Key points indicate that, despite global unemployment being at historic lows, workers' sense of job security remains low.
According to research by Automatic Data Processing Inc (ADP), only 22% of workers worldwide are firmly confident they will not face job cuts.
ADP data shows that 62% of the global workforce works up to 5 hours of unpaid overtime per week.
The use of artificial intelligence tools in the workplace is now widespread, and unpaid overtime has become the norm. However, most employees still feel insecure about their jobs, and overall workplace engagement remains low.
These findings come from the "2026 People at Work" research report released by the payroll and human resources services provider, ADP. The survey polled 39,000 adult workers across 36 global markets in 2025.
Widespread Lack of Job Security
Even with the current global unemployment rate at a historic low, workers still lack confidence in job stability.
ADP data reveals that only 22% of global respondents firmly believe they are safe from layoffs.
Among all regions covered by the survey, not a single market had a majority of workers feeling secure in their employment. Nigeria reported the highest sense of job security at 38%, while Japan ranked lowest at just 5%.
In the United States, only 28% of workers feel their jobs are secure, while in the United Kingdom, the figure is 25%.
Unpaid Overtime as a Common Practice
The vast majority of workers are providing their employers with additional hours of work without pay.
Data indicates that 62% of employees globally work up to 5 hours of unpaid overtime per week; 26% work between 6 and 15 unpaid hours weekly; and a further 12% work 16 or more hours of unpaid overtime each week.
This phenomenon is particularly pronounced among management and senior executives: half of senior managers and executives work at least 6 hours of unpaid overtime weekly, and 20% of executives work over 16 unpaid hours per week.
While this extra effort may seem to represent dedication, ADP warns that such intense unpaid overtime comes with significant negative consequences.
The groups working the most unpaid overtime tend to show higher workplace engagement and find more value in their work. However, they are also more likely to experience decreased productivity, poorer physical and mental well-being, and a stronger intention to seek new employment.
Frequent AI Users Report Less Stress but Lower Perceived Productivity
Since 2022, AI tools like ChatGPT have become ubiquitous in the workplace, ostensibly to help employees work more efficiently. However, the ADP research found that employees who use AI tools daily are four times more likely to feel their own productivity falls short of expectations compared to those who do not use AI.
ADP notes in the report: "The more employees rely on AI to complete their work, the more likely they are to feel that despite being busy for a long time, the actual results are less than expected."
Nevertheless, frequent AI use also brings several positive effects: these employees report higher workplace engagement, lower psychological stress, and more positive evaluations of their teams and colleagues.
ADP points out: "A sense of belonging to a great team is crucial. Employees who use AI more frequently are more likely to recognize the comprehensive capabilities of their own team."
Among workers who use AI tools daily, 30% are fully engaged in their work, whereas among those who never use AI, the fully engaged rate is only 14%.
Low Employee Engagement Remains a Global Challenge
Following the pandemic, global employee engagement has recovered somewhat but overall remains low. ADP data shows that in 2025, only 19% of workers worldwide are fully engaged in their work, with significant variation across regions: Brazil leads globally at 29%, while China ranks last at just 11%.
From a regional perspective, the Middle East and Africa have the highest employee engagement at 25%, while the Asia-Pacific region is the lowest at 15%.
ADP suggests that companies can improve employee engagement through four main methods: investing in skills training, building workplace trust systems, helping employees find value in their work, and alleviating workplace stress.
Employee skill development is highly correlated with engagement: among employees who believe their company consistently provides skills upgrade training, the rate of full engagement is as high as 53%; among those lacking such growth support, engagement is only 12%.
ADP adds: "Employees who find value in their work are 12.5 times more likely to be fully engaged. Companies can effectively enhance a sense of belonging and engagement simply by listening to employees' career aspirations and matching them with suitable development opportunities."
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