- Indian workers reported the highest overall well-being globally, driven by meaningful work and values alignment.
- Workplace stress remains high, matching the global average (50).
- Workers believe in themselves, but not their employers: Confidence at 93% while job security at 54%.
NEW DELHI, INDIA – ManpowerGroup today released its Global Talent Barometer 2025, Volume 1, a robust new tool offering unparalleled insights into workforce sentiment across 19 countries, including India. The results, based on responses gathered from over 1,000 workers across India between March 14 and April 11, 2025, reveals a complex landscape of employee well-being, job satisfaction, and confidence in the rapidly evolving world of work.
The overall Global Talent Barometer score of 79% was derived from three key indices: Well-Being (79%), Job Satisfaction (65%), and Confidence (93%). Workers in India report the highest levels of skills and confidence, with 93% expressing confidence in their abilities to perform their jobs; however, this confidence isn’t fully translating into job satisfaction or loyalty, with only 65% satisfied in their roles.
“India’s workforce is brimming with potential – 93% of workers feel confident in their skills, and 97% are comfortable with the latest technologies, including AI, said Sandeep Gulati, Managing Director, ManpowerGroup India and Middle East. Yet, this confidence isn’t translating into satisfaction, with job satisfaction lingering at just 65% and daily stress levels at 50%. The disconnect is clear: development, growth, and well-being can’t be afterthoughts. If we want to retain talent and unlock performance, we must treat career development as a strategic priority – not a perk. The future of work in India will be shaped by how we empower people, not just how we adopt technology.”
Workforce Snapshot: Confidence is High, But So Is Stress
At 79% overall score, the Barometer reveals a workforce in flux:
- 93% say their work is meaningful and their employer’s value aligns with their own.
- Despite being highly confident in their skills and ability to use the latest tech tools including AI, workers in India report below-average job security and satisfaction.
- Job satisfaction score at 65% highlights the wide gap between workers’ skills and their workplace experience
- Only 54% feel secure in their jobs over the next six months.
- 60% report moderate to high daily stress, with Front-line workers reporting the highest levels (81%) followed by Gen Z (66%)
INDIA KEY FINDINGS
Well-Being: The Stress-Retention Connection
- Despite 93% of workers finding their work meaningful and purposeful, 60% report moderate to high daily stress.
- Blue-collar workers (100%) & middle management (95%) find the most meaning & purpose in their work.
- Stress is exacerbated among Gen Z: They continue to experience the highest daily stress levels (66%) with the least support (87%).
- Essential front-line workers remain the most stressed group at 81%. They also report the lowest work-life balance, adding pressure across frontline roles.
- Gaps in values alignment between essential workers (100%) and executive or senior management (95%) are low.
This disconnect helps explain why confident workers are leaving. Meaningful work can’t offset burnout – especially when growth is limited, and support is lacking.
Job Satisfaction: Stuck in the Middle
- Gen Z job satisfaction at 29% is the lowest of any generation – with Millennial women ranking lowest on the Job Satisfaction Index (21%).
- 75% of blue-collar workers are bracing for possible job loss in the coming 6 months.
- Most managers (81%) see restructuring, instability in the economy and AI as their greatest career threats.
- Even under pressure and uncertainty, they continue to build trust. 89% of employees believe their managers have their backs.
- Location signals job satisfaction as workers who are onsite without choice (48%) are less likely to leave in six months compared to their fully or mostly remote (25%) counterparts. This suggests employees in inflexible arrangements feel trapped in roles they find unfulfilling, while remote workers, despite greater satisfaction, leverage their flexibility to exit.
Frontline workers face pressure from all sides except Job security. 81% of managers fear job loss within the next six months due to economic instability, restructuring and AI disruption with 40% citing these forces as their top career concern. At the same time, 89% of employees trust leadership, creating tension for those tasked with developing others while navigating their own uncertainty.
Confidence: Development as Trust Currency
- India reported the highest global workforce confidence (93%), with strong worker sentiment driven by experience and skills (97%) and latest tech (94%).
- Backed by career support and undeterred by tech advancements, workers are feeling sharper as skills confidence stands at 97%.
- Gender parity is seen with women reporting equal career move and promotion opportunities (89%) as men (90%).
- Hybrid workers lead in career confidence (94%), backed by ample career opportunities within their organsiation.
- Workers in Energy & Utilities (100%) report the strongest levels of career opportunities and skills confidence among the eight industries covered in the report.
The data shows a clear correlation between development investment and retention. Workers who report having career development opportunities show 91% confidence and those with clear advancement paths report 89% confidence.
Global Workforce Snapshot
At 68% overall, up 1 point from 67% last year, the Barometer reflects responses from 13,700+ workers across 19 countries:
- 82% say their work is meaningful (up 2% from 2024).
- Overall confidence rose to 76% (up 2 points).
- Job satisfaction dropped to 62% (down 1 point), highlighting the growing divide between workers’ skills and their workplace experience.
- Only 65% feel secure in their jobs over the next six months (down 6 percentage points from 71%).
- 49% report moderate to high daily stress, with middle managers reporting the highest levels (82%) followed by Gen Z (56%).
The Bottom Line: Invest in People or Pay the Price
With turnover now costing an average of $18,591 per employee and 65% satisfied and only 38% unlikely to leave voluntarily, the confidence-satisfaction divide is more than a morale issue – it’s a business imperative. Companies that fail to invest in their people risk losing them to competitors who do.
The Global Talent Barometer has introduced new metrics, including the Well-Being Index, Job Satisfaction Index, and Confidence Index, providing a holistic view of workforce sentiment globally. These innovative indices offer employers unprecedented tools to measure and understand employee sentiment, enabling more effective strategies for talent management and workplace improvement.
