How to avoid the AI ​​productivity gap

A recent report should serve as a wake-up call for businesses around the world. When they turn to AI technologies, many fail to achieve the productivity gains they expected. And many managers are not aware of this.

To put it bluntly, AI-powered tools have this potential to enable unprecedented increases in productivity. However, to realize this potential, companies must take decisive steps. There are often things missing.

The results come from an Upwork survey of 2,500 C-suite executives, employees and freelancers in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. Almost all executives surveyed (96%) said they expect their company’s overall productivity to increase through the use of AI tools. However, the study found, “Nearly half (47%) of employees who use AI say they have no idea how to achieve the productivity gains their employers expect.”

It’s getting worse. More than three-quarters of employees (77%) said the AI-powered tools they used had a detrimental impact, reducing their productivity while increasing their workload.

And many cannot avoid these problems because they have no choice whether or not to use these new AI technologies. 39 percent of the companies surveyed mandate the use of AI tools, and a further 46 percent encourage their use.

As CNBC put it, “The gap between AI expectations and workplace outcomes is wide.” This gap can be closed. I see it happen all the time. Since my work is about helping companies transform their communications to deliver personalized experiences throughout the customer journey, I see where the problems lie. It’s not just how they do it adopt these new technologies; It’s about how they help their employees adjustTake advantage of this new world of possibilities.

Start with the end

Any time an organization makes a change with the goal of increasing productivity, it should start with clarity about the desired outcome. This result – the goal – should be concrete. For example, it could be a percentage increase in the number of customers the company helps in a day or week; a reduction in the time it takes to resolve a customer issue; a $1 saving in marketing expenses; or a cultural change, such as increasing the number of employees who report feeling engaged at work.

Leaders and managers should present employees with the desired outcome so that everyone agrees on what they want to achieve. Once the technology is operational internally, you can use leading and lagging indicators to track whether the organization is moving close to this goal. (To put it simply: think of leading indicators as the initial signals that show how things are going, while lagging indicators are the end results.)

By closely tracking results, the company can see whether the new AI tools are moving things in the right or wrong direction. And if necessary, they can correct course.

Train for results

Because many AI tools are new, companies often don’t know much about how they work or what they are capable of. And because many tools are marketed as intuitive, many managers hope that employees can largely understand them gradually. This is a mistake.

To adapt to this new technology, companies need training. This training should focus on specific ways these tools can help employees achieve the desired outcome. People with in-depth knowledge should introduce employees to various ways to effectively use and manage these tools to achieve the goal.

Be sure to inform your employees about different interfaces and functions. Think about which workflows you should and shouldn’t automate. As my company explained in a blog post, “Implementing these AI systems often requires specialized expertise.” You may have someone in-house who can do this; If not, consider working with a service provider who can help you with onboarding, setup, and provide the support you need.” After completing an initial phase of training, provide teams with the resources they need, collect feedback, and provide You have experts ready to answer any questions you may have.

Leaders should also be careful to offer encouragement and help. The Upwork study, conducted by Walr on behalf of Upwork and Workplace Intelligence, found that “many workers feel overwhelmed by the additional workload and complexity that these new tools bring.” To avoid this feeling of being overwhelmed, it’s crucial to ensure employees know how valued they are. As I explained, these tools can also make them fearful about their own careers, but showing them their value helps combat these fears and improves their mental health.

Companies that follow these steps will “mind the gap” and make the most of AI’s potential.