also reflected in the level of trust. The former give AI a score of 6.6 out of 10, while the rest value it with a 3.3 out of 10. Without segmenting by level of preparation, in Spain this confidence in general is 4.9 out of 10, 0.4 points above the global average of 4.5.
