AI is reshaping the workforce, blending human creativity with technology. Tim Bergin explores how organisations can leverage generative AI to unlock potential and drive transformation
Generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) may be perceived as a risk to human employment, but it can also be viewed as a catalyst for redefining the contribution of individuals in the professional environment.
Increased access to Gen AI is allowing workers to fill capability gaps in creativity, team dynamics and content generation with a new technology-driven assistant.
The challenge now lies in encouraging our organisations to embrace the advantages while unlocking the potential for workforce workplace restructuring.
Unlocking human potential
Gen AI provides the ability to rethink how work is organised at operating model, functional level an team level. How can employers unlock the full potential of their workforce at these levels?
Team
AI is a proven catalyst for better communication, how we interact with colleagues and customers, and how we collaborate and get work done.
For example, virtual and augmented reality allow real-time collaboration with people across the globe, facilitating richer conversations, skill sharing and exposure to other areas of the organisation.
According to the EY Workforce Reimaged 2023 survey, there is a 33 percent net positive sentiment of employers and employees who believe Gen AI will boost productivity and new ways of working, and an even greater 44 percent net positive of those who expect the technology to enable greater flexible working.
Aside from additional capacity, AI systems can provide insights into team performance, sentiment and connection by tracking and analysing data.
This could give employers insight into how their team is feeling through survey feedback. This can help promote a more productive, collaborative environment, enabling employers to proactively address employee issues.
Organisation
The adoption of AI at an organisational level can revolutionise current ways of working from front-line customer-facing functions, to operations and corporate functions such as finance and HR.
The transformative impact can be seen on all fronts, demonstrating the potential to improve not only efficiency and effectiveness but also employee experience.
For example, using Gen AI to predict consumer needs can help organisations refine their stock systems and supply chain to ensure products are ready at the point of need, rather than stockpiling and incurring unnecessary storage costs.
This use case can also free up time for consumer-facing staff to have more considered conversations with their customers about potential future purchasing needs, and demonstrates the rounded positive impact we can expect to see if Gen AI is used responsibly, and thoughtful consideration is given to the workforce impact and opportunity.
It is clear from a team and organisational perspective that AI’s role is pivotal in the evolution of the workforce and the increasing requirement for upskilling and reskilling.
Success lies in the coming together of emerging technologies and vital human interventions; releasing the power of technology while emphasising the importance of what makes work human.
Collaborative partnership
While AI's rapid proliferation might trigger fear of unprecedented changes in the working environment, organisations must remember that by embracing AI and investing in the upskilling of their workforce, they are fostering a collaborative partnership between human creativity and artificial intelligence.
Tim Bergin is Partner of People Consulting at EY
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