WEF report says 'upskills' needed but automation will create jobs
Automation will decrease headcount in some skills areas but will also create a lot of jobs, says a report by ManpowerGroup. The Skills Revolution report, released in conjunction with the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, details how technology will change the employment marketplace, and stresses that the global workforce will need to "upskill" to take on these new positions. If it fails to do so, the gap between "Haves" and "Have Nots" threatens to widen, ManpowerGroup CEO Jonas Prising warned.
Left to right: Hound, Bingbing Li plays Su Yueming, Stanley Tucci plays Joshua Joyce, Bumblebee, Jack Reynor plays Shane Dyson, Nicola Peltz plays Tessa Yeager, Mark Wahlberg plays Cade Yeager, Optimus Prime, Drift, and Crosshairs in TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION, from Paramount Pictures. "Transformers"

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND — ManpowerGroup, one of the world's largest jobs companies, released a report detailing how the technological revolution is going to change the employment market forever.

The company released the report, entitled "The Skills Revolution," on conjunction with the World Economic Forum's meeting of the most powerful political and business leaders across the globe in Davos, Switzerland.

It surveyed more than 18,000 employers across 43 countries and six industry sectors.

While technological developments will cause greater automation, a decrease in headcount or slow growth in hiring in some areas, it will actually create a lot of jobs too, according to Manpower.

But the key to this is to make sure the world's workforce "upskills" to be qualified enough to take on new positions. Companies need to invest in their workers to make sure they are not being left behind.

"We are seeing the emergence of a Skills Revolution — where helping people upskill and adapt to a fast-changing world of work will be the defining challenge of our time. Those with the right skills will increasingly call the shots, create opportunities and choose how, where and when they work," said Jonas Prising, Chairman & CEO at ManpowerGroup.

We cannot slow the rate of technological advance or globalization, but we can invest in employees’ skills to increase the resilience of our people and organisations.

"Those without will look to the future and not be able to see how their circumstances will improve. This polarization of the population that is playing out in front of our eyes is no good for society or for business. We need aggressive workforce development to address the widening gap between the Haves and the Have Nots.

"Now is the time for leaders to be responsive and responsible: we cannot slow the rate of technological advance or globalisation, but we can invest in employees’ skills to increase the resilience of our people and organisations. Individuals also need to nurture their learnability: their desire and ability to learn new skills to stay relevant and remain employable."

Here are the key ways in which the jobs market is predicted to change, according to ManpowerGroup: