May 14, 2025 – In line with its mission to catalyze the actions and investment needed across continents, sectors, and communities to add life to years and years to life, the McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) is bringing its research, convening, and ecosystem-building power to addressing the global shortage of healthcare workers.
The World Health Organization projects a shortfall of at least 10 million health workers across all positions and classifications by 2030 – an estimate that could be up to eight times higher. This gap has far-reaching consequences that affect global health, health systems, and economies. A new MHI report quantifies the health and economic opportunity of closing the gap, highlighting the potential to avert 189 million years of life lost to early death or disability and boost the global economy by $1.1 trillion by investing in the healthcare workforce.
“Every day, people around the world struggle to access essential health services. By addressing this shortage, we can not only save lives and improve health outcomes but also create meaningful, fulfilling careers for millions of people,” said Yenli Wong, Director of Health Worker Capacity at the McKinsey Health Institute. “Our research shows that simply adding more healthcare workers is only part of the solution. We also need to focus on the existing workforce, enabling them to grow, thrive, and stay in their roles.”
The report details several key strategies that can be implemented to alleviate healthcare worker shortages and improve the overall quality of care. These include retaining experienced faculty through phased retirement options, implementing accelerated training programs, leveraging technology such as virtual reality for enhanced training, and maximizing task sharing across healthcare workers.
The analysis outlines that simply increasing the healthcare workforce through traditional methods will be insufficient — and that adding new healthcare workers is only half of the solution. While interventions focused on "Grow, Thrive, and Stay" could add 5.6 million workers, transforming healthcare service delivery is also essential. This transformation must reimagine who provides care, how it's delivered, and where it's accessed to meet demand for high-quality care.
"Building a more resilient healthcare workforce is essential for meeting the challenges of today, and working toward a healthier, more sustainable future,” said Marilyn Kimeu, Co-Director of Health Worker Capacity at the McKinsey Health Institute. “By investing in the well-being and professional development of healthcare workers, we can reduce burnout, improve job satisfaction, and ensure that our healthcare systems are better prepared to handle future crises. A resilient workforce means stronger, more adaptable care delivery, which is crucial for the health and prosperity of our communities."
Alongside the World Health Assembly in Geneva later this month, MHI and partners will join leaders from across the global health and media ecosystem for a dynamic discussion on what's needed to bridge the healthcare workforce gap — and the role of the public, private, and social sectors in advancing progress. You can join the conversation via livestream on May 19.
"Addressing the global healthcare workforce shortage is not just a critical need; it's an economic and social necessity,” said Pooja Kumar, Global Leader of the McKinsey Health Institute. “By investing in innovative solutions and reimagining the way we deliver care, we can create a more equitable and sustainable healthcare system. Our research underscores the critical role that collaboration between the public, private, and social sectors will play in achieving this goal. Together, we can ensure that every community has access to the skilled and dedicated healthcare professionals they need to thrive.”
Read the full report.