The conclusions from the latest Microsoft report are that we are beyond the challenges of office work in the area of analytics, creativity or process management. And it turns out that AI comes just in time to help us cope with professional frustration.
Microsoft’s 2023 Work Trend Index: Annual Report surveyed 31,000 people from 31 countries. Billions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals were analyzed, as well as job trends with the LinkedIn Economic Graph.
We do not “keep up” with the productivity imposed by the modern corporate world. However, AI can help us carry this burden, thus driving a whole new wave of productivity growth and value creation.
Key-findings
Here are some interesting statistics from the report:
- 82% of leaders say that their employees will need new skills to prepare for the development of AI
- Nearly 2 in 3 people (64%) say they struggle with the time and energy to do their job.
- Nearly 2 in 3 leaders (60%) are already feeling the effects, saying that the lack of innovation or breakthrough ideas in their teams is a cause for concern.
- 68% of people say that they do not have enough time for uninterrupted concentration during the working day.
- While 49% of people say they are concerned about AI replacing their work, even more – 70% – would delegate as much work as possible to AI to reduce their workload.
- A large percentage of employees said they would feel comfortable using it for analytical work (79%) and even creative work (73%).
- People also expect AI to help them find relevant information and answers (86%), summarize meetings and activities (80%), and plan their day (77%).
- Already 60% of people say they do not have the right skills to do their job.
It is worth realizing that digital debt, i.e. the cumulative loss of business momentum resulting from not adopting digital channels or technology, is associated with a huge cost. Namely with innovation.
Every minute of work on adapting to the requirements of new tools is wasted time that could be used for creative work. So we are not just talking about inconvenience, but real losses. Also various types of “interrupters” such as meetings and talks about processes, considered by employees as a waste of time. This is perfectly illustrated by the chart below.
The Weight of the Workday
Source: Will AI Fix Work? (Work Trend Index Annual Report), https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/will-ai-fix-work (23/06/06)
There is a need for change that can be met along with the trend of developing artificial intelligence. This may be not so much a threat as an opportunity for employees.
What’s more, the Microsoft study shows that employees are not at all afraid that AI will take over their work – contrary to popular opinion. Instead, they are rather excited that new technologies will take over the burden of unnecessary work and free them from technological debt. In the long run, this will result in a reduced risk of early burnout.
Work in 2030
Here are the areas of responsibility that artificial intelligence may take over in the future:
Source: Will AI Fix Work? (Work Trend Index Annual Report), https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/will-ai-fix-work (23/06/06)
Employees, when asked what changes in employment expected by 2030 they would value most, gave the following answers:
- creating high-quality work in half the time (33%),
- the ability to understand the most valuable ways to spend time (26%) and energy (25%),
- no need to learn unnecessary or irrelevant information (23%).
As you can see, the respondents include such keywords as: time, energy, information. All these concepts are related to the efficiency and automation provided by AI. The rest can be given to the human brain, which “manages” the following areas of activity:
Source: Will AI Fix Work? (Work Trend Index Annual Report), https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/will-ai-fix-work (23/06/06)
New technology = new skills
The pace of work must go hand in hand with the capabilities of the human body and mind. The speed of data processing, effective operation between software and work synthesis in such a way as to perform the most innovative and creative tasks – these are the main challenges on the labour market in 2023.
Without a doubt, the paradigm shift towards greater openness to AI as a “second driver” of work requires a new approach and new skills. However, it is inevitable..
The ability to iteratively work with artificial intelligence using natural language (writing prompts) will be important, as well as developing the ability to critically review the results presented by AI. In terms of credibility, reliability and originality. Microsoft experts say that competencies such as analytical evaluation, solving complex problems and creativity will be particularly valued.
Conclusions
Artificial intelligence not only offers support in performing tasks, but also has great potential to free people from monotonous activities and drive innovation.
If we approach AI purely negatively, we are missing a number of important applications. Meanwhile, the promise of technological liberation from the workload is important both for employees who are overtired and for leaders who strive to increase productivity. The introduction of AI can be crucial for achieving greater efficiency and growth in a rapidly changing business environment.
And at the end… A little bonus.
The full summary of the Microsoft 2023 Work Trend Index: Annual Report can be found at this link:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/will-ai-fix-work
