--- title: "ADP Survey | Metaintro" canonical: "https://www.metaintro.com/blog/adp-survey-job-security-2026-workers-confidence-global" language: "en" author: "drashtigarach" published: "2026-04-13T15:29:05.000Z" modified: "2026-04-13T15:29:05.000Z" --- [Back to Blog](/blog) [AI](/blog/tag/ai)[Career](/blog/tag/career)[Economy](/blog/tag/economy)[Hiring](/blog/tag/hiring)[Jobs](/blog/tag/jobs)[Skills](/blog/tag/skills) # ADP Survey: Only 1 in 5 Workers Worldwide Feel Confident Their Job Is Safe in 2026 ADP Research surveyed 39,000 workers in 36 countries and found just 22% feel their job is secure. Here is what the data reveals and what to do now. [![Drashti Garach](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:40:40/q:72/plain/images/5719d740-e510-42bc-8017-e040d145f35f_1766029465094.png)Drashti Garach @DrashtiGarach](/blog/author/drashtigarach) [April 13, 2026](/blog/archive/2026/04)10 min read ![ADP Survey: Only 1 in 5 Workers Worldwide Feel Confident Their Job Is Safe in 2026](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:1200:675/q:78/plain/images/kai.Mt5EOMHY.png) [https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=ADP%20Survey%3A%20Only%201%20in%205%20Workers%20Worldwide%20Feel%20Confident%20Their%20Job%20Is%20Safe%20in%202026&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fadp-survey-job-security-2026-workers-confidence-global](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=ADP%20Survey%3A%20Only%201%20in%205%20Workers%20Worldwide%20Feel%20Confident%20Their%20Job%20Is%20Safe%20in%202026&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fadp-survey-job-security-2026-workers-confidence-global)[http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fadp-survey-job-security-2026-workers-confidence-global](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fadp-survey-job-security-2026-workers-confidence-global)[https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fadp-survey-job-security-2026-workers-confidence-global&title=ADP%20Survey%3A%20Only%201%20in%205%20Workers%20Worldwide%20Feel%20Confident%20Their%20Job%20Is%20Safe%20in%202026](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fadp-survey-job-security-2026-workers-confidence-global&title=ADP%20Survey%3A%20Only%201%20in%205%20Workers%20Worldwide%20Feel%20Confident%20Their%20Job%20Is%20Safe%20in%202026)[mailto:?subject=ADP%20Survey%3A%20Only%201%20in%205%20Workers%20Worldwide%20Feel%20Confident%20Their%20Job%20Is%20Safe%20in%202026&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fadp-survey-job-security-2026-workers-confidence-global](mailto:?subject=ADP%20Survey%3A%20Only%201%20in%205%20Workers%20Worldwide%20Feel%20Confident%20Their%20Job%20Is%20Safe%20in%202026&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Fadp-survey-job-security-2026-workers-confidence-global) Job anxiety is not a feeling anymore. It is a data point. In March 2026, [ADP Research](https://www.adpresearch.com/) released the first issue of its new [Today at Work](https://www.adpresearch.com/today-at-work/issue1-2026/) report, drawing on findings from more than 39,000 workers across 36 countries. The headline is stark: only 22% of working adults globally strongly agree that their job is safe from elimination. That means roughly 78% of the global workforce is carrying some level of doubt about whether their role will exist in the near future. At [Metaintro](https://www.metaintro.com), we track the signals shaping the labor market so job seekers and professionals can make smarter decisions. This ADP report is one of the most comprehensive snapshots of worker sentiment published this year, and the findings go far deeper than a single headline number. ## What Did the ADP Research Survey Actually Find? The [ADP Global Workforce Survey](https://www.adpresearch.com/is-your-job-safe/) collected responses between July 21 and August 4, 2025, from more than 39,000 working adults in 36 markets. The sample was stratified by age and gender to reflect actual workforce compositions across participating countries. The top-line result: 22% of global workers strongly agreed their job was safe. In the [United States](https://www.bls.gov/), that number ticked up slightly to 28%, but it still means nearly three in four American workers harbor meaningful concerns about job stability. Geography plays a significant role. [Japan](https://www.stat.go.jp/english/index.html) recorded the lowest job security confidence at just 5%, a reflection of a long-standing cultural tendency toward understatement in self-assessment combined with ongoing economic stagnation. At the other end, [Nigeria](https://www.nigerianstat.gov.ng/) posted 38%, one of the highest confidence levels among the 36 countries surveyed. The divergence across countries reflects how local economic conditions, cultural norms, and industry composition all shape how workers perceive their futures. ## How Does Job Level Affect Whether You Feel Secure? The seniority gap in this data is one of its most telling features. ADP broke down job security confidence by level of responsibility, and the results climb steadily from the front lines to the corner office. Individual contributors, the largest segment of any workforce, reported just 18% feeling strongly secure. Frontline managers came in at 21%. Middle managers reached 23%. Upper managers jumped to 31%, and C-suite executives topped out at 35%. What this tells us is that those with the least power to influence organizational decisions feel the most vulnerable, while those who make restructuring choices feel the most protected. It is a reminder that job security is partly about economics and partly about proximity to power. For the roughly 80% of workers who are individual contributors or frontline managers, the message is clear: your feeling of uncertainty is not an outlier. It is the norm. ## What Role Is AI Playing in Worker Anxiety? [Artificial intelligence](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-economic-potential-of-generative-ai) is both a driver of job anxiety and, paradoxically, a tool that may help workers feel more resilient. The ADP data shows a more nuanced picture than the typical "AI is coming for your job" narrative. Daily AI users in the workplace were four times more likely to report reduced productivity compared with non-users. Yet those same daily AI users reported full engagement rates of 30%, nearly double the 14% rate among workers who do not use AI tools. Stress levels also differ: 11% of daily AI users reported feeling overloaded, compared to 23% of non-users. The implication is that workers who have integrated AI into their routines feel more productive and less overwhelmed overall, even as they sometimes struggle with specific tasks. AI familiarity appears to correlate with confidence. There is also a structural dimension. [Brookings Institution](https://www.brookings.edu/) research found that 86% of the 6.1 million U.S. workers facing both high AI exposure and low adaptive capacity are women, concentrated in clerical and administrative roles. That makes AI not just a technology question but a workforce equity question. Lacey Kaelani, CEO of [Metaintro](https://www.metaintro.com), told [People Managing People](https://peoplemanagingpeople.com/workforce-management/ai-layoffs/): "What we're seeing isn't just a correction. It's a restructuring. Companies are using AI as both a tool and an excuse to fundamentally reshape their workforces." That framing matters because it shifts the conversation from replacement to adaptation, and adaptation is something workers can actually do something about. ## Does Gender Shape Job Security Confidence? The U.S. data reveals a significant gender gap in how job security is perceived. Among American workers, men report confidence at 31%, while women report it at 23%, an eight-point gap within the same labor market. This divide is not arbitrary. Women are disproportionately concentrated in administrative, clerical, and service roles that face higher AI automation exposure. And the training pipeline is lopsided: only 14% of women report receiving extensive AI training from their employer, compared to 24% of men. Meanwhile, the same [Brookings](https://www.brookings.edu/) research notes a positive countertrend. Women's employment in transportation, warehousing, and utilities has risen 31% since 2019, and women's employment in construction is up 16.5% over the same period. These are sectors that have shown more structural resilience, suggesting that occupational shifts can open new doors. ## What Is the Age Divide in Job Confidence? Age adds another layer of complexity to the job security picture. Workers ages 18 to 26 are among the most optimistic about their skills, with 29% saying they have what is needed to advance. But optimism about skills does not always translate to feeling secure in their specific role. Older workers tell a different story. Workers ages 55 to 64 showed the bleakest outlook: only 18% felt they had the skills needed to advance, and just 12% believed their employer was investing in their professional development. This gap matters because older workers face a compounding challenge. They carry more financial responsibilities, often have narrower professional networks in emerging fields, and receive less institutional support for retraining. Yet their experience and domain knowledge remain genuinely valuable. The disconnect is not about capability. It is about access to opportunity. Young workers, meanwhile, showed higher rates of positive sentiment around AI. Around 20% of workers under 30 viewed AI as a net positive for their work prospects, compared to roughly 10% of workers over 50. ## Is There a Connection Between Training and Job Security? This is perhaps the most actionable finding in the entire report. Workers who believe their employer is actively investing in their development are 5.3 times more likely to feel job-secure. Among workers who perceive high employer investment, 53% are fully engaged with their work. Among those who perceive low employer investment, only 12% are fully engaged. That is not a marginal difference. It is a structural one. [ADP Research's](https://www.adpresearch.com/) Chief Economist Nela Richardson put it plainly: "AI is not like the weather. It is not just going to descend upon us." Her point is that