AI Implementation Increases Workload and Burnout Risk, Study Reveals

AI Creates More Work for Humans, Contributes to Burnout, Survey Finds

The rise of AI is supposed to help companies streamline their operations and will potentially even take jobs away from humans. But a recent survey finds that generative AI tools burden employees with more work, not less. Online freelancing platform Upwork commissioned a survey in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada to examine how AI has impacted the workplace. The study polled 2,500 workers, half of whom are company executives; the other half are full-time employees or freelancers. The survey found that 96% of executives expect AI to boost worker productivity. However, the same poll indicates workers are struggling to improve their efficiency with today's AI tools. "Nearly half (47%) of employees using AI say they have no idea how to achieve the productivity gains their employers expect, and 77% say these tools have actually decreased their productivity and added to their workload," the study says. As for why, the survey found that 39% of employees often have to spend extra time checking the AI's work since some chatbots are notorious for making things up or "hallucinating." Meanwhile, 21% of respondents said they had to spend extra time learning how to use the same tools. In addition, "40% of employees feel their company is asking too much of them when it comes to AI," Upwork finds. "Consequently, 71% of full-time employees are burned out, and 65% report struggling with their employer's demands on their productivity. Alarmingly, 1 in 3 employees say they will likely quit their jobs in the next six months due to burnout or being overworked." The results suggest generative AI might be a double-edged sword like other office technologies, such as email. Although it can optimize some processes, the programs can also load workers with other tasks, such as overloaded inboxes and spam. The findings also show "that introducing new technologies into outdated work models and systems is failing to unlock the full expected productivity value of AI," says Kelly Monahan, managing director of Upwork's research institute. "While it's certainly possible for AI to simultaneously boost productivity and improve employee well-being, this outcome will require a fundamental shift in how we organize talent and work." Even so, the backers of today's generative AI programs will probably disagree with the survey's results. For example, Microsoft, which has been promoting its Copilot AI, published its own study in May, which found that 90% of workers believe AI saves time on the job.

AI is causing longer hours, increased workload for some employees - Fast Company

Artificial intelligence is being hailed as the new productivity booster that will replace jobs, but according to a new study, employees find that AI is actually increasing their workload. Upwork, a freelance platform, surveyed 2,500 workers across the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada who do at least some computer work, including C-suite executives, employees, and freelancers. Here are the key findings: "To truly leverage AI's power, we must fundamentally shift how we organize talent and work," the report's authors note. "Bringing greater balance to productivity and well-being requires new ways of working. Doing more with less, ignoring alternative talent pools, and sticking with top-down productivity measurement simply won't work in the era of AI."

Upwork Study Finds Employee Workloads Rising Despite Increased C-Suite Investment in Artificial Intelligence

Data reveals 96% of C-suite leaders expect AI to boost worker productivity, but 77% of employees report AI has increased their workload SAN FRANCISCO, July 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Upwork Inc. (Nasdaq: UPWK), the world's work marketplace that connects businesses with independent talent, today released a new study from The Upwork Research Institute revealing that AI is increasing the workloads of full-time employees, hampering productivity, and contributing to employee burnout. While business leaders are investing heavily in AI, the study shows that most organizations are currently failing to unlock the full productivity value of the technology. Despite 96% of C-suite leaders expressing high expectations that AI will enhance productivity, 77% of employees using AI say these tools have added to their workload, and nearly half (47%) of employees using AI report they do not know how to achieve the expected productivity gains. "Our research shows that introducing new technologies into outdated work models and systems is failing to unlock the full expected productivity value of AI," said Kelly Monahan, managing director of The Upwork Research Institute. "While it's certainly possible for AI to simultaneously boost productivity and improve employee well-being, this outcome will require a fundamental shift in how we organize talent and work." Key findings from the report include: "In order to reap the full productivity value of AI, leaders need to create an AI-enhanced work model," Monahan continued. "This includes leveraging alternative talent pools that are AI-ready, co-creating measures of productivity with their workforces, and developing a deep understanding of and proficiency in implementing a skills-based approach to hiring and talent development. Only then will leaders be able to avoid the risk of losing critical workers and advance their innovation agenda." For full study findings and insights, visit: https://www.upwork.com/research/ai-enhanced-work-models. For more research from The Upwork Research Institute, visit: https://www.upwork.com/research. About the Survey Research findings are based on a survey conducted by Walr, on behalf of Upwork and Workplace Intelligence, between April 16 and May 5, 2024. The survey targeted respondents in the U.S., UK, Australia, and Canada. In total, 2,500 global workers completed the survey, including 1,250 C-suite executives, 625 full-time, salaried employees, and 625 freelancers. The survey sampled a mix of male and female respondents, as well as a mix of respondents from different generations (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers). All respondents were between the ages of 18-78, were required to have at least a high school diploma, and were required to use a laptop or computer for their work at least "sometimes." About Upwork Upwork is the world's work marketplace that connects businesses with independent talent from across the globe. We serve everyone from one-person startups to large, Fortune 100 enterprises with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential. Our talent community earned over $3.8 billion on Upwork in 2023 across more than 10,000 skills in categories including website & app development, creative & design, data science & analytics, customer support, finance & accounting, consulting, and operations.

