SkillCycle Research Reveals Surprising Truth About The Future of Work

New Data Shows Employees Developing Core Skills for the Future of Work at Record Rates While Organizations Struggle to Keep Pace

NEW YORK, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SkillCycle today released its 2025 State of Skills Report, challenging the dominant narrative around automation and the future of work. Drawing from platform data across industries and job levels between 2022 and 2025, the report reveals that employees are not waiting to be replaced by AI. They are preparing to lead alongside it.

While many company systems remain outdated, employees are proactively building the skills that matter most. Leadership development requests have increased by 74 percent. Employee demand for strategic thinking development has increased by 103 percent. Development around strategic communication and influence has surged 228 percent.

"While headlines focus on AI displacement, our data tells a different story," said Kristy McCann Flynn, SkillCycle Co-founder and CEO. "Employees are showing initiative at record levels, but most companies haven't updated their development strategies to match."

Key Findings:

• Employee demand for strategic thinking development has increased by 103 percent since 2022
• Only 6 percent of companies create clear development plans after performance reviews
• Employees with growth plans report 36 percent lower workplace stress.

The report outlines four critical actions for organizations that want to keep pace. These include more frequent skills mapping, better integration between coaching and performance management, and positioning development as both a retention strategy and a stress-reduction tool.

"The future of work isn't about replacing humans," added McCann Flynn. "It's about building systems that support the adaptation already happening inside your workforce."

The full report is available at: https://www.skillcycle.com/2025-workplace-skills-report

About SkillCycle

SkillCycle helps companies turn performance feedback into real growth. The platform connects performance management directly to individualized development plans, guided by AI and supported by real-time coaching. Organizations can align employee goals with business outcomes and drive continuous improvement without adding more systems or steps.

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SOURCE SkillCycle