Christopher Pappas is the CEO and Founder of eLearning Industry, a leading publishing platform that delivers inspiring content.
Technology has always set the pace for change in the workforce. The recent rise of AI, including generative AI, has accelerated transformation, leaving workers and leaders feeling confused, apprehensive and concerned. The use, impact and deployment of AI varies for every business, and most are still working to understand its spot in the workplace.
While some fear this new technology and question its vulnerabilities, others see it as a way to greatly improve performance and everyday efficiency. In fact, we’ve already seen examples of how this new technology is helping entry-level to C-suite employees be more efficient.
When it comes to new technology—especially in the workplace—humans have proven that we’re incredibly adaptive and creative in how we manage to work and live alongside technology. The possibilities of AI are seemingly endless, giving humans an opportunity to embrace and leverage a new technology that will redefine a new future of work.
In this article, I’ll look at some ways companies can use artificial intelligence to introduce AI to your workforce to shape the future of work.
Consider how AI can boost employee productivity levels.
More than half (52%) of employees, according to a 2021 ABBYY survey, believe AI has the potential to make their jobs easier.
From automating tedious tasks to instantly generating new ideas to scheduling events, activities and more, AI has the potential to make the workplace more efficient by automating certain activities and freeing up more time for employees and teams to focus on creative, innovative priorities that will push the business forward.
When we automate tasks for employees, we not only shorten their to-do list and alleviate the mental burden of completing those tasks, we also give them back one of the most valuable resources we have: time. Employees believe that improving access to time and decreasing workloads can increase productivity levels, worker output and overall morale to carry out a job, according to a recent UiPath survey.
Use AI to improve communication and collaboration.
Maintaining efficiency and productivity requires clear communication and collaboration, which are also work activities that AI can help streamline. When it comes to communication, AI has the potential to help employees write clearer emails and messages to colleagues, ensuring all employees are on the same page for projects and other tasks. In fact, according to TeamStage, when solid communication is in place, workplaces are over three times more likely to better compete with their competitors.
And communication goes hand-in-hand with collaboration.
Within an organization, each department handles a different task within a larger project, but sometimes there is miscommunication around responsibilities and expectations for what a “final deliverable” looks like. To alleviate potential misunderstandings, AI can help employees better communicate their needs and conceptualize actual expectations.
For example, let’s say an organization’s marketing and IT departments are working together to develop a new company website. To clearly communicate and visualize what the marketing team wants the website design to look like, they can use generative AI (such as ChatGPT) to create a proof-of-concept for a website design (complete with code).
This proof-of-concept can show what the marketing team envisions for the look and feel of the final site, and software developers can then use the AI-generated code as a launching point to fully customize the site, helping both departments stay on the same page and eliminate potential confusion.
This creative use of generative AI is just one example of how AI can improve communication and inspire new levels of collaboration. When deployed at every level of a business, AI has the potential to bring together teams and improve the way businesses innovate.
Introduce AI with specific use-case training.
Today, only one in 10 employees knowingly use AI on a daily basis, but AI’s possibilities are exciting to employees, according to Microsoft survey. They have an appetite for leveraging its capabilities on the job.
This presents an excellent opportunity for employers to introduce AI’s potential to employees through training, which 49% of employees say they want to start with before attempting to use AI. That says a lot not only for the impact of AI on eLearning, but also for how AI is going to shape the way companies prepare for the future of work.
To start, employers should develop a realistic AI implementation strategy that breaks down specific AI tools and functions employees could utilize and training programs that review capabilities. They should then discuss specific use cases, define parameters (and compliance boundaries) for the technology and identify a company contact that can help troubleshoot any issues during deployment.
For example, AI can be used to develop schedules and meetings, as well as organize emails and internal communications. Of course, there are several AI best practices you need to consider when preparing for your implementation. Within this strategy, managers should also schedule one-on-one check-ins with employees to understand the effectiveness of AI on their daily efficiency and any roadblocks or concerns in its use.
Conclusion
AI has the potential to become a major force in the workplace and give organizations the power to improve productivity and collaboration.
Before employers deploy this technology, they must first develop a strategy and policies for the use of AI in the workplace, and then ensure they properly train all staff members on how to use it properly and effectively. Leading by example is key to making it in the AI era. Once employees are up to speed on its uses and capabilities, they have one more tool to help propel their organization forward.
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