O c t o b e r 2 The Future of Jobs

Expected impact on workforce
Share of companies surveyed
Modify the locations where the organization operates
58.8%
Modify the composition of the value chain
58.8%
Reduce its current workforce due to technological integration or automation
47.1%
Expand its use of contractors doing task-specialized work
47.1%
Expand its current workforce
47.1%
Current skills in focus of existing reskilling/upskilling
programmes
Share of companies surveyed identifying this skill as being in focus
across their reskilling or upskilling programmes
1.
Analytical thinking and innovation
2.
Quality control and safety awareness
3.
Service orientation
4.
Active learning and learning strategies
5.
Attention to detail, trustworthiness
6.
Technology design and programming
7.
Leadership and social influence
8.
Complex problem-solving
9.
Systems analysis and evaluation
10.
Management of personnel
Average reskilling needs
Share of workforce within this industry
2 / 2
64.7%
58.8%
35.3%
29.4%
23.5%
23.5%
23.5%
5.9%
5.9%
DURATION OF RESKILLING
Less than 1 month
26.6%
1 to 3 months
14.4%
3 to 6 months
16%
6 to 12 months
16.1%
Over 1 year
26.8%
Machine share
Human share
Information and data processing
Administering
Performing complex and technical activities
Looking for and receiving job-related information
All tasks
Reasoning and decision-making
Identifying and evaluating job-relevant information
Performing physical and manual work activities
Communicating and interacting
Coordinating, developing, managing and advising
32.2%
43.2%
43.7%
43.8%
50.2%
51.9%
52.5%
55.2%
56.1%
59.4%
The Future of Jobs
149

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The Future of Jobs 
October 2020
The Future of Jobs
150
The 
Future of Jobs Report 
is based on the results 
of the 2020 edition of the Future of Jobs survey, 
a unique source of information that gathers the 
insights from the largest companies worldwide on 
the changing nature of work. 
The survey asks senior executives to share the planning 
for their companies’ workforce transformation with 
a time horizon up to 2024. It aims to provide timely 
and unique insights on the trends affecting the labour 
market, the rate of technological adoption among 
firms, the shifting job landscape and associated 
changes to skills needs as well as business planning for 
appropriate upskilling and reskilling. 
The 2020 survey dissemination took place during 
the first half of 2020. The survey provides a much-
needed compass for business, governments, civil 
society Organizations as well as the public at large 
on the short-and medium-term transformations to 
the labour market. 
Survey design
The survey builds on the methodology from the 
2016 and 2018 survey editions. Following survey 
best practice and in consultation with the World 
Economic Forum Global Future Council on the new 
Education and Work Agenda, several questions were 
refined and new questions were added. The three 
core concepts that are key to the construction of 
the Future of Jobs Survey remain unchanged in this 
edition. That is, the nature of work is broken down 
into three interrelated subcategories: job roles, tasks 
and skills. Task are defined as the actions necessary 
to turn a set of inputs into valuable outputs. A 
collection of tasks forms the content of job roles, 
while skills are capabilities needed to be able to 
perform the tasks well.
The survey is structured into four parts. The first part 
includes questions on the expected transformations 
to the workforce, including the major trends that are 
affecting the labour market and the technologies 
that are being adopted. The second part focuses on 
jobs, skills and tasks and how these are expected to 
evolve over a four-year period. The third part collects 
information on training programmes and employee 
reskilling needs and efforts. Finally, to understand 
the shorter-term impacts of the global pandemic, 
a fourth section was added on the effects of the 
COVID-19 on the workforce. 
The survey consists of quantitative as well as 
qualitative questions seeking to capture the 
strategic knowledge, projections and planning of the 
respondents. The study is designed to reveal the 
world’s leading employers’ estimates on how the 
labour force is transforming, their projections on how 
quickly these shifts will happen, and their efforts in 
addressing these changes. 
In total the survey comprises 49 questions and was 
made available in four languages: English, Spanish, 
Japanese and Russian. 
Survey distribution
The survey was distributed via an online platform 
through three dissemination networks. The primary 
distribution route was to the World Economic Forum