Skilled, Stressed, and Searching: ManpowerGroup’s Global Talent Barometer 2025 Shows Workers Want More Than Just Confidence
Despite rising self-confidence, workers worldwide feel under-supported, undervalued, and ready to leave.
ManpowerGroup has released Volume 1 of its 2025 Global Talent Barometer, surveying more than 13,700 workers across 19 countries. The data reveals a growing disconnect: while 89% of workers feel confident in their skills and experience, only 62% are satisfied in their roles, and one-third say their current employer doesn’t support their career goals.
Amid rapid advances in AI, this confidence-satisfaction divide is emerging as a critical threat to retention. Workers are gaining new, future-ready skills, yet feel their organizations are falling behind — failing to provide meaningful development or address rising stress.
“Digital transformation must start with people,” said Becky Frankiewicz, President and Chief Strategy Officer, ManpowerGroup. “If businesses want loyalty, they need to give people more than just work — they need to give growth, flexibility, and humanity.”
Key Findings: Confidence High, Satisfaction Low
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89% of workers are confident in their skills
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But only 62% are satisfied in their jobs
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Just 65% feel secure in their roles over the next six months (↓6 pts YoY)
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49% report daily stress (↑), with Gen Z (56%) and middle managers (82%) reporting the highest levels
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Millennials, especially women, saw the steepest drop in job satisfaction (↓11 pts)
Despite these challenges, 82% say their work is meaningful, and overall confidence rose to 76%, signaling a workforce ready to engage—if given the right support.
AI Adoption Lag Fuels Frustration
As workers upskill—especially in areas like AI—employers lag behind. Only 10% of companies have fully integrated AI across their operations, while 81% remain in pilot or testing stages. This gap leaves skilled workers feeling underutilized and undervalued.
Three Challenges Employers Must Address
1. The Stress-Retention Connection
Burnout is rising—even among engaged employees. Middle managers, essential workers, and Gen Z are the most stressed, and meaning alone isn’t enough to retain them when development and flexibility are lacking.
2. The Middle Manager Squeeze
Middle managers face job insecurity and rising pressure to lead teams through AI disruption and restructuring. With 34% fearing job loss and 77% citing economic instability as a concern, this layer of the workforce is at high risk of burnout and attrition.
3. Development as Trust Currency
Workers with clear growth paths report higher satisfaction (62%) and confidence (77%), especially in hybrid settings. Yet many companies still fail to deliver meaningful, future-ready development—particularly in human-centric skills like judgment, empathy, and leadership.
The Bottom Line: Development = Retention
Turnover now costs companies an average of $18,591 per employee, making talent retention a bottom-line issue. Only 55% of workers are both satisfied and unlikely to leave, showing that investing in people isn’t just a perk — it’s a strategic necessity.
As Frankiewicz puts it:
“The future of work isn’t about control — it’s about partnership. Companies that invest in their people now will be the ones that thrive later.”
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