The figures come from a global survey of more than a thousand companies employing over 14 million people, compiled in the World Economic Forum’s latest jobs report. It ranks the occupations most likely to lose ground between 2025 and 2030.
Postal clerks face the steepest decline, with projections showing a fall of around 40 percent. Bank tellers follow closely with a 35 percent drop, while data entry specialists are expected to contract by roughly a third. These jobs rely heavily on repetitive processing tasks, which employers are increasingly assigning to automated systems.
Retail and administrative work is also under strain. Cashiers, ticket clerks, and administrative assistants all feature high on the list, with estimated declines ranging from about 28 to 30 percent. Bookkeeping and payroll clerks, along with material-recording staff such as stock keepers, could see reductions of more than one-fifth. Transportation attendants and conductors appear just behind them with a 21 percent forecast fall.
Some occupations tied to customer outreach and sales are also projected to shrink. Door-to-door sellers, street vendors, and similar roles are expected to drop by about 20 percent. Graphic designers sit at the same level, while claims adjusters, legal officials, and legal secretaries are each predicted to see losses between 17 and 19 percent. Telemarketing is projected to fall by around 16 percent.
Technology is a driving force behind many of these changes, though real-world results have not always matched early promises. Some systems promoted as fully automated have required significant human oversight to work reliably, and certain AI-driven services have been scaled back when they failed to handle practical challenges. Even so, most employers in the survey anticipate steady advances in automation, pushing them to reshape their staffing plans.
The report suggests that by 2030, workplaces will be more dependent on technology for routine operations, while human staff will be concentrated in areas where adaptability, problem-solving, and complex interaction are essential.
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