Artificial Intelligence was meant to liberate us from tedious tasks, but a new report illustrates that UK workers continue to grapple with mundane busy work.
And this is despite a considerable uptick in AI adoption.
Since January, there has been an 18% increase in AI use, while a 66% rise has occurred since September.
The comprehensive Slack study, which surveyed 10,000 global workers, including over 1,000 in the UK, sheds light on the current state of the British workforce and the impact of AI on daily work routines – writes Amanda Kavanagh, Contributor at Jobbio.
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Lack of meaning
The Workforce Index also paints a bleak picture of general worker well being. Some 64% of employees report experiencing burnout at least once a month, and nearly a third (31%) admit to feeling a lack of passion for their current roles.
Along similar lines, it reports that UK employees dedicate a third of their workday on tasks that are “not meaningful to their job”, such as unnecessary meetings, low-value emails, and excessive paperwork or data entry.
This misallocation of time and energy not only contributes to the two Bs: boredom and burnout, but it also hinders productivity and innovation.
AI is championed as a tool for administrative work, allowing employees to focus on high-value activities. And the enthusiasm for the technology is palpable, with nearly half (44%) of UK desk workers expressing excitement about the prospect of AI handling tasks from their job.
Yet, practicality prevails. When employees were asked about how they would prioritise the time saved by AI, the majority of workers (24%) indicated that they would focus on administrative tasks.
Only 15% of respondents said they would use the time saved by AI for innovating and creating, while a mere 11% would prioritise networking with colleagues.
This disparity suggests that despite the potential of AI to free up time for more strategic work, employees remain tethered to administrative responsibilities.
While the increased adoption of AI in the workplace signals a welcoming of change, it’s clear that technology alone is not enough to address the underlying issues of burnout and job dissatisfaction.
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Organisations intent on employee retention need to reassess how they structure work and allocate tasks to ensure that employees can focus on more meaningful tasks and projects.
This may involve not only implementing AI solutions but also training employees to use AI effectively, and redefining job roles with innovation, creativity and personal development in mind.
If this doesn’t sound like your organisation, it could be time to find something new.
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