“Introduction of AI at workplaces will also increase the number of working professionals who suffer physical disabilities. AI and emerging technologies will help organizations reduce the barrier to access for these specially-abled professionals.”
With the advanced stage innovations being done in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), a fear has been looming over the fate of many employees in the corporate sector. Many believe that the introduction and adoption of AI to support business processes will reduce manpower requirements at many workplaces.
Artificial Intelligence and automation have long been at the center of debate with employees at all levels fearing that the advancement in technology will take over their jobs leaving them stranded. But contrary to these beliefs, a recent report published by the global research firm Gartner Inc has highlighted that AI at workplaces will add value to the workflows, free up managers from transactional activities, and improve overall worker experience.
According to their recent report “Predicts 2020: AI and the Future of Work” published on Thursday, it is estimated that by the year 2024, 69 percent of routine work done by managers will be completely automated as AI, virtual personal assistants and chatbots are rapidly making their way into the workplace. AI will help managers reduce their time spent on filling forms and approving workflows.
In a statement, Helen Poitevin, Research Vice-President at Gartner, “The role of the manager will see a complete overhaul in the next four years.” She further added, “Currently, managers often need to spend time filling in forms, updating information and approving workflows. By using AI to automate these tasks, they can spend less time managing transactions and can invest more time in learning, performance management, and goal setting.”
Researchers and analysts believe that AI and emerging technologies will undeniably change the role of the managers allowing employees to further extend their degree of responsibility and influence, said Helen.
While researching the future of AI at the workplace, it was noted that application leaders focused on innovation and AI are now accountable for improving worker experience, developing worker skills and building organizational competence in the responsible use of AI.
Addressing the issue of talent shortages, Helen said that “Application leaders will need to support a gradual transition to increased automation of management tasks as this functionality becomes increasingly available across more enterprise applications.” As per the report, nearly 75 percent of recruiting heads have reported talent shortage is already affecting or will have a major effect on their organization.
Highlighting the positive aspect of AI and providing a solution to the talent shortage problem, Gartner said that organization considers talent from the untapped pool of people with disabilities as today AI and other technologies are making work more accessible for employees with disabilities. The report estimates that organizations that actively hire people with disabilities have 89% higher retention rates, a 72% increase in employee productivity and a 29% increase in profitability. The report also forecasts that by 2023, the employment number of people with disabilities will triple due to AI and emerging technologies reducing barriers to access. It is also estimated that many organizations will fall behind their competitors if they fail to hire people with disabilities.
“Some organizations are successfully using AI to make work accessible for those with special needs,” said Poitevin. “Restaurants are piloting AI robotics technology that enables paralyzed employees to control robotic waiters remotely. With technologies like braille-readers and virtual reality, organizations are more open to opportunities to employ a diverse workforce.”
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