'Great Resignation' enters third year as workers embrace AI, upskilling, PwC says


FILE PHOTO: An employee hiring sign with a QR code is seen in a window of a business in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., April 7, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The proportion of workers who expect to switch employers in the next 12 months is higher than that from the "Great Resignation" period of 2022, a PwC survey of the global workforce found.

Around 28% of more than 56,000 workers surveyed by PwC said they were "very or extremely likely" to move from their current companies, compared to 19% in 2022, and 26% in 2023.

PwC's 2024 "Hopes and Fears" survey also showed workers are embracing emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and prioritising upskilling amid rising workloads and heightened workplace uncertainty.

Pete Brown, global workforce leader at PwC UK, said employees are placing an "increased premium" on organisations that invest in their skills growth, and so, businesses must prioritise upskilling and employee experience.

About 45% of the workers surveyed said they have experienced rising workloads and an accelerating pace of workplace change in the last 12 months, with 62% saying they have seen more change at work in the past year than the previous 12 months.

Among employees who use GenAI daily, 82% said they expect it to increase their efficiency in the next 12 months.

Reflecting confidence that GenAI opportunities would support their career growth, nearly half of those surveyed by PwC expected GenAI to generate higher salaries, with almost two-thirds hoping these emerging tools will improve the quality of their work.

Carol Stubbings, global markets and tax and legal services leader at PwC UK, said employers must invest in staff and tech platforms to mitigate pressures and retain talent.

"The findings suggest that job satisfaction is no longer enough," she said.

(Join the Reuters Global Markets Forum, a chat room hosted on LSEG Messenger, for live interviews: )

(Reporting by Divya Chowdhury in Mumbai; Editing by Sharon Singleton)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Tech News

Google's newest AI can control a robot and show it how to hold coffee
For most drivers who switch to electric, there's no going back
Microsoft 365: How to dodge the price hike for Office subscriptions
Telegram's Durov allowed to leave France amid probe, AFP reports
WHO calls on industry to protect gamers’ hearing
Starship, carrying Tesla's bot, set for Mars by end-2026: Elon Musk
OpenAI and Musk agree to fast tracked trial over for-profit shift
How to spend less time on social media (or leave it altogether)
From emotional bonds with chatbots to the impact of AI on government jobs in the US
Schools use AI to monitor kids, hoping to prevent violence. Our investigation found security risks

Others Also Read