Improving sentiment, changing needs and uneven AI benefits

PwC’s Greek Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2026 captures the views of 801 workers in Greece. Part of a global survey of 49,364 workers across 48 countries and regions, it examines how employees experience work, prepare for change and see their future.

By exploring employees’ priorities alongside the resources and opportunities available to them, the survey offers insights to inform decisions on workforce development, leadership and reward. The key findings from Greece cover employee sentiment, workplace change, AI use and access to development opportunities, revealing different experiences and career prospects across the workforce.

64% of Greek workers are satisfied with their jobs, while 73% feel proud of their work and 66% are willing to go above and beyond. Motivation indicators have improved, although enthusiasm for work remains well below the global level.

These signs of stronger engagement sit alongside declining trust in leadership. Trust in direct managers has fallen to 46%, down five percentage points from last year, while 39% trust top management. Both figures remain below the global levels, although the declines in Greece are more moderate than those recorded globally. Trust in direct managers is broadly consistent across seniority levels, with men reporting higher trust than women. The findings suggest that employees’ commitment to their work does not necessarily translate into confidence in the people leading their organisations.

The rising cost of living continues to shape employees’ experience of work. Nearly three in four workers (72%) say financial pressures have affected them in the workplace, highlighting the extent to which economic conditions influence engagement and wellbeing. At the same time, only 10% can comfortably cover their bills and still have money left over, down from 17% a year ago.

When considering what matters most at work, pay and benefits remain workers’ major priority and the factor they are least willing to compromise on. This reflects the continued financial pressures many employees face, but also highlights the importance of feeling appropriately rewarded for their contribution. Expectations around pay are closely linked to perceptions of fairness, recognition and career progression.

Yet only 47% feel fairly paid for their contribution. Despite these pressures, 33% are very or extremely likely to ask for a pay rise in the next year, compared with 41% globally. These findings underline the importance of fair rewards and a clear connection between contribution, pay and progression.

Daily users report greater trust in management, stronger confidence in job security and more positive expectations of AI’s long-term impact than infrequent users. The difference is particularly clear in learning confidence: 70% of daily users believe they can learn new skills, compared with 46% of infrequent users.

Daily users report greater trust in management, stronger confidence in job security and more positive expectations of AI’s long-term impact than infrequent users. The difference is particularly clear in learning confidence: 70% of daily users believe they can learn new skills, compared with 46% of infrequent users.

However, concerns about accuracy and quality remain a leading barrier to wider AI use, highlighting the role of appropriate training and clear guidance.

46% of Greek workers have experienced significant change at work over the past year. 38% have applied new skills in their roles, 39% have had to learn new tools and technologies, 39% report heavier workloads and 35% have seen their responsibilities change.

Yet access to learning and development has fallen by seven percentage points since last year: only 41% have the resources they need, even though 58% feel confident in their ability to learn new skills. The findings highlight a gap between the demands of changing work and the support available to help employees adapt.

Workplace incentives add another dimension. Workers most frequently identify avoiding mistakes and minimising risks, at 37%, and following processes and rules, at 32%, as behaviours their organisations value or reward. Just 6% cite effective AI use. Alongside access to development, employees need opportunities to apply new skills and recognition for using them responsibly.

Confidence in job security rises with age, from 52% among Gen Z to 66% among Baby Boomers. Younger workers are also more likely to consider moving: 26% of Gen Z are very or extremely likely to change employer within a year, compared with 6% of Baby Boomers.

Workload pressures are also experienced differently. 41% of women identify fatigue or burnout as a barrier to productivity, compared with 30% of men, while 33% cite lack of time due to workload demands, compared with 25%. These differences underline the importance of considering working conditions alongside skills and technology when addressing productivity.

The survey groups workers according to the career advantage they gain from AI and the scarcity of their core skills in the labour market.

The Engine Room, the largest group at 69%, combines limited labour market leverage with limited career advantage from AI. AI Insurgents, at 13%, gain an advantage from AI despite having less scarce skills. The Indispensables, at 11%, have scarce expertise but limited AI advantage, while Front-runners, at 7%, combine scarce skills with a strong AI advantage.

Compared with the global workforce, Greece has a larger Engine Room, at 69% versus 56%, and half the share of Front-runners. The framework gives employers a basis for tailoring support, from making AI relevant to everyday tasks to helping workers with scarce expertise use it to extend their capabilities.

For employers, the opportunity is to build on improving sentiment while addressing the pressures that persist. Strengthening trust, providing fair rewards and clear progression, and tailoring development to different workforce needs can help more people benefit from AI and change. These priorities are also central to retaining critical expertise and building future capabilities.

Business transformation depends on how people experience and respond to change. By examining employee sentiment alongside AI use, skills and career expectations, this study helps employers understand where workers are ready to move forward and where they need greater support. These insights can inform decisions on technology adoption, workforce development and rewards, helping organisations turn investment in AI and people into stronger performance and broader opportunities for progression.