86% Indian Workers Face Disruption, 89% Upskill To Stay Relevant, 78% Use AI To Stay Competitive: ETS Report 2026

Indian employees are experiencing workplace disruptions faster than the rest of the world on average, and have shown themselves to be more adaptable in the face of those changes, says the India results from the 2026 ETS Human Progress Report.

In fact, 86 percent of Indian workers had experienced significant workplace disruption over the previous year due to rapid changes in their jobs, technology, and performance requirements.

Upskilling becomes a key to employment security

With changing attitudes about job security, the professionals in India are increasingly focusing on acquiring new skills. It can be seen from the fact that, according to the report, 89% of the respondents were developing new skills, showing a definite inclination towards adapting oneself as an important factor in career success.

• 89% are acquiring new skills for their employment prospects

• 90% feel that having credentials verified is necessary

• 93% think that the universities should offer skills verification along with their degrees

AI adoption driving change in workplaces

AI incorporation is also speeding up the pace of workplace change in India. In fact, about 78% of workers indicated that they use AI technology not out of choice but to keep up with others. On average, it appears that more than 42% of the work done by workers entails directing AI technology.

“4 in 5 workers are building new skills, even though most can’t envision their future job. Adaptability is becoming the new ‘must have’ skill,” said Amit Sevak, CEO of ETS.

Although there is a lot of disruption taking place, Indian workers seem relatively positive about their future prospects. According to the report, India’s Human Progress Index value is 114.4, which is much higher compared to the global average of 96.7.

Published on: Friday, April 03, 2026, 06:35 PM IST