WEF – The Rise of Global Digital Jobs, 2024

The rise of technology, green transition, and changing macroeconomic conditions are transforming global labor markets, leading to significant changes in job availability and the way work is done. "Digital work," which can be performed remotely, is becoming increasingly common, providing opportunities for people to work from anywhere in the world. Advanced economies are already facing labor market challenges and talent shortages, and demographic shifts are further impacting the distribution of working-age people, with more of them located in lower-income countries. This shift, combined with increased education access, has the potential to create more globalized talent value chains and increase job accessibility for individuals regardless of their local economic conditions. However, this shift also poses challenges for higher-income countries, including wage reduction and potential tax and labor law complications. This paper explores the outlook for global digital jobs and the potential risks and opportunities they present. It identifies 218 job types, representing 73 million workers, that are most conducive to becoming global digital jobs. These include accounting, legal, finance, customer service, marketing, advertising, communication, and IT roles. By 2030, the number of these jobs is expected to rise to around 92 million, with a focus on higher-paying roles. If properly managed, global digital jobs have the potential to utilize talent from around the world and stimulate economic growth. This requires access to digital infrastructure, educational and vocational training programs, and a shift towards competing on skills and talent rather than lower wages. To take advantage of this opportunity, global employers must adopt new approaches to workforce management, expand recruitment pools, and embrace hybrid operating models. Future papers in this series will delve deeper into the risks, opportunities, and implications of global digital jobs.