Expert Explains How AI Can Create A Healthier Work Environment

• Companies are recognizing the value of using AI to improve both productivity and employee work-life balance, offering tools that allow employees to excel and focus on more fulfilling activities.
• AI is revolutionizing recruitment by efficiently matching candidates to job roles based on skills and preferences, often revealing unique talents.
• Successful AI integration requires focusing on best practices like transparent communication, comprehensive training, ensuring fairness, building trust, and supporting a healthy work environment.

Artificial intelligence is being rapidly adopted in workplaces around the world; in fact, over 73% of U.S. companies have implemented some form of AI technology to enhance operations and productivity. With the meteoric rise of AI, business leaders need clear guidance on best practices for seamless integration.

Angela Hood, CEO and founder of ThisWay Global Inc. —  a SaaS automation company — recently joined the Future of Work podcast to discuss the emerging importance of integrating AI and technology into the workplace, not only to boost productivity but also to enhance the overall work-life balance of employees. 

With today’s competitive job market and a high demand for top talent, companies are beginning to realize the significant role that technological advancements play in shaping a better working environment. 

One of the primary takeaways from the insights Hood shared is the emphasis on understanding who employees are working for and the broader impact their day-to-day tasks have on the world. 

“I think people today really need to know who they’re working for and what their work every single day is going to drive forward in the world. They care about that part,” noted Hood.

This holistic view underscores the need for transparent communication from companies and an authentic connection to the organizational mission, regardless of where the employee is working from.

The discussion also highlighted how the adoption of AI and automation is not merely a trend but a necessity for businesses aiming to attract and retain top talent. 

Employees today expect that their employers will provide the tools and technologies that allow them to excel while also freeing them from mundane tasks, enabling a healthier balance between work and personal life.

A lot of the workforce, especially the workforce that people are really going after — top talent — they know that technology will give them the ability to do a better job, that they will be more successful, that will hit their goals, and they’ll also have a better work life balance,” Hood said on our podcast. 

Employees today expect that their employers will provide the tools and technologies that allow them to excel while also freeing them from mundane tasks, enabling a healthier balance between work and personal life.

However, the transition to incorporating AI into everyday tasks is not always seamless; some employees might struggle with adopting new technologies while others could become experts.

“Some people are going to adopt it and be powerhouses at it. Some are going to struggle a little bit,” Hood said. “But I think that if you want to be successful, and if you are going to be in your career for more than five years, you really need to learn how to use AI, because I think you will end up getting left behind if you cannot operate AI for your own uses in business.”

The podcast chat also highlighted the power of AI in recruitment processes. By leveraging AI’s capabilities, companies can efficiently match potential candidates to job roles that align with their skills and preferences. 

“In particular, the way our AI helps them is we go through and analyze all the jobs that that company has open, and we analyze the available talent in the market where that job sits,” explained Hood.

This process not only enhances the recruitment experience but also allows for unique connections that humans might overlook. For instance, AI discovered that individuals with a master’s in library science excel on data science teams due to their ability to understand complex schemas — an insight that human recruiters might miss.

AI can also be used to enhance human connections and make more space for joy in life. By handling repetitive and unenjoyable tasks, AI creates the opportunity for employees to focus on more fulfilling activities. 

“If we can have AI and automation help us get the things we need to get done that have to happen, but they’re not fun and we don’t enjoy them and they don’t add joy to our life…we then have more time to get together and spend time with friends and family, and your neighbors, and go on a walk, and go on a hike and all those things. That’s how it should be used, in my mind,” said Hood.

AI undoubtedly represents the future of work. But integration success hinges on following human-centered best practices around communication, training, fairness, trust, and work-life balance. With meticulous adoption strategies, companies can harness AI’s power while ensuring supportive work cultures focused on shared success.

“We spend more than half our life working, so we should do it right. And so figuring out the future of work is incredibly important,” Hood said.