A variety of factors are influencing both the domestic and global jobs landscape — including the newly installed Trump administration that hit the ground running on January 20. Then and since, President Donald Trump has been issuing Executive Orders at a blistering pace, and his administration has been taking new actions that will likely have a direct or indirect impact on labor dynamics.
But before President Trump even stepped into office, companies had already started making major changes — like requiring workers to let go of their remote-work lifestyles and head back to the office, as well as announcing anticipated layoffs in the year ahead. Here, we’ll take a look at snapshots of recent reports from Indeed and Resume Templates — as well as a more in-depth look at one from the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Although potential impacts of the new administration are considered in some, additional factors — like the growing role of GenAI — are also underscored to help companies and workers prepare for what may lie ahead in the months to come.
Reports from Indeed and Resume Templates
Here’s a snapshot of key findings from two recent reports with predictions for the year ahead, largely related to the domestic labor landscape.
In its report published December 10, 2024, jobs platform Indeed couched its findings within hopes for a “soft landing” for the U.S. economy this year.
According to key takeaways from Indeed’s 2025 US Jobs & Hiring Trends Report:
- “The balance of current economic indicators suggests continued labor market resilience in 2025.”
- “An economic soft landing is coming into view, but sticking it will require careful navigating around emerging headwinds, including a slowdown in hiring and looming labor shortages.”
- “Slowing labor force growth, an aging population, and an expected decline in immigration suggest that the supply of workers will weigh heavily on the job market in the coming years.”
- “Posted wage growth has leveled off at a healthy pace, suggesting continued robust competition for workers next year — especially in low-wage and in-person roles.”
- “Widespread use of GenAI tools promises to boost productivity, but adoption will need to spread beyond a handful of power-using sectors (including software development and mathematics) for the tools’ full productivity-boosting potential to be realized.”
In its report published January 15, Resume Templates offered a less positive view of the labor market, noting in its key takeaways that of the 1,000 managers surveyed:
- “45% of companies say they’re likely to lay off workers in 2025”
- “AI use and Trump policies are among reasons for layoffs”
- “3 in 10 companies currently have a hiring freeze”
- “Companies also plan to cut costs by reducing salaries, benefits, and office space”
WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025
While these reports provide detail regarding the domestic labor landscape, a recent report from WEF offers a big-picture perspective.
Released January 7, 2025, WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 provides both good and bad news: by 2030, there should be 78 million new job opportunities globally — but “urgent upskilling” will be needed to make the most of them.
Key takeaways from the report include:
- “Shifting global trends in technology, economy, demographics and the green transition are projected to generate 170 million new jobs by 2030, while displacing 92 million others.”
- “Some of the fastest-growing jobs [are] found in technology, data and AI, but growth [is] also expected for core economy roles including delivery drivers, care roles, educators and farmworkers.”
- “Fastest growing skills by 2030 will include technological skills alongside human skills, such as cognitive skills and collaboration. Collective action in the public, private and education sectors is urgently needed to address the growing skills gaps.”
“Drawing on data from over 1,000 companies, the report finds that the skills gap continues to be the most significant barrier to business transformation today, with nearly 40% of skills required on the job set to change and 63% of employers already citing it as the key barrier they face,” WEF says. “Technology skills in AI, big data and cybersecurity are expected to see rapid growth in demand, but human skills, such as creative thinking, resilience, flexibility and agility, will remain critical. A combination of both skill types will be increasingly crucial in a fast-shifting job market.”
“Trends such as generative AI and rapid technological shifts are upending industries and labour markets, creating both unprecedented opportunities and profound risks,” says Till Leopold, Head of Work, Wages and Job Creation at the World Economic Forum. “The time is now for businesses and governments to work together, invest in skills and build an equitable and resilient global workforce.”
Growing and shrinking
WEF’s top-15 list of the “Largest Growing and Declining Jobs by 2030,” could provide insight and a bit of career guidance for workers trying to better prepare for what may come next:
- Frontline roles increase: “Frontline roles, including farmworkers, delivery drivers and construction workers, are poised to see the largest job growth in absolute terms by 2030.”
- Care jobs up: “Significant increases are also projected for care jobs, such as nursing professionals, and education roles, such as secondary school teachers, with demographic trends driving growth in demand across essential sectors.”
- Tech specialists needed: “… advances in AI, robotics and energy systems – notably in renewable energy and environmental engineering – are expected to increase demand for specialist roles in these fields.”
- GenAI steps in: “… roles such as cashiers and administrative assistants remain among the fastest declining but are now joined by roles including graphic designers as generative AI rapidly reshapes the labour market.”
Although the report contains a lot of good news, WEF underscores a big concern: the yawning gap in the skills needed for workers to make the most of the opportunities at hand.
“The skills gap continues to be the most significant obstacle to business transformation in response to global macrotrends, cited by 63% of employers as a main barrier to future-proofing their operations,” WEF says. “If the global workforce were represented by a group of 100 people, 59 are projected to require reskilling or upskilling by 2030 – 11 of whom are unlikely to receive it; this translates to over 120 million workers at medium-term risk of redundancy.”
Although WEF expects rapid growth in the demand for tech skills related to AI, big data and networks and cybersecurity — the organization says “human skills such as analytical thinking, cognitive skills, resilience, leadership and collaboration will remain critical core skills. A combination of both skillsets will increasingly be required by many growing jobs.”
Upskill, move, or let go?
WEF says AI is “reshaping” business models, with “half of employers globally planning to reorient their business to target new opportunities resulting from the technology.”
To do so, many will need to upskill their workers, move them to new roles, or let them go.
“The most common workforce response to these changes is expected to be upskilling workers, with 77% of employers planning to do so,” WEF says. “However, 41% plan to reduce their workforce as AI automates certain tasks. Almost half of employers expect to transition staff from roles exposed to AI disruption into other parts of their business, an opportunity to alleviate skills shortages while reducing the human cost of technological transformation.”
According to the report, additional factors driving changes in the labor market include inflation, demographic shifts, and geopolitical tensions.
“Geopolitical tensions are a top concern for 34% of businesses, while trade restrictions and industrial policy shifts transform many more, with some companies planning to adapt through offshoring and reshoring strategies,” WEF says. “These pressures are also increasing demand for skills such as cybersecurity.”
