Despite AI’s potential to combat digital noise, streamline workflows and transform workplaces, employees remain uneasy – Chris Ciauri examines how leaders can address these concerns
Enterprise leaders need no convincing of AI’s potential to maximise the performance of their organisations. Yet the prospect of widespread AI in the workplace is a source of unease for many employees.
When tools designed to make work easier start having the opposite effect, our approach must evolve
Much of that concern stems from anxiety over job displacement. A staggering 75% of employees are concerned that AI will make specific jobs obsolete, and about two-thirds (65%) say they are anxious about AI replacing their jobs.
While enterprise leaders race to unlock the potential of machine intelligence to drive organisational performance, employees still need convincing that AI could become a powerful ally in the near future. It falls to leaders to overcome this distrust by proving that AI offers employees as many benefits as it does the business. As a result, leaders are keen to explore AI’s potential to transform the employee experience.
Most employees don’t see AI as improving their experience – yet
As with any new technology, securing employee buy-in starts with demonstrating how it can improve their day-to-day working experience. A recent Unily survey of workers in the US and UK found that over half (51%) state AI is not currently improving their employee experience, highlighting an opportunity to sway opinion and add tremendous value. To succeed, it’s critical that employees feel their needs are at the forefront of decision-making. But often this isn’t the case.
According to PWC, 90% of C-suite executives believe their company pays attention to people’s needs when introducing new technology, but only about half (53%) of staff say the same. With so much anxiety around AI, enterprises must take care to listen attentively to employee needs if they are to gain ground. The same research found that when asked if artificial intelligence is making the world a better place, 88% of the C-suite agreed—but only 48% of staff agreed. It’s clear there is work to be done!
AI + digital noise: an opportunity to win hearts and minds
One of the big opportunities to demonstrate AI’s potential to improve employees’ lives is in combatting digital noise. In our digital-first workplace, employees are suffering from a barrage of notification noise from competing systems that feel overwhelming to navigate. Unily’s research found that nearly half of all workers are distracted every 30 minutes or less. Not only is this a source of daily frustration and distraction, but it’s also draining overall productivity. The larger the organisation, the worse the problem.
Enterprises face a paradox: digital tools are as helpful as they are stressful. Almost six in ten (59%) employees state that digital tools contribute to workplace stress, and over 75% find notifications from workplace digital tools a distraction. Yet nearly the same amount (73%) say digital tools are a critical part of helping them feel connected at work.
Technology is both the problem and the solution. The biggest takeaway for me is that when tools designed to make work easier for employees start having the opposite effect, our approach to employee experience must evolve.
In an economic climate that requires businesses to pivot fast and be ready for what’s next, this kind of drain on velocity poses a significant risk. And employees are crying out for a solution too: over a third of respondents think their employer isn’t doing enough (39%), rising to nearly half among managers (47%).
The big AI opportunity to drive employee experience transformation
The good news? Digital noise is a problem that AI can fix. And employees agree!
When Unily asked what employees need from their employers to tackle the challenge of overwhelming digital noise, employees were clear in their response: app consolidation and applied AI. A total of 83% said that adopting a “superapp” that integrates tools into a single interface would make their lives easier, and six in ten agreed that AI could reduce excessive noise and help them prioritise notifications.
Support for this sentiment was strong across all worker types, from managers (91%) to non-desk-based workers (76%).
Managers are, in fact, one of the worst-hit demographics when it comes to digital noise, with 71% reporting that digital tools add to their workplace stress compared to 59% across all respondents. PwC found similar results in their survey where nearly half of employers in a supervisory role (46%) said they felt overwhelmed by technology at work.
Managers play a critical role in driving team engagement levels, and ignoring these warning signs could be costly, especially when the cost of employee disengagement is estimated to total $8.9tn yearly.
Employees’ demands are clear, but where to start?
The key to a future-proofed AI strategy starts with strong governance. An ungoverned approach to AI will spark an explosion of unverifiable content and autonomous actions, introducing huge risks that most large companies are not yet equipped to handle. So, it’s not as simple as rushing to implement AI; enterprises need to find the right partner to go with them on this journey.
Organisations need to be careful not to introduce further complexity into the digital landscape. For many leading organisations, a true enterprise EX platform is the answer. These platforms are designed to weave together complex digital ecosystems, providing a digital fabric that consolidates technology and simplifies the digital experience.
With an EX platform underpinned by governed AI, technology can start to ease the digital noise burden, helping us to prioritise and contextualise notifications and meet employees where they are. For example, holding off on delivering messages from HR until a time when the employee is looking up their payroll, or recognising that the user is hosting a presentation and thus combining notifications into an “in case you missed it” message shortly after the meeting concludes.
Organisations can rely on AI to analyse large volumes of data in seconds, processing the noise quicker than any human could and determining the best and least disruptive way to deliver information. That puts time back in the employees’ day, reduces the need for context switching, and allows the modern workforce to maximise its performance for greater organisational velocity.
Not another bolt-on technology
AI can elevate human performance, but only if it’s integrated thoughtfully. AI isn’t just another technology layer; it can reduce distractions and simplify everyone’s digital experience. If used thoughtfully and correctly, AI can consolidate tasks and allow employees to focus on the most critical work.
While recent discussions around AI have focused on potential job losses or ethical dilemmas, it’s crucial not to overlook the immediate, practical benefits AI can bring to the workforce. By using AI to reduce digital noise and streamline workflows for employees, organisations can create an environment where AI is seen as a supplement to an otherwise productive and engaged workforce. Enterprises that recognise and act on this opportunity to harness AI will likely be the ones that lead in the evolving digital EX landscape.
Chris Ciauri is CEO of Unily
