Many of the more than 56,000 workers across 50 countries and regions say they are prioritizing long-term skills development to advance their careers amid rising workloads and increased workplace uncertainty, according to PwC's 2024 Global Workforce Hopes & Fears Survey released today.

Over the past 12 months, workers said they have experienced an increasing workload (45%) and an increasing pace of change in the workplace. Almost two-thirds (62%) said they have experienced more change at work in the past year than in the previous 12 months, and two-fifths (40%) said their daily tasks have changed to a large or very large extent. Almost half (44%) do not understand the purpose of the changes taking place.

The findings suggest that amid this growing workforce pressure, workers are looking for opportunities elsewhere and are heavily focused on developing their skills and leveraging artificial intelligence.

More than a quarter (28%) say they are likely to change employers in the next 12 months, a percentage far higher than during the “big layoffs” (19%) of 2022. Two-thirds (67%) of those considering a change say their skills are an important factor in their decision to stay with their current employer or move to a new one.

As employees face increased pressures in the workplace, they are also turning to new and emerging technologies like generative AI (GenAI) for help. 82% of employees who use GenAI daily expect it to make their work time more efficient over the next 12 months.

Employees are also optimistic that GenAI can support their growth. Half (49%) of all users expect GenAI to lead to higher salaries – an expectation that is even higher among employees who use the technology on a daily basis (76%). More than 70% of users agree that GenAI tools create opportunities to be more creative at work (73%) and improve the quality of their work (72%).

Employees are increasingly placing value on expanding their skills to ease their worries and advance their careers. Employees who say they are likely to change employers in the next 12 months are almost twice as likely to consider upskilling when making that decision as those who plan to stay (67% vs. 36%). This is because less than half (46%) of all employees moderately or strongly agree that their employer provides sufficient opportunities to learn new skills that will help their career.

There is particular interest in the impact of AI on skills development. 76% of all users expect AI to create opportunities to learn new skills at work. “However, employers need to invest heavily in training and access to new and emerging technologies. Among employees who have not used GenAI at work in the last 12 months, a third (33%) believe there are no opportunities to use the technology in their work area, while 24% do not have access to the tools at work and 23% do not know how to use the tools,” the survey says.