Less than one-third of global workers feel their jobs are safe, ADP survey data shows

• No market surveyed had a majority of workers feeling confident their jobs were secure; the U.S. was at 28% and the U.K. at 25%
• 88% of workers perform unpaid work weekly, with half of upper managers and C-suite executives working at least six unpaid hours per week
• Only 19% of workers globally were fully engaged in 2025, but this rate jumped to 53% among those who strongly agreed their employer was investing in their skills development

Summary: Global Worker Job Security and Engagement Survey

Key Findings:

ADP's "People at Work 2026" report surveyed over 39,000 workers across 36 markets in 2025, revealing widespread job insecurity and engagement challenges despite historically low global unemployment.

Job Security Concerns:

Only 22% of workers globally strongly agreed their jobs were safe from elimination. No surveyed market showed a majority feeling confident about job security. The U.S. recorded 28% feeling secure, while the U.K. registered 25%. Nigeria showed the highest confidence levels among surveyed nations.

Unpaid Work Epidemic:

A significant 62% of workers reported working up to five unpaid hours weekly, with 26% working 6-15 unpaid hours and 12% exceeding 16 hours. Senior leadership bore the heaviest burden—50% of upper managers and C-suite executives logged at least six unpaid hours weekly, and 20% worked 16+ unpaid hours. These overworked employees paradoxically showed higher engagement but reported lower productivity, reduced well-being, and increased likelihood of job searching.

AI Adoption Paradox:

Daily AI users were four times more likely than non-users to feel less productive, though they experienced lower stress, higher engagement, and more positive team dynamics. Among daily AI users, 30% were fully engaged versus just 14% of non-users.

Engagement Crisis:

Only 19% of workers globally were fully engaged in 2025, with regional variation from Brazil's 29% high to China's 11% low. However, when employers invested in skills development, engagement jumped to 53% from a baseline 12%. Workers finding meaning in their jobs were 12.5 times more likely to be fully engaged.