More than two-thirds of workers are willing to retrain for new jobs post pandemic, says a study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and The Network. The interest is highest among early- and mid-career workers. This includes workers in the service sector, customer service, and sales roles.

“This level of flexibility could help employers and governments that are worried about preparing their workforces for the future,” said Rainer Strack, one of the authors of the study and a senior partner at BCG. The report, ‘Decoding Global Reskilling and Career Paths’, says 41 per cent of workers globally have become more concerned about automation during the pandemic.

People in developing economies, including Africa, are the most enthusiastic about retraining. Europeans and Americans are the least willing, the study shows, but even here 50-plus per cent are willing to retrain.

More than a third of people worldwide have been laid off or forced to work fewer hours during the Covid-19 crisis, according to the survey.