Artificial intelligence (AI) is improving employees’ work-life balance, with almost four in 10 (38%) UK businesses noting benefits, according to new research.
The ABBYY State of Intelligent Automation Report revealed that among UK respondents, nearly half (47%) found staff retention had increased since introducing AI, while 53% saw greater efficiency and 50% noted improved productivity.
In terms of reducing stress, globally the US reported the biggest impact of AI in this area, cited by 41%, while the UK noticed the second largest impact, with 38% reporting it.
Commenting on the findings, Neil Murphy, chief sales officer, at ABBYY, said both UK and global leaders are “gaining powerful value from their AI investments”.
Speaking exclusively to Benefits Expert, he said: “It’s clear from our research that both companies and their employees are benefiting directly from the implementation of AI. We’re seeing huge strides both in the UK but also across the globe when it comes to employee satisfaction and business ROI.”
The study also showed that UK respondents regularly ranked above those in France and Germany in terms of attributing increases in higher value work (68%), happiness (65%), and employee innovation (61%) to AI. They indicated it freed them from routine and mundane jobs to concentrate on more engaging tasks.
Murphy added: “Not only is AI freeing up time for UK employees to focus on more interesting, higher value tasks, but it’s also enabling them to achieve a better work-life balance. In fact, more than half (52%) of executives note an increase in staff leaving the office on time – while seeing a similar level of uptick in productivity and innovation.
“Employees are feeling happier, more fulfilled, and ultimately more satisfied in their jobs – helping to contribute to huge strides in staff retention level, which is significant especially in the era of ‘silent quitting’. Put simply, it’s a win-win for all.”