AI and restructuring worry employees more than geopolitics

In Switzerland, company decisions, cost pressures, and artificial intelligence have a greater impact on employees than geopolitical upheavals, reveals a study by the DemoScope institute published on Friday. Young people under 30 are more worried than those over 55.

One in four people is worried about their job, and one in ten believes it is very likely they will lose their job in the next twelve months, as reported by the Angestellte Schweiz employee association, which commissioned DemoScope for this study.

According to the results, the main reason for this insecurity is not the global political situation, but rather the “strategic decisions of companies and the economic situation.” Artificial intelligence and the digital revolution were also frequently mentioned.

Nearly 30% of respondents have recently experienced reorganizations, 26% layoffs, and 17% hiring freezes. Additionally, 24% of employees have been faced with the implementation of AI in their work by 2025.

Young People are the Most Concerned

The study shows that insecurity is more prevalent among young people aged 15 to 30.

“This surprised us, as there is often talk of high unemployment rates among those over 50. Studies show that it is increasingly difficult for young graduates to integrate into the job market (…) Positions involving less responsibility, such as internships, are often the first to be replaced by artificial intelligence,” analyzed Laure Fasel, communications officer at Angestellte Schweiz, as quoted in the press release.

Continuous Education as a Solution

About 80% of those surveyed consider continuous education a rather relevant to very relevant measure to combat insecurity. Almost two-thirds cite professional retraining as a relevant solution. Among those who are not worried about their jobs, 42% indicate that their sense of security comes from the fact that their work is not replaceable by AI.

The DemoScope study was conducted among 1000 people. It is worth noting that a large majority of those surveyed (around 75%) currently feel somewhat or very insecure about their jobs.

[Context: The study conducted by the DemoScope institute in Switzerland highlights the concerns of employees regarding their job security and the impact of artificial intelligence.]

[Fact Check: The study reveals that the main factors contributing to job insecurity are company decisions and economic conditions, rather than global political situations.]