Trust in tech: Career development with a little help from robotic friends

Survey finds 91% of Indian respondents are willing to make life changes based on AI recommendations

Among the significant changes brought about by the pandemic is people’s increasing trust in artificial intelligence (AI), including for advice on career development, according to a survey by Oracle and Workplace Intelligence, an HR research and advisory firm, titled “AI@Work”.

The report found that 75 per cent of people globally and 91 per cent in India were willing to make life changes based on robot recommendations.

Compared with 82 per cent of the global workforce, 92 per cent of Indians believe robots can support their careers better than a human. Nearly half the respondents said robots are better at giving unbiased recommendations, while 46 per cent believe robots are better at delivering resources tailored to current skills or goals.

Additionally, 50 per cent of respondents said robots are better at quickly answering questions about career and 44 per cent people said robots do a better job of finding new jobs that fit their current skills.

“Today, AI is seen as a way of assisting our decision-making. I strongly believe even with all of the technology in the bag, the need for human interface is significantly higher… Studies like AI@Work help to understand the issues better, validate our beliefs and open our eyes to the new reality, which is the case for now. Humanness needs a technology buddy,” said SV Nathan, national president, National HRD Network.

Workers across the world have been negatively impacted over the past year by the pandemic, with people in India and the UAE struggling the most, but also being the most open to technology for support, the study found.

“Covid-19 has tossed our lives and work routines into disarray, but there is one silver lining amid the chaos and trauma, which is the rising acceptance of mental health issues at work. As per our survey, 68 per cent of respondents from India struggled with mental health at work more in 2021 than in 2020,” said Shaakun Khanna, head HCM applications strategy, Oracle Asia Pacific.

According to the survey, 96 per cent of Indians said the definition of “success” has shifted for them since the pandemic, and that success is now more aligned with achieving work-life balance (52 per cent), prioritising mental health (44 per cent), having flexibility over when and where they work (49 per cent), and having a meaningful job (44 per cent), which contribute more to their success than a steady pay check.

Going into 2022, professional development is top priority with many willing to give up key benefits such as vacation time (52 per cent); monetary bonuses (51 per cent); and even part of their salary (43 per cent) for more career opportunities. In India, 96 per cent of the workforce is not satisfied with their employer’s support.

“Through daily tracking, diagnostics, and providing outlets for employees to discuss their issues, technology can be used intelligently to ensure the emotional and mental well-being of the workforce,” said Khanna.

The survey that was based on a study of more than 14,600 employees, managers, HR leaders, and C-suite executives across 13 countries also found that people across the world have felt stuck in their personal and professional lives, but are ready to regain control of their futures.