[Global] Workers worldwide are anxious about job security

New research has revealed that workers across the world are anxious about job security, and just 28 per cent of US workers strongly agreed that their position was safe, MSN reports.

ADP's global survey of 39,000 people in 36 markets was conducted in the summer of 2025 and published on March 25, 2026. It found that workers in the US, the world's largest economy, felt less secure in their roles than respondents in developing markets such as Egypt and Nigeria, where 32 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively, believed their jobs were secure.

Workers in Japan and South Korea were reportedly even more pessimistic, with just 5 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively, responding that their positions were safe from being cut. 

There were no nations where a majority of workers had confidence in their job security.

The survey was conducted well before the US-Israel war sent oil prices soaring and shortened workweeks in parts of the world.

In its report, ADP said that, overall, "among our Global Workforce Survey respondents, just 22 per cent strongly agreed that their job was safe from elimination". "Anxiety over job security was particularly acute among lower-paid repetitive task workers and people at the bottom of the employer hierarchy."

Globally, "knowledge workers" in sectors such as finance and healthcare were more likely to report that their jobs were secure, according to ADP. C-suite executives and upper managers were also more likely to say they felt their positions were safe, it said.

Men reportedly felt more secure than women, with 31 per cent of men in the US believing their positions were safe from elimination, compared to 23 per cent of women.

"Our research has established that workers hit a sweet spot of productivity and retention when they're engaged, highly motivated, committed, and not overwhelmed by stress," ADP said.

In addition, workers around the globe largely reported feeling unsupported by their employers and lacking the skills to advance, particularly if they were older, while feeling concern about their personal financial health.

Employees who were ‘levelling up’ with in-demand skills, workers who used AI daily, were four times more likely than non-AI users to say they weren't as productive as they could be.

The report said that "young workers, including frequent users of AI, are less optimistic about their job security.”

Source: MSN

(Link and quotes va original reporting)

New research has revealed that workers across the world are anxious about job security, and just 28 per cent of US workers strongly agreed that their position was safe, MSN reports.

ADP's global survey of 39,000 people in 36 markets was conducted in the summer of 2025 and published on March 25, 2026. It found that workers in the US, the world's largest economy, felt less secure in their roles than respondents in developing markets such as Egypt and Nigeria, where 32 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively, believed their jobs were secure.

Workers in Japan and South Korea were reportedly even more pessimistic, with just 5 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively, responding that their positions were safe from being cut. 

There were no nations where a majority of workers had confidence in their job security.

The survey was conducted well before the US-Israel war sent oil prices soaring and shortened workweeks in parts of the world.

In its report, ADP said that, overall, "among our Global Workforce Survey respondents, just 22 per cent strongly agreed that their job was safe from elimination". "Anxiety over job security was particularly acute among lower-paid repetitive task workers and people at the bottom of the employer hierarchy."

Globally, "knowledge workers" in sectors such as finance and healthcare were more likely to report that their jobs were secure, according to ADP. C-suite executives and upper managers were also more likely to say they felt their positions were safe, it said.

Men reportedly felt more secure than women, with 31 per cent of men in the US believing their positions were safe from elimination, compared to 23 per cent of women.

"Our research has established that workers hit a sweet spot of productivity and retention when they're engaged, highly motivated, committed, and not overwhelmed by stress," ADP said.

In addition, workers around the globe largely reported feeling unsupported by their employers and lacking the skills to advance, particularly if they were older, while feeling concern about their personal financial health.

Employees who were ‘levelling up’ with in-demand skills, workers who used AI daily, were four times more likely than non-AI users to say they weren't as productive as they could be.

The report said that "young workers, including frequent users of AI, are less optimistic about their job security.”

Source: MSN

(Link and quotes va original reporting)