Full-time Employment Patterns Show Notable Shifts as Workplace Evolution Continues in 2025
Current State of Full-time Employment
As of the latest employment report, full-time workers (those working 35+ hours) make up 82.8% of total employed workers in the workforce. This represents a significant shift in employment patterns, as a gradual decline in full-time work has been observed since December 2023, when full-time employment first dropped below 83.0% while part-time employment rose above 17.0%.
Driving Factors Behind the Transformation
Several key factors are shaping the labor market, including technological change, geoeconomic fragmentation, economic uncertainty, demographic shifts, and the green transition. Notably, broadening digital access is expected to be the most transformative trend, with 60% of employers anticipating it will transform their business by 2030.
Skills and Workforce Development
The evolving workplace demands new skillsets, with creative thinking, resilience, flexibility, and agility becoming increasingly important. Key skills differentiating growing from declining jobs include programming and technological literacy, quality control, and resource management and operations.
Employment Sector Shifts
Current employment trends show growth in the health care sector, which added 31,000 jobs recently, with increases in ambulatory health care services, nursing facilities, and hospitals. Social assistance has also seen positive growth, particularly in individual and family services.
Future Outlook
Looking ahead, the labor market transformation is expected to create new opportunities, with projections indicating the creation of new jobs equivalent to 14% of today’s total employment, amounting to 170 million jobs. The overall job market is anticipated to experience a 22% transformation in total jobs between 2025 and 2030.
Workplace Adaptation
In response to these changes, 85% of employers are prioritizing workforce upskilling, with 70% planning to hire staff with new skills. Additionally, employee health and well-being has become a top focus for talent attraction, with 64% of employers identifying it as a key strategy.
