Human Resources

The Adaptability Advantage: How to Succeed When AI Is Rapidly Changing Jobs

No one has an AI transformation playbook. Workday’s Global Workforce Report reveals the opportunity for leaders who seize the moment.

Catherine Sherman

Director of Thought Leadership

Workday

In this article we discuss:

Beneath a seemingly stable labor market, job and skill requirements are changing fast.

The October 2026 Global Workforce Report, The Adaptability Advantage, details the impact that AI continues to have on the workforce.

About a third (34%) of business leaders surveyed expect AI to change employees’ jobs, and 40% say AI will increase existing employees’ productivity. Only 28% think AI will lead to fewer employees overall. The report provides insight into where leaders can help their organizations adapt. The data is clear: the risk for the enterprise is not more change—it’s a workforce that disengages if leaders don’t capitalize on this moment.

We analyzed millions of data points across the Workday platform to surface trends hidden behind the headlines. We also surveyed over 6,000 employees globally to fully understand their feelings about AI and their jobs.

Labor market data is stagnant, but the workforce is primed for change from within. It’s a rich environment where adaptable leadership is a competitive advantage.

What Are the Biggest Takeaways?

From the most competitive industries for hiring to AI rewriting the skills map, significant transformation is underway.

See the top 5 takeaways

What Does the Report Reveal About the Effect of AI on Jobs?

AI is fundamentally changing jobs, but employers and employees agree it will create opportunities. Employees are also nervous it may make their skills less valuable. According to Phil Willburn, Workday’s VP of People Analytics, Insights, & Experience, the challenge for leaders is acknowledging the cloud hanging over the workplace and their role in fixing it.

Get Phil’s POV

What Does This Report Say About the Labor Market?

Workday data sheds light on parts of the labor market that government data wasn’t designed to track. Economist Aaron Terrazas argues hiring times, promotion rates, application volumes, and hiring by company size reveal where headline numbers are missing the plot.

See 4 hidden labor market trends

About the Author

Catherine Sherman Director of Thought Leadership Workday

Catherine Sherman is Workday's Director of Thought Leadership, overseeing the Blog and Perspectives newsroom in North America.

Catherine has over 15 years of content, PR and journalism experience as a writer, editor and video producer. Before Workday, she led written and video content at Indeed and Alaska Airlines. Her work has appeared on Forbes, Yahoo, the Seattle Times, TODAY.com and more. She's passionate about reporting on the evolving world of work, and putting humans and data at the center of storytelling.

Outside of her day job, Catherine enjoys barre classes, paddleboarding and trying new restaurants. Catherine holds a bachelor's degree in Journalism and English Literature from the University of Washington.

More perspectives from Catherine

Global Workforce Report: The Adaptability Advantage

Beneath a seemingly stable labor market, jobs are changing fast. In job listings, demand for basic AI skills has dropped 25% while applied AI skills are up 51%. A majority (65%) of employees are confident they can learn new skills, and those who can adapt to change are pulling ahead.

Read Report

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