organizations and individuals have real agency in how AI reshapes work. The data backs this up. Firms that invest in worker development are not just creating more secure employees. They are creating more engaged, productive, and resilient teams. Jay Caldwell, Chief Talent Officer at [ADP](https://www.adp.com/), echoed that: "AI is entering a workforce that is anxious. The importance for HR is not about technology. It's about leading through it." ## What Is the Unpaid Work Problem Hiding Inside This Data? One finding in the ADP report that often gets buried deserves closer attention. An overwhelming 62% of workers globally report working up to five hours per week unpaid. Another 38% work six or more unpaid hours weekly. And 12% work more than 16 unpaid hours each week. This unpaid labor burden is not separate from job security anxiety. It is intertwined with it. Workers who feel insecure are more likely to overextend, to cover for gaps left by layoffs, and to absorb workload increases without compensation. The fear of losing a job creates a pressure to give more than the job demands. This cycle is sustainable for companies in the short term and corrosive for workers over time. Understanding it is essential for anyone navigating a job market defined by uncertainty. ## How Can You Protect Your Job Security in 2026? The ADP data is sobering, but it is not a dead end. It is a map. Here is how to use it. First, your employer's investment in you is a leading indicator of your stability. If your company is not offering training, upskilling programs, or development opportunities, that absence tells you something. Push for access to resources, or begin building skills independently through platforms like [Coursera](https://www.coursera.org/), [LinkedIn Learning](https://www.linkedin.com/learning/), or [Udemy](https://www.udemy.com/). Second, AI familiarity correlates with confidence. Workers who use AI tools daily report lower stress and higher engagement. You do not need to become a machine learning engineer. You need to understand how tools like [ChatGPT](https://openai.com/chatgpt/), [Copilot](https://github.com/features/copilot), or [Gemini](https://gemini.google.com/) apply to your actual work tasks. That practical fluency is rapidly becoming a baseline expectation. Third, industry positioning matters. Healthcare added 58,000 jobs in recent months. Construction added 30,000. Skilled trades are growing. If your current sector feels precarious, understanding adjacent industries where your skills transfer can open options you may not realize exist. Fourth, do not absorb unpaid overwork as a sign of loyalty. Document your contributions, advocate for recognition, and understand your market value. [Bureau of Labor Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/) data continues to show a tight labor market in many sectors, which means alternatives exist even when anxiety says otherwise. Fifth, job security is partly about visibility within your organization. The data shows that C-suite workers feel three times more secure than individual contributors. Part of that is structural, but part of it is that senior workers have better visibility into organizational priorities. Building those relationships and making your value visible is a strategy, not a cliche. --- ## **People Also Asked** **Q:** How many workers were surveyed in the ADP job security report? **A:** The [ADP Research](https://www.adpresearch.com/) Global Workforce Survey collected responses from more than 39,000 working adults across 36 countries. Data was gathered between July 21 and August 4, 2025, and the results were published as part of ADP's new Today at Work series in March 2026. **Q:** Which type of workers feel the least secure about their jobs? **A:** Individual contributors report the lowest job security confidence globally, with just 18% strongly agreeing their job is safe. Frontline managers are close behind at 21%. Workers in clerical and administrative roles, particularly women, face the highest combination of AI exposure and low adaptive capacity according to [Brookings Institution](https://www.brookings.edu/) research cited alongside the ADP findings. **Q:** What can workers do to improve their job security right now? **A:** The ADP data points to employer-provided training as the single biggest lever: workers who perceive strong employer investment are 5.3 times more likely to feel secure. Beyond that, building AI tool fluency, targeting growth sectors like healthcare and construction, and making contributions visible within your organization all measurably improve both security and engagement. --- The data is clear: job anxiety in 2026 is not a personal failing. It is a global condition shared by the vast majority of the workforce. But the same report that surfaces the anxiety also points to paths through it. Training, AI fluency, and understanding your market value are not abstract recommendations. They are statistically linked to feeling more secure and engaged at work. Stay ahead of the market and make smarter career moves with [Metaintro](https://www.metaintro.com). 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