Employers can help create and encourage “future-ready” workers through skills-based career support and clear work objectives, according to an Adecco Group report released Oct. 16.
These workers are “proactively upskilling and adapting to new technologies,” such as artificial intelligence tools and automation, Adecco said, and can be empowered with the right training to drive growth at organizations.
To do so, employers need to focus on skill building, the report continued.
But other reports have indicated that employers may be leaving individual contributors behind when it comes to AI adoption and use. While the majority of executives and managers surveyed by Perceptyx said that they use AI, only 35% of individual contributors said they use it.
Notably, individual contributors were also the least confident and least aware of AI adoption decisions, Perceptyx said, and were thus least aware of upskilling needs.
Workers who understand their role in company strategy, however, tend to be more loyal, Adecco said, and clarity in career development can bolster that understanding.
Additionally, more workers were considered future ready in 2025, Adecco said; 37% of workers could be classified as such, compared to only 11% from last year. More than 3 in 4 employees surveyed said that AI “enables them to perform tasks previously out of reach” — but a similar amount also said that it changed or will soon change the skills needed in their roles.
“To turn efficiency into business impact, leaders must also invest in training and engagement to unlock value,” Denis Machuel, chief executive officer of the Adecco Group, said in a statement. “Organisations must ensure that employees have the confidence and know-how to engage meaningfully with AI.”
