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Indeed has today revealed its latest global report, ‘Tomorrow’s World: The Workplace and Workforce of the Future,’ shedding light on the evolving landscape of work and the impact of technology on the workforce. A key finding from the report reveals that 54 per cent of workers in India predict a substantial shift in their roles within the next five years, with 95 per cent expressing confidence in their ability to adapt to these changes.
Many future-of-work narratives focus on how tech and AI will totally upend our workplaces with the sheer pace of change risks leaving huge swathes of the workforce either ill‑prepared. However, the report indicates optimism from the Indian workforce.
Optimism Towards Technology and AI
India leads the way in fostering optimism towards technology and artificial intelligence (AI), with 75 per cent of respondents expressing confidence in the transformative potential of tech advancements. Indian professionals are poised to leverage technology as a driver of innovation and efficiency across various industries. India's zeal for tech and AI far outweighs any other nation such as Germany (41%), Canada (42%), and France. 44 per cent of respondents also feel that more jobs will be created by the opportunities of AI than will be lost. Probed on what tasks and traits are best performed by mankind or machine, respondents said aspects such as data analysis, routine tasks, attention to detail, unbiased decision‑making, problem solving and content creation were performed better by AI than by people.
“India is at the forefront of embracing the future of work, driven by a profound belief in the power of technological innovation," remarked Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales at Indeed India. "Our findings underscore a remarkable readiness among the Indian workforce to adapt and evolve. This isn't just about adapting to new technologies; it's a testament to a broader cultural shift towards lifelong learning and inclusivity. India's proactive stance on diversity and continuous skill development is not just setting a benchmark but also inspiring a global movement towards a more innovative and inclusive workplace.”
Employees in India have adopted a proactive stance towards career learning and development to adjust to forthcoming shifts in the workplace with 53 per cent having upskilled to develop longer-term skills and learning in the last three years. Two‑thirds (67%) of Indian workers have regular training opportunities, the highest among all nations surveyed.
India is a bright spot for diversity and inclusion
India paints a positive picture when it comes to diversity, equity and belonging (DEIB) policies. Companies here are almost twice as likely to have a diversity and inclusion lead than in the Netherlands and UK, where only 35 per cent have this and in Germany where it is 30 per cent. Likewise, 60 per cent of Indian firms do unconscious bias training, an initiative that is vastly less common across Europe. This makes India the leaders in the space with respondents most likely feeling that their company leaders are committed to DEIB.
Indians also foresee a bright future when it comes to the impact of AI on DEIB, with more than 7 in 10 respondents expecting tech to empower business leaders (78%), them personally (75%), employees in their country (73%), their colleagues (74%) and their industry peers (72%).
