How to maximise employee wellbeing in the age of AI

by Lauren Parchi

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we work, bringing a new level of efficiency, accuracy, and productivity to businesses across all industries. However, the rise of AI also poses some challenges for employers, such as concerns around privacy and job displacement.

• Telsyte’s Australian Digital Consumer Study found 35% of workers anticipate their roles could be performed by machines, AI, or robots in the future.
• A report by KPMG and The University of Queensland, shows that only 43% of Australians believe their employers have practices in place to support the responsible use of AI, with 61% wary of AI systems.
• The World Economic Forum found that AI could create 97 million new jobs by 2025, while also eliminating 85 million jobs.

As organisations continue to implement AI-powered technologies, it's essential to prioritise human centric design to maximise employee wellbeing. Research has shown that incorporating human centric design into the workplace can lead to happier, healthier, and more engaged employees, ultimately improving overall business performance.

What is Human Centric Design?

Human centric design is a process of creating products, services, and environments that are centered around the needs and experiences of people. In the workplace, human design involves designing a workspace that supports employees' physical and emotional needs, as well as their work goals and objectives.

Human centric design takes into account factors such as ergonomics, lighting, air quality, noise levels, and access to nature, as well as the social and cultural context of the workplace. It also considers the role of technology in the workplace and how it can be used to enhance, rather than replace, the human experience.

Why Human Centric Design is Important in an AI-Powered Workplace

As AI becomes more prevalent in the workplace, it's critical to ensure that employees are not left feeling isolated or undervalued. Human centric design can help mitigate these concerns by ensuring that employees remain at the center of the workplace experience.

Additionally, investing in human design can help businesses attract and retain top talent, as employees are increasingly looking for workplaces that prioritise their health, wellbeing, and overall experience.

The Gartner survey revealed the benefits of employees operating in human-centric work models, finding:

• Employees were 3.2x more likely to stay in their job
• Employees were 3.1x more likely to experience low levels of fatigue

Employee Wellbeing and AI

Director of Better Being, Greg Stark believes “AI may be the future, but wellbeing will always be a human need”.

Businesses need to prioritise human-centered wellbeing that meet the needs, values, and experiences of their employees. Here are some reasons why:

1. Trust and credibility: By prioritising human-centered design, businesses can build trust and credibility with their employees, helping to ensure that AI-powered tools are adopted and used effectively.
2. Employee autonomy and agency: While AI can provide valuable insights and recommendations for improving employees' health and wellbeing, it's important for employees to retain a sense of autonomy and agency in the process. Human-centered wellbeing programs provide employees with the tools and resources they need to make informed decisions about their own health.
3. Emotional and social support: AI can provide support for employees' physical health however; it may not always be able to meet their emotional or social needs. Human-centered wellbeing programs and resources that prioritise emotional and social support, such as access to mental health services, are crucial.
4. Diversity and inclusion: AI algorithms are only as effective as the data they are trained on, and if that data is biased or incomplete, it can lead to inaccurate or unfair recommendations. By prioritising human-centered design, businesses can ensure that their wellbeing initiatives are inclusive of diverse employee populations.
5. Purpose and meaning: Finally, wellbeing programs should be designed with a sense of purpose and meaning, helping employees to connect their personal values and goals with the work they do. By creating a sense of purpose and meaning in the workplace, businesses can help employees to feel more engaged, motivated, and fulfilled, leading to improved health, wellbeing, and performance.

“At Better Being, we believe in the power of combining technology with human centric design to create effective and engaging corporate wellbeing programs that meet the needs of diverse work environments and their employees”, says Greg Stark.

To find out more about how Better Being’s programs can benefit your organisation, click here.