Since 2021, the ADP Research Institute has surveyed workers around the world to learn about their on-the-job experiences. What began as an effort to understand what workers were thinking and feeling during the coronavirus pandemic has become an annual look at the world’s journey through monumental change: A deep economic downturn, soaring inflation and the subsequent cost-of-living crisis, and the rise of remote and hybrid work. As we’ve encountered these milestones, People at Work has captured how the global labor force has adapted and changed. 

This year, survey responses from nearly 35,000 workers in 18 countries have given us a unique perspective on how change is affecting people in the workplace. As new opportunities and challenges reshape the labor market, workers in some ways have remained constant in their priorities—they still put great value on remuneration and job security, for example. But in other ways, they feel under threat from technology, stress, and shifting workplace norms 

In 2024, we present six key findings. 

1. What workers want. Salary was a top priority for the fourth year. 

2. What workers expect. Inflation has reset worker expectations on pay increases. 

3. Remote work and AI. Remote work comes with a downside, and the rise of artificial intelligence has created unease.  

4. ESG and DEI. Worker thoughts on environmental, social, and governance initiatives and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts vary widely. 

5. Career development. Employers have room for improvement. 

6. Stress. It’s a constant companion for many workers.