As Irish businesses navigate economic uncertainty and technological disruption, Ger Twomey explores key insights from PwC and the WEF on future workforce challenges

Irish organisations, like their global counterparts, are facing unprecedented transformation as they navigate technological disruption and economic uncertainty. As such, understanding the future of work has become critical. 

The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2025 and PwC’s 28th Annual CEO Survey offer valuable insights into the evolving labour market.

Drawing on data from over 1,000 leading global employers and close to 5,000 CEOs worldwide, these reports provide a roadmap for Irish organisations and employees preparing for the changing landscape of work.

If Ireland’s workforce was represented by just 100 people, 67 would require further training by 2030. To break this down further:

• 31 could be upskilled within their current roles;
• 25 could be upskilled and redeployed within their organisations; and
• 11 would be unlikely to receive the necessary upskilling, putting their future employment at risk.

This analogy paints a stark picture of the strategic workforce challenges organisations will face in the coming years.

An evolving labour market

The WEF's Future of Jobs Report 2025 projects significant changes in the global labour market, with 22 percent of today’s total jobs expected to be affected worldwide. This encompasses both job creation (equivalent to 14 percent of today's employment) and displacement (equivalent to 8 percent of current roles).

This dynamic shift is characterised by two key trends.

First, frontline jobs in sectors such as farming, construction, food processing and sales are expected to experience the largest growth in volume.

Second, technology roles are anticipated to be the fastest growing by percentage.

Among the roles poised for rapid growth are big data specialists, fintech engineers, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning experts, software developers and professionals in green transition and renewable or environmental engineering.

This evolving landscape underscores the critical need for organisations to invest in developing relevant skills.

Skills demand

The evolution of the job market is driving significant changes in the required skills. The “skill instability” rate of 39 percent suggests that by 2030, two in five workers will need to transform their existing skill sets or risk obsolescence.

Skills gaps have emerged as the primary barrier to organisational transformation.

In Ireland, 75 percent of respondents identify this as a major challenge for the next five years, compared to 63 percent globally.

This concern is echoed in PwC's CEO Survey, in which 91 percent of Irish CEOs express concern over skills availability. There are several skills that appear to be in demand:

• Analytical thinking remains the most sought-after skill, with 70 percent of organisations deeming it essential by 2025;
• Resilience, flexibility, agility, leadership and social influence are also core skills; and
• AI and big data top the list of fastest-growing skills, followed by technology literacy and cybersecurity.

Notably, Ireland ranks most of these skills higher in importance than the global average. However, despite the emphasis on AI skills, only one-third of CEOs plan to integrate AI into their workforce and skills strategy, according to the PwC CEO Survey.

Navigating the future of work

The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 and PwC's CEO Survey offer crucial insights into the evolving landscape of work. These findings provide a roadmap for Irish businesses to build a resilient, adaptable and inclusive workforce ready for future challenges and opportunities.

The global work environment is increasingly complex, influenced by factors such as:

• Growing geo-economic fragmentation;
• Rising cost of living; and
• Widespread adoption of AI tools.

Despite these challenges, the outlook remains net-positive for employment. The rate of skills obsolescence is falling, thanks to successful reskilling, upskilling and redeployment initiatives implemented in recent years.

Employers across various industries demonstrate a greater awareness and proactivity in addressing workforce challenges. However, skills gaps persist as the primary barrier to transformation.

Future priorities are likely to include facilitating proactive and dynamic job transitions, as well as balancing deeper automation with broader workforce augmentation.

By embracing these insights and taking decisive action, Irish businesses can position themselves at the forefront of the evolving work landscape, ensuring their workforce is well-equipped for the future.

Ger Twomey is Director of Workforce Consulting at PwC