The World Economic Forum predicts significant growth in remote digital jobs, with 92 million people working from anywhere by 2030. Olivia Palamountain reports
The World Economic Forum and technology company Capgemini have released a white paper, The Rise of Global Digital Jobs, which delves into the rapidly evolving landscape of remote work.
The report projects a staggering 25 per cent increase in global digital jobs that can be performed from anywhere, reaching an impressive 92 million by 2030.
Growth will be driven by technology development, which will create higher-wage roles such as software developers and financial risk specialists.
The report identifies 218 job types out of 5,400 that have the potential to become global digital jobs, representing 73 million global workers and 820 million workers covered in the International Labour Organization’s occupation employment statistics.
About 40 per cent of these job types are in accounting, legal, and finance roles, while customer service representatives, IT professionals, and marketing, advertising and communication professionals make up roughly 10 per cent each.
As covered extensively by Globetrender, the rise of remote digital jobs presents opportunities for workers, employers and countries all over the world.
Workers can access more jobs and work from anywhere, while employers can widen their talent pool by recruiting workers regardless of geographic location. Countries can benefit from economic growth, particularly advanced economies facing talent shortages and emerging economies with youth bulges.
However, the report also highlights challenges that come with the rise of remote digital jobs, such as wage undercutting, job losses as roles migrate to other areas and potential obstacles from outdated tax and labour laws. The Forum emphasises the need for policymakers, employers, and workers to address these challenges proactively.
To support the transition to a global digital workforce, the report recommends that countries ensure they have the necessary infrastructure for workers to access remote digital jobs, provide accessible educational and vocational training programmes, and promote competition based on skills and talent rather than lower wages.
Employers should modernise their workforce management, expand recruitment pools, and embrace hybrid working.
The World Economic Forum plans to continue collaborating with Capgemini on further analysis of how to transition to a global digital workforce in a well-managed and equitable manner.