Record number of employers plan to increase or maintain head count as a result of automation

More employers than ever (87 percent) plan to increase or maintain their head count as a result of automation, finds new ManpowerGroup research.

Robot workers replacing human jobs is the debate of the decade. In reality, the opposite looks true. ManpowerGroup’s report “Humans Wanted: Robots Need You” found that more employers than ever—87 percent—plan to increase or maintain head count as a result of automation for the third consecutive year. ManpowerGroup surveyed 19,000 employers in 44 countries on the impact of automation on job growth in the next two years.

Companies that are digitizing are growing, and that growth is producing more and new kinds of jobs. Organizations that are already automating tasks and progressing their digital transformation are most confident of increasing head count. Global talent shortages are at a 12-year high, and new skills are appearing as quickly as others disappear. More companies are planning to build talent than ever before, and this trend shows no sign of slowing. Eighty-four percent of employers plan to upskill their workforce by 2020.

The report also found that demand for IT skills is growing significantly and with speed; 16 percent of companies expect to increase head count in IT, five times more than those expecting a decrease. Production and manufacturing employers anticipate the most change in head count; 25 percent say they will employ more people in the next year, while 20 percent say they will employ fewer. Growth will come in front-line and customer-facing roles too—all requiring human skills such as communication, negotiation, leadership, and adaptability.

For the full findings, visit www.manpowergroup.com/workforce-insights/world-of-work/skills-revolution-series.