Navigating the human-centric shift: A typology of workforce readiness for industry 5.0

The transition to Industry 5.0 requires a paradigm shift from technology-driven production to human-centric, sustainable, and resilient systems. Although the theoretical foundation of Industry 5.0 is strong, empirical evidence on the workforce readiness required for this transition remains scarce. This study addresses this gap by developing an empirical typology of workforce readiness, based on structured interviews with 160 European industrial stakeholders, using the European Commission’s Industry 5.0 Learning and Assessment tool. Through cluster analysis, we identify three distinct organisational profiles: Ad hoc, Structured, and Adaptive. These clusters reveal significant diversity in how firms approach skill development, the skill levels of their workforces, and their workforce resilience. The findings show that while Structured firms have established upskilling programmes, they still lack in-demand skills such as AI literacy, whereas Ad hoc firms struggle with foundational knowledge management. The typology provides a framework for managers to develop their human-centric transition strategies and for policymakers to design targeted incentives, moving beyond generic upskilling policies.