PwC: Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2024
The 2024 edition of PwC’s Hopes and Fears survey captures a workforce caught in contradiction. On one hand, people are optimistic about AI: 70% believe it can help grow their skills and create opportunity. But on the other, only 25% are actually using it. There’s a growing skills gap. But more than that, there’s a growing confidence and clarity gap. Many workers don’t feel ready for the future. Not because they aren’t capable, but because they haven’t had the time, space, or support to reflect on who they are and where they’re going.
One of the survey’s most striking findings is how overwhelmed people feel by the speed of change. Over half of respondents say transformation is happening too quickly and many don’t understand why it’s happening in the first place. When change is top-down, rapid, and unexplained, people disengage—not because they resist progress, but because they’re human. They need story, orientation, and grounding.
Flexibility and purpose are no longer “nice-to-haves,” they’re career-critical. Employees are increasingly making decisions based on whether their work aligns with their values, interests, and sense of autonomy. The ability to learn, evolve, and move meaningfully through change has become more important than any single role or title.
For Work-Self, this report affirms something we deeply believe: the future of work won’t just be shaped by technology, but by our capacity for reflection, storytelling, and intentional growth. Amid uncertainty, it’s not just about upskilling, it’s about right-skilling for who you want to become.
WORK-SELF Insights
1. Change fatigue isn’t indifference
Insight: Over 50% of employees say workplace change is happening too fast, and 44% don’t understand why.
Our take: When change overwhelms meaning, people disengage. At Work-Self, we build tools that help users name why they’re moving and feel grounded amid uncertainty.
2. AI is an opportunity, but only with awareness
Insight: 70% believe GenAI can boost skill-building, yet only 25% actually use it.
Our take: AI can’t replace insight. Using it effectively requires knowing your strengths first. We help users lean into their human edge before layering on tech.
3. Upskilling as narrative, not panic
Insight: Nearly half of workers say the ability to learn new skills influences their decision to stay or go.
Our take: Upskilling isn’t a race, it’s a directional choice. When you align with who you are, learning is easier and opportunities are more meaningful.
4. Purpose-driven retention
Insight: Employees are more likely to stay when they see a sense of purpose and flexibility.
Our take: When people feel seen, understood, and supported, not just managed, they stay. Foster your sense of purpose and find environments that.