How to avoid burnout and maximize impact from AI

The gap between the hype and the reality of artificial intelligence is putting intense pressure on executives and employees, leading to unrealistic expectations in the short term and increased burnout. While 96% of c-suite execs expect AI tools to increase productivity, 77% of workers say these tools have actually decreased their productivity and added to their workload, according to new survey data published today by Upwork's research institute. That's not an unexpected result, for anyone who's studied the J-curve of technology adoption: there's an investment required up front in learning, experimentation, and support that results in a downturn in productivity before a longer-term upswing. (The initial dip in productivity followed by the eventual upswing gives the "J" shape to the curve.) Unfortunately, that reality is considerably different from expectations of many leaders who are being pressured to "do more with less" while also hearing near-relentless hype about the potential of AI to transform organizations. That contributes to the hasty conclusion that "The AI Revolution Is Already Losing Steam," as a May Wall Street Journal column put it. But the playbook is pretty clear for how to approach AI in ways that improve business performance and don't increase executive or worker burnout. Too many organizations are increasing short-term expectations on workers, without making the investments that are required for any successful change to occur. Successful programs focus on potential, not productivity: experimentation and iteration with the tools at the team level that allow people to make work better. That requires investments of time and energy, training, and support -- investments that executives need to be realistic about, including frank conversations at the board level. "You have to take some of your best people out of the business and help them focus their time on building models for your business that create those impacts. And there is certainly a tax to doing that," says Dan Priest, chief AI officer at PwC. "But, you get on the other side of it and you see the upside of the J-curve kicking in. It's pretty significant." Priest says that in some areas of its own business, PwC has seen 20% to 30% efficiency gains thanks to AI investments. The new Upwork survey of over 1,250 c-suite executives and 1,250 non-executive employees and freelancers provides a stark picture of the pressures and expectations around AI: The result? Some 71% of workers report being burned out and 65% are struggling to keep up with increased demands for productivity. That's undoubtedly impacted by the fact that 74% of workers think their organization's approach to measuring productivity needs an overhaul. Other recent research from firms including BCG and Slack points to similar concerns. Slack found that 32% of workers overall have experimented with the tools, and just 16% use them regularly. In a study of software engineers, BCG found that among the 30% of firms that have formally adopted AI coding tools for developers, 76% say that less than half of developers are using them. (For more on how companies can best introduce AI to workplaces, read Charter's free research report.) What's holding this back are the investments people need from leadership to make effective use of the tools. I've heard from more than one company that they know they need to pause to develop a more detailed plan for how AI tools can contribute to business performance, but they're too busy with delivering quarterly results to stop and develop one. What's the strategy and where and how are we investing? BCG's research found that less than half (47%) of firms had a plan for what they would do with increased efficiency from using AI. Upwork found similar results, in that only 13% of firms had a well-implemented strategy for AI. That lack of foresight undoubtedly impacts the odds of AI tools contributing to an organization's top-level productivity in any meaningful way. Adding to the complexity, Nickle LaMoreaux, IBM's chief human resources officer, has noted that the benefits of AI at this stage are "fractional," impacting a small portion of an individual worker's tasks. If AI saves a worker an hour, do they know what to do with that hour that will contribute to the company's performance? Determining that is "a very intentional piece of work that companies have to do by job role," LaMoreaux told Charter earlier this year. "You need to make sure you direct where that time is now going." The investment in direction requires clarity in goals up and down the organization. Startups that I've worked with don't face the issues around lack of clarity of what to do with found fractions of time: important work to be done far exceeds available time and staffing. Teams that have clear roadmaps and priorities allow leaders to point toward opportunities for growth, not just spur worries that efficiencies will lead to job cuts. Invest in training at the team as well as individual level. Slack's research shows that those who are given training and time to learn are 19 times more likely to report that AI is improving their productivity. Training is essential, as only 15% to 17% of employees feel they have the skills needed, compared with 37% of executives who think their employees do have the skills. Research done in Denmark suggests that training is especially important for women to feel confident in using AI and reduce the current AI gender gap. Yet only 26% of organizations offer AI training, according to Upwork's research. As BCG points out, the needs of individuals are highly variable. Engineers, for example, require different AI training and support based on their experience level, the languages they speak and code in, and the applications they use. One of the most effective programs I've seen to date is run by AlmostTechnical, an offshoot of Women Defining AI, that puts together cohorts of people who do daily hands-on exercises in bite-sized chunks and, more importantly, talk about what they're learning and where they're stuck. Done within teams, it's a huge opportunity to help people work together, build trust, and think about how they can leverage technology in ways that drive better outcomes for them and their team. A recent Charter research report documents other ways that organizations have been effective in introducing AI into their workplaces, such as hackathons and dedicated Slack channels. Focus on reducing toil. One of my favorite pieces of research in the last year comes from BCG's Debbie Lovich who shows that the toil of work -- the "administrivia," the paperwork -- is what drags us down and leads to lower worker engagement and higher turnover. Too often, the focus of AI efforts is on aspects of an individual's core, creative work instead of using those tools to improve the systems and workflows around them. Teams are actually great at themselves identifying what makes work harder: the repetitive tasks, the paperwork, and processes that are cumbersome. Supported by modest internal tech resources, they're best positioned to co-design and then leverage toil-reducing tools. For example, Slack's Sales team built a tool that automated the creation of customer presentations, the task of pulling data that used to take hours trimmed to minutes. BCG worked with administrative assistants to create an AI calendaring tool that reduced the laborious task of trying to triage schedules. Some 79% of admins said the tool made their jobs more enjoyable -- and 86% said it made them more effective. All of this takes investments -- it doesn't come for free. Ongoing improvements will make the gains easier to come by. But in the meantime, as in every past technology revolution, some firms will feel burnt and walk away. Then there will be organizations that pay the price early, invest in their people first alongside the technology and thrive long term -- and watch their competitors in the rear-view mirror a few years down the road. Sign up for Charter's free newsletter about workplaces and leadership for more coverage like this. Charter's Kevin J. Delaney contributed reporting to this piece.