Korn Ferry, a global consulting firm, surveyed 15,000 employees for its Workforce 2025 Global Insights Report. The report identified several trends that are driving change in the workplace.

• Hybrid headaches. Despite a national push to return to the office, the majority of U.S. workers say it’s not what they want. Although 54% of employees now are required to work on-site full time, most would prefer a remote or hybrid setup. The research found that 69% of workers want to work remotely at least part of the time, driven by a desire for greater flexibility (61%) and improved mental health (60%).
• Missing managers. As companies streamline operations, nearly half of U.S. employees report cutbacks in manager levels at their organizations. Although leaner structures can boost agility, the absence of these key leaders is creating new challenges, with 40% saying they feel a lack of direction at work.
• Salary squeeze. Although two-thirds of U.S. workers say they are compensated fairly or above the value of their skills, 72% are concerned about cost-of-living expenses outpacing their current salary. Against the backdrop of broader economic fluctuations, employees across the board are prioritizing job security and with compensation when looking for new positions.
• Generational angst. Leaders will be looking closely at the relationship among different generations of workers this year, with 75% of Gen Z identifying challenges working with other generations because of different communications styles, technology gaps or values.

• New AI world order. U.S. and global employees have divergent views. In the United States, 61% of employees feel optimistic about AI’s potential impact on their work. However, globally, nearly half of employees are concerned that their job will be replaced by AI in the next three years.
• Health care talent stretched. Amid ongoing health care talent shortages, nearly 39% of workers say they are stretched too thin, and almost half of managers in health care indicate that they are overwhelmed at work.
• Fast pace in tech. Managers in the tech industry are more likely to be overwhelmed than those in other industries (58% vs. 46%). Additionally, 6 in 10 employees believe their jobs will be replaced by AI in the next three years.
• Financial services AI. Across the board, financial services industry professionals say they are increasingly confident in AI. Although 62% of these professionals feel adequately trained to use AI tools in their daily work, 66% believe using AI will bolster their value in the next three years.