Workforce 2020
Building a strategic workforce for the future
Research Overview
Preparing for the 2020 workforce is critical to business strategy, growth, and performance. To understand the challenges and opportunities, Oxford Economics and SAP surveyed over 2,700 executives and more than 2,700 employees in 27 countries during the second quarter of 2014.
Based on survey responses, we found that many companies lack the structure, strategy, culture, solutions and resources to manage employees effectively. In order to succeed, a number of factors need to be addressed, including the role and relevance of people strategy; changing demographics and evolving definitions of work; leadership ability and cultivation; employee wants and needs; and talent development.
Our study includes: - A global survey of 2,718 executives and 2,872 employees - A research report - Country fact sheets - Industry fact sheets - Regional fact sheets - An SME fact sheet - Four think pieces - An ongoing blog discussion of the diverse issues surrounding the 2020 workforce - A series of webinars
Key findings overview
This executive summary presents results and analysis of our global survey of more than 2,700 employees and 2,700 executives.
Workforce 2020 blog
How well are executives prepared for the challenges of Workforce 2020? How many of them have a strategic vision, much less an action plan, and how well do those plans match the views of their employees? This blog covers these issues and more while tracking key milestones throughout the research program.
Reports
Research report
This research report provides an overview of the findings from our global surveys and interviews with executives in 27 countries.
Think Piece: A Millennial Misunderstanding
Millennials are different, but not always in the ways companies think.
Think Piece: What Matters Most at Work
Most companies do not understand (or deliver) what their employees really want from them.
Think Piece: The Leadership Cliff
Executives and employees agree that leadership—and leadership development—is lacking.
Think Piece: The Learning Mandate
Better training and education opportunities would benefit employees and businesses alike.
Think Piece: The Contingent Workforce
The nature of employment is changing; over 80% of executives say they are increasingly using contingent employees. Managing these workers effectively requires major updates to the way business is done.
Think Piece: Better Workforce, Better Business Performance
Our global study shows a strong correlation between workforce development and financial performance in key areas like revenue and profitability growth. Yet most companies still have ground to cover in preparing for the 2020 workforce.
Think Piece: Challenges and Opportunities for Financial Services
Our research shows that financial services firms have far to go in meeting their HR goals, but their established position as a leader among other industries puts them at an advantage.
Graphics
Interactive infographic: A Millennial Misunderstanding
Millennials are different, but not always in the ways as companies think.
Interactive infographic: What Matters Most at Work
Most companies do not understand (or deliver) what their employees really want from them.
Interactive infographic: The Leadership Cliff
Executives and employees agree that leadership—and leadership development—is lacking.
Interactive infographic: The Learning Mandate
Better training and education opportunities would benefit employees and businesses alike.
Infographic: The Contingent Workforce
The nature of employment is changing; over 80% of executives say they are increasingly using contingent employees. Managing these workers effectively requires major updates to the way business is done.
Interactive infographic: Retail's Technology Opportunity
Employees are more tech-savvy than ever. As a result, retailers are well positioned to take advantage of new technologies and opportunities to build an effective future workforce.
Infographic: The Performance Management Advantage for Financial Services
Most financial services companies have far to go when setting the performance-management strategies necessary to meet business goals and boost employee engagement and satisfaction.
Fact Sheets
Fact sheets: By country
These fact sheets outline key findings from each of the 27 countries surveyed in our global study of more than 5,000 executives and employees about the future of work.
APac | MEA | Europe | LatAm | NorthAm |
Australia | Kenya | Czech Republic | Brazil | Canada |
China | Saudi Arabia | Denmark | Chile | United States |
India | South Africa | France | Colombia | |
Japan | Turkey | Germany | Mexico | |
Malaysia | United Arab Emirates | Netherlands | ||
Poland | ||||
Russia | ||||
Spain | ||||
Sweden | ||||
Switzerland | ||||
United Kingdom |
Fact sheets: By industry
These fact sheets outline key findings from our survey of over 5,000 executives and employees about the future of work in the consumer goods, financial services, healthcare retail, professional services and public service industries.
Industry |
Consumer goods |
Financial services |
Healthcare |
Professional services |
Public sector |
Retail |
Fact sheets: By region
A collection of fact sheets on the Asia Pacific, EMEA, and Latin America regions outlining key findings from our survey of over 5,000 executives and employees on the future of work.
Region |
Asia Pacific |
EMEA |
Latin America |
Fact sheet: Small and medium-sized enterprises
Fact sheet on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) outlining key findings from our survey of over 5,000 executives and employees on the future of work.
Fact sheet: High performers by region and industry
These fact sheets outline key findings of our analysis of high performing companies across geographies and industries.
By Industry | By Region | |
Banking | North America | |
Consumer Goods | United States | |
Healthcare | Asia Pacific | |
Insurance | China | |
Professional Services | EMEA | |
Public Sector | MEE | |
Retail | Germany | |
UK | ||
LatAm |