AI at work – optimists hope for better pay while pessimists say loneliness and insomnia

Author Moonshot.news

Published on: 02/08/2024

Artificial intelligence tools are being introduced at workplaces all over the world. What will this mean for employees? Recent reports show contradicting expectations: 49% expect it will mean higher salaries and 70% hope genAI tools will make them more creative at work. But two researchers say studies show that employees using AI tools feel more lonely, drink more and have a difficulty sleeping.

Over 40% of firms expect that using AI will have a positive impact on turnover, profits, training and resilience, according to a survey among British companies by London School of Economics and Confederation of British Industry. 

About 22% in the British survey expect AI to have a positive impact on employment compared to 13% who think it will lead to lead to fewer jobs.

When asked about the reasons for adopting AI, around 20% said that replacing tasks previously carried out by people was a consideration (to “some” or to a “great” extent). But twice as many as this said that creating new or improved processes, or products and services were key considerations.

The survey comprises 400 firms. It was made in May and is published in a blog post on LSE Business Review by Juliana Oliveira-Cunha, Policy Economist at International Growth Centre, based at LSE, Bruno Serra-Lorenzo, Research Assistant, LSE and Anna Valero, Director at Centre for Economic Performance. 

NEGATIVE SURVEY

“AI penetration appears highest in IT and marketing and sales functions, where nearly 30% of businesses are using or trialling AI, and 18% have plans to use it.” 

Employees who use AI as a core part of their jobs feel lonelier, drink more, and suffer from insomnia more than employees who don’t. These are conclusions from four studies that two researchers present in Harvard Business Review. 

“To keep pace with competitors and reap the efficiency gains associated with deploying AI, many organisations have lost sight of their most important asset: the humans whose jobs are being fragmented into tasks that are increasingly becoming automated.”

As AI becomes more woven into the fabric of work, it will shape not just how we do our jobs, but also how we relate to each other as colleagues and as human beings, write David De Cremer, professor of management and technology at Northeastern University and Joel Koopman, professor of Business Administration at the Mays Business School of Texas A&M University.

“For this reason, it is essential that organisations understand that with the use of AI to create more efficient and productive workplaces, responsibility needs to be taken that the quality of employee’s interactions and the depth of their relationships with others is maintained.” 

“Accounting for the social costs when looking at the efficiency gains of AI implies that instead of treating AI as a way to replace human workers, it needs to be looked at as a tool capable of augmenting human potential and skills.” 

To fight negative experiences, the researchers recommend companies:

• Monitor employee well-being and social embeddedness in the organisation, not just performance. Regular surveys, check-ins, and feedback sessions can help surface issues before they fester. 
• Redesign workflows. Instead of simply layering AI on top of existing processes, organisations must redesign workflows around the unique strengths of both humans and machines. They must create opportunities for employees to collaborate with AI in ways that enhance their autonomy, their sense of control and mastery, and their feeling that their job provides them with a sense of purpose. 
• Think of AI as a tool. Instead of viewing AI merely as a means to automate and optimise, organisations must see it as a tool for enhancing the human experience at work. The goal of deploying AI systems should be to enrich employees’ jobs. The efficiency these systems create is an opportunity to support employees’ social and emotional needs. For example, AI can take over more tasks, and at the same time leaders must create dedicated spaces and times for employees to connect face-to-face. 

Consultancy PwC says a global workforce survey shows 49% of all users expect genAI to lead to higher salaries – an expectation that’s even higher (76%) among employees who use the technology daily. 

More than 70% of users agree that genAI tools will create opportunities to be more creative at work.

76% of all users expect AI to create opportunities to learn new skills at work, the survey, comprising 56,000 workers across 50 countries and territories, shows. 

INCREASED WORKLOAD

“However, employers will need to invest heavily in new and emerging technology training and access. Among employees who have not used genAI at work in the last 12 months, one-third (33%) don’t think there are opportunities to use the technology in their line of work, while 24% don’t have access to the tools at work, and 23% don’t know how to use the tools.”

Key PwC findings:

• 45% of workers say their workload has increased significantly in the past year, as almost two-thirds (62%) say the pace of change at work has increased over the same time.
• 28% say they are very or extremely likely to switch employer in the next 12 months.
• 46% strongly or moderately agree that their employer provides adequate opportunities to learn new skills. This is particularly important for workers considering leaving: 67% say opportunities to learn new skills are a key factor in any decision to job-switch
• More than 80% of workers who use generative AI daily expect it to make their time at work more efficient in the next 12 months.
• Cost-of-living pressures ease slightly: the proportion of workers with money left over each month rises to 45% compared to 38% in 2023. However, 52% say they are still financially stressed.

“As workers face heightened uncertainty, rising workloads and continue to face financial stress, they are prioritising skills growth and embracing new and emerging technologies such as genAI to turbocharge their growth and accelerate their careers”, says Carol Stubbings, Global Markets and Tax & Legal Services Leader, PwC UK, 

“The findings suggest that job satisfaction is no longer enough. Employees are placing an increased premium on skills growth in a climate characterised by constant technological change. Employers must ensure they are investing in their employees and technological platforms to mitigate employee pressures and retain the brightest talent.”