Opinion-editorial by Karena Crerar, Chief Executive Officer at Edelman Africa
Working South Africans are anxious. In the face of international trade conflicts, job cuts, a declining rand, and so many other factors that seem out of our control, it’s no wonder that job insecurity is on the rise. However, as this anxiety rises, performance takes a knock, and as is the case with any prolonged stress, our overall mental and physical health suffers.
The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer South Africa report revealed multiple factors recognised by South Africans as threats to their job security, split between three categories: Globalisation, Economic Pressures, and Technology. This past year, every single threat factor remains high, showing that locals are worried about the impact of international geopolitics on our job market, the possibility of a looming recession resulting in a greater cost-of-living, and the technological shift in many ways of working.
Now, for the average business, there isn’t much that can be done about tariff increases or a global economic recession, but there are myriad ways in which employee engagement and training can help to improve morale and optimism. The Edelman Trust Barometer has repeatedly shown that business – and by extension business leaders and employers – remains the most trusted institution. But alongside this trust come expectations of decisive action, helping to improve society in any way they can. When people feel aggrieved, they demand more action from business, not less, working towards solving key societal issues, from affordability to discrimination to the fight against climate change.
When the business leaders join forces, real change can happen, as we’re witnessing in real time with the upcoming G20 summit, set to be held in Johannesburg later this year. The Business 20 South Africa (B20 SA) task forces have been established, aimed at providing recommendations to all G20 governments that will influence global policy. At the B20 South Africa summit in February, business leaders from across the country arrived to discuss how to prepare a future-ready economy – but a specific theme arose throughout proceeds. Many of the conversations taking place revolved around digitisation and digitalisation, and some of the first recommendations involved taking steps to promote a more digital economy – with a focus on upskilling workers and entrepreneurs while investing in infrastructure to promote better digital penetration countrywide.
The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer data showed that 67% of surveyed South African employees felt that a lack of training – especially around new technologies – would pose a threat to their job security, which is why it is so heartening that upskilling strategies are already so prominent among the B20 SA leadership.
On-the-job training opportunities, or personalised training modules, are a tangible way in which businesses can create a more capable, confident, and future-ready workforce. AI training, for example, can benefit anyone across a business – and according to the World Economic Forum, the majority of workers want it. Higher income workers and executives are already disproportionately using AI in their work, but we can’t exclude the rest of the workforce who also want to benefit from new technology. No one wants to feel like they’re being left behind.
According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, many (63%) of South African employees said they feared automation displacing their jobs, but if the World Economic Forum’s projections are to be believed, 92 million jobs may be lost, but 170 million will be created – as long as there are people trained to take up these new positions.
As the University of Johannesburg’s Vice Chancellor, Letlhoka George Mpedi, recently wrote, automation presents opportunities, but to leverage them will require strong governance and forward-thinking policies to uphold worker’s rights. It is here that business can step in again, providing the expertise and perspectives that governments will need to establish fair policy.
But as we keep pushing technological innovation, businesses can’t ignore the less technical skillsets. The majority (77%) of South Africans are concerned about experiencing discrimination, prejudice, or racism, surging to an all-time high (a rise of 8 percentage-points compared to last year’s data). This is why DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) strategies are more important than ever. Despite ongoing pushback (especially in the United States), these strategies – when implemented with strategic intention – are repeatedly proven to improve financial performance, boost morale, and increase organisational effectiveness. More importantly, they can help allay these growing employee fears of discrimination.
The rising anxiety among South African workers is not unfounded. But by investing in workforce development and advocating for fair policies (both internally and externally), business leaders have an opportunity – and a responsibility – to drive economic growth while restoring confidence and trust among employees.