Slack report reveals rising AI use but trust issues persist

Slack has unveiled its latest Workforce Index, revealing significant data on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in Australian workplaces. The findings offer a detailed look at employees' perceptions and usage of AI, along with their experiences of burnout and engagement in non-essential tasks.

The data suggests a notable scepticism among Australian desk workers towards AI outputs, with a staggering 95% indicating they do not fully trust AI for work-related tasks. Burnout remains another pressing issue, with 71% of these workers experiencing it at least once monthly. The survey also reveals that more than one-third of the workday is consumed by activities deemed non-essential, such as unnecessary meetings, low-value emails, and high volumes of paperwork or data entry.

Despite these challenges, the rate of AI utilisation among Australian desk workers has climbed to 37%, representing a 6% increase since January. These insights point towards a complex landscape where AI presents opportunities and obstacles for improving productivity and job satisfaction.

Globally, the survey from Slack's Workforce Lab, a subsidiary of Salesforce, highlights that executive urgency to integrate AI into business operations has surged dramatically. The interest in AI innovation now surpasses concerns about inflation or the broader economy. This uptrend has seen sevenfold growth over the last six months, with 96% of executives expressing a strong drive to adopt AI within the next 18 months.

Among desk workers who use AI tools, 81% report that it enhances their productivity. They also exhibit higher levels of employee engagement and work satisfaction compared to those who do not use AI. Measures of engagement reflect a 22% increase in overall satisfaction, a 23% improvement in stress management, and an 18% better work-life balance among AI users.

However, there remains a substantial gap between executive ambitions and actual AI usage among employees, with over two-thirds of desk workers yet to experiment with AI tools. The primary barriers include concerns over privacy, data security, and mistrust in data quality and accuracy. Only 7% of desk workers regard AI outputs as entirely trustworthy.

The report also uncovers a gender discrepancy in AI adoption, particularly among Generation Z. While Gen Z males are 25% more likely to have used AI tools compared to their female counterparts, this gap does not prominently exist among Hispanic/Latinx or Asian American desk workers.

The surveyed workforce indicates a mixed approach to AI, with enthusiasm strongly present among younger employees. Workers aged 18 to 29 show the highest levels of excitement for AI, with 55% being keen about AI handling parts of their tasks, compared to just 33% of those over 60.

Interestingly, instead of reallocating time saved by AI towards strategic or high-value activities like learning and skill-building, desk workers spend 37% more time on routine administrative tasks. This demonstrates a critical area for improvement as businesses seek to harness the full potential of AI.

Denise Dresser, CEO of Slack, urges companies to take proactive steps to close the adoption gap. She suggests that establishing clear guidelines, providing comprehensive education, and offering adequate training can significantly encourage AI uptake among employees. Firms with clearly defined AI policies see nearly sixfold higher experimentation with AI tools among their workers.

Management's trust in employees also plays a crucial role in AI implementation. Desk workers who feel trusted by their managers are 94% more likely to have tried AI tools and exhibit greater trust in AI's accuracy and reliability.

While AI generates substantial enthusiasm and shows promising benefits in workplace productivity and employee satisfaction, the path to widespread adoption requires addressing trust issues, closing gender gaps, and ensuring that the freed-up time from AI is wisely utilised to enhance meaningful work activities.