ChatGPT and generative AI have dominated tech industry headlines in 2023 as the year is shaping up to be pivotal for AI and automation and they are applied to existing technologies to help organizations become more efficient and reduce burnout.
According to a study from enterprise automation software firm UiPath, employees largely view AI as a tool to help them do their jobs and relieve burnout as they are asking to do more with less.
Specifically, 60% of respondents to a UiPath survey say AI and automation can address burnout and job fulfillment, and 57% of employees view employers that use automation to help support employees and modernize operations more favorably that those that don’t leverage AI.
The New York City-based firm says 28% of employees report being asked to more work with less support as organizations reduce headcount in response to a looming economic recession. That is leading to 29% of workers globally reporting feelings of burnout.
Those feelings of burnout are felt more in younger generations, as 41% of Gen Z respondents and 34% of Millennial respondents reported burnout, compared to just 25% of Gen Xers and 16% of Baby Boomers. With those younger generations set to replace older generations and become business leaders, burnout levels could rise.
While companies like Microsoft, Google, UiPath and others have been presenting AI tools as a solution to burnout and helping workers be more efficient, some organizations have blatantly said that they plan to replace some jobs with AI, including BT and IBM.
Nevertheless, 60% of respondents say AI will help reduce burnout and help them do their jobs better, with younger generations reporting higher levels (69% of Gen Zers and 63% of Millennials, 51% of Gen Xers compared to 44% of Baby Boomers) of reception to AI-powered automation.
When asked what they want to change with the help of automation, 34% of respondents said they wanted more flexibility in their work environment, 32% said they want more time to learn new skills, and 27% said they want more time during the day to focus on critical tasks.
When it comes down to specifics, employees want automation tools to help with largely technical tasks, including analyzing data (52%); inputting data/creating datasets (50%); resolving IT/technical issues (49%); and running reports (48%), UiPath’s report finds.
In a statement, UiPath’s chief people officer Brigette McInnis-Day said workplace disruption and economic factors don’t have to result in employee burnout, and using AI and automation for some of that work can help.
“Businesses that deploy AI in an open, flexible, and enterprise-ready way are best positioned to attract and retain the types of employees that will help them thrive in an automation-first world,” McInnis-Day says. “Automation is a key differentiator for companies to attract and retain by empowering employees and driving engagement.”
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