PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2023 - African Perspectives
27/06/23
Almost half of Africa’s workforce say their skills aren’t being used in their roles, with more than a third looking for new employers as they feel the financial pinch
Key survey findings:
The below statistics are based on the responses of 2,022 workforce respondents from Africa (South Africa, Algeria, Kenya, Morocco and Nigeria) who participated in PwC’s 2023 Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey which details the attitudes and behaviours of nearly 54,000 workers in 46 countries and territories.
- Only 27% of workforce respondents said they can pay the bills each month and have enough left over for savings, holidays and extras.
- 39% believe that their employers focus too much on job history and not enough on skills.
- 25% have two jobs, compared to 16% of global respondents.
- 55% are satisfied with their job, similar to global respondents (56%).
- 84% believe that being adaptable and flexible is the most important skill for their career in the next five years.
- 79% actively seek out opportunities to learn and develop new skills.
26 June 2023, Johannesburg – According to the World Bank, Africa’s working age population is expected to grow by 450m people, or close to 70% by 2035. However, central to this conversation is whether this workforce is ready for business reinvention and the changes accompanying this process. According to PwC’s newly released Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2023, 84% of respondents in Africa believe that being adaptable and flexible is the most important skill for their career in the next five years.
Interestingly, we found that talent is hiding in plain sight, as 43% of respondents in Africa (35% globally) say they have skills that are not being put to use in their role, or aren’t reflected on their resumes. Despite this, 65% of respondents in Africa (49% globally) say they clearly understand which of their skills are transferable to other jobs and industries, while 61% (46% globally) say they have the opportunity to demonstrate their transferable skills.
“Work environments are changing like never before, and it is evident that to survive and thrive in today’s market, businesses need to challenge the status quo and continuously reinvent themselves. However, without the support and energy of your workforce, these efforts are likely to fail. Where employees are given the opportunity to display their range of skills, they are likely to feel a greater sense of value, translating to better performance at work.”
The need for the workforce to consistently upskill is a non-negotiable today.
“Employees who are slow to prioritise and learn new skills will struggle to adapt. Our survey shows that 65% of respondents in South Africa say their job requires specialist training or qualifications, and 13% disagree that their job skills requirements will change significantly in the next five years. However, the pace of change in the job market is quickening, with employers increasingly shifting towards creating skills-centric jobs.”
Disconnect between seniors and employees stems from facets of company culture
Culture isn’t something that can be changed overnight, nor is it something that can be achieved through a formal programme with a start and end date. It is something that leaders can shape over time by focusing on a few critical elements.
“Most leaders recognise that their people are the company’s best source of energy, ideas and innovation. Yet our findings show that only 53% of Africa’s workforce believe their managers consider their viewpoint when making decisions, and only 31% tolerate small-scale failures. This means that almost half of employees possibly feel discouraged from experimenting, debating ideas or disagreeing with the status quo. These are critical actions for innovation, employee engagement and corporate reinvention.”
Globally, 58% of employees said their actions at work aligned with their company’s values.
The cost-of-living crisis on the workforce, and the continuation of the great resignation
When honing in on how Africa’s workforce is feeling about their personal financial outlook, the tone is downbeat. This is due to the weak outlook for job growth in 2023-2024, the rising cost of living, elevated interest rates, and the decline in buying power over the past year. While job satisfaction remains similar to 2022 (55%) for employees working in Africa, their likelihood of making changes to their working situation has increased:
- Employees are more likely to ask for a pay raise (55% vs. 21% in 2022)
- Employees are more likely to ask for a promotion (52% vs. 19% in 2022)
- Employees are more likely to change employers (37% vs. 16% in 2022)
The workforce is becoming more demanding and the ripple effects of the great resignation are still at the forefront of all employers' minds. Survey results show that 37% (compared to 16% last year) of Africa’s workforce are likely to change employers in the next year.
“Some of the reasons respondents cited were tough living conditions and increased costs of living, the current dilemma around hybrid ways of working, embracing the concept of entrepreneurship, and seeking opportunities that resonate with their personal purpose,”
Nurturing employee interest in AI
As the future of work becomes more digitised, organisations should look to make greater tech-based investments that will pay off, both in the short and long run, to give their organisations a strong competitive advantage. When assessing how the workforce felt about the potential threat of technology replacing humans, workers in Africa are more optimistic than their global counterparts. Forty-three percent believe artificial intelligence (AI) will help increase productivity and efficiency at work, compared to 31% globally.
Climate change
Today, many employees expect the organisations they work for and buy from to positively contribute to society.
“Responsible growth is the key. That means caring for your people, communities, customers and the environment. Organisations are facing questions about how they’re meeting society’s needs — and how their influence extends even further to those that are most vulnerable within them. When employees make important decisions, they favour organisations and brands which they believe in.”
In Africa, 22% of respondents feel that their company is not taking action to address climate change, while 32% feel their company is doing enough through their climate action.
Table 1: How the workforce in Africa feel about their company’s climate change action
“The best leaders operate on multiple timelines, managing short-term disruptions while looking to the future. Nowhere is this challenge more acute than when it comes to understanding how an organisation’s people fit into its reinvention plans. Employees need to be central to these efforts through upskilling, cultural change programmes and embracing the future world of work. Organisations can’t transform for the future without a clear sense of where their employees are today, and where they could be tomorrow. Committing to helping them get there is the first step in building a reinvention-ready workforce.”
