By Sumit Singla, Senior Partner, BOD Consulting and Culture Transformation Expert
Is Generative AI (GenAI) a gift or a curse? Will it create new opportunities or kill jobs and transform workplaces? Industry reports range from optimism to extreme pessimism but the truth lies somewhere in between.
GenAI will certainly disrupt existing work models and create some transformation for the future of work. But it is certainly more of an opportunity than a roadblock.
Powerful human-AI partnerships
Imagine walking into an office where AI doesn’t replace humans but works alongside us, enhancing creativity and efficiency. GenAI can draft emails, analyse large data sets, and create reports.
So, while it can take away mundane jobs, it can also allow you to focus on more strategic tasks by being a super-powered assistant. Without spending your energy in analysing information, you can spend it in better decision-making instead.
Leveraging learning
Based on your learning preferences, career ambitions, and past performance, GenAI can create a custom-built learning path for you. Within seconds!
As a result, capability development will become not only effective, but more engaging too. Think about a world where an AI-based tutor is able to provide real-time feedback and support based on how you are engaging with a course.
The future of work will include continuous learning loops, facilitated by GenAI, who will ensure we remain relevant to our roles.
Reengineering recruitment
Recruitment is another area where GenAI can shine. Not only screening CVs, GenAI can also make job descriptions more inclusive and effective and even create lists of competency-based interview questions.
That means, leaders can spend time on higher quality candidate interactions and meaningful discussions instead. However, the temptation to replace the human touch with technology may actually be counterproductive and create a poor candidate experience.
Frontiers of flexibility
By taking over routine, transactional tasks, GenAI can help you think of bigger things such as – What next? You can devote your effort to building for the future and planning the skill mix along with how you plan to keep people engaged.
Through GenAI based tools that aid productivity, you can help people thrive, irrespective of whether they are in office or working remotely.
Crafting culture
In addition to personalised recruitment, bespoke learning, and flexible ways of working, GenAI can also support with better communication and effective recognition.
GenAI tools can identify areas where organisational communication is relatively weaker and address the gaps. Real-time sentiment analysis can help you in addressing cultural challenges and strengthening the employer-employee relationship.
In addition, GenAI can support you in offering timely and effective feedback for employee contributions. Not only that, it can also analyse your team dynamics and provide feedback on making people feel included and valued.
Cautionary considerations
However, it’s not all smooth sailing. The integration of GenAI also has potentially negative considerations.
For example, you will need to focus on maintaining data privacy and confidentiality, and protecting sensitive data.
Also, you will need to ensure that GenAI does not amplify biases by implementing aspects like ‘culture fit’ and bypass inclusive policies.
The future of work needs to be beyond humans vs machines and more of evolving to work alongside each other.
Conclusion
The future of work with GenAI is no longer a distant reality but a chapter unfolding in our current lives. It promises a world where work can be more creative, personalised, and fulfilling but also demands a higher sense of responsibility and ethics.
Caution aside, this is certainly an exciting time for the future of work, workers, and workplaces despite the perceived complexity of adopting GenAI. Organisations with the right cultures will thrive while others will struggle to survive.
The question is, are YOU ready?