The discussion about shorter work hours in a workday is gaining popularity worldwide. Many firms have already started experimenting with four-day work weeks. Some are even trying to think of ways AI or a particular technology could help achieve this.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a tool to redefine future work. Industry experts consider it might even enable workers to have a workweek of 3.5 days. But how will AI allow this?
An easy case for how AI work efficiency will shorten the workweek is automating repetitive tasks. Most jobs rely on data entry, inventory management, and scheduling in many sectors, ranging from manufacturing to customer service. Artificial intelligence takes over each of these most mundane tasks, allowing human employees to spend their time on far more creative and strategic work.
According to the report given by Mackenzie & Company in 2020, nearly 60% of occupations have 30% and above activities that can be automated using different existing technologies. Thus, a considerable chunk of the average worker's day can be left free for more meaningful tasks, reducing working hours.
AI-supported tools gather data, detect trends, and provide actionable information so employees can make better decisions. Workers achieve their goals in less time. AI does not replace labor but provides productivity measurements from insights and recommendations.
Research conducted by the World Economic Forum found that AI and work-life balance are likely to increase global productivity by 1.7% annually. With time, this improvement in AI tools will multiply, and companies will meet their demands much sooner. In turn, this might require reducing the entire workweek.
AI can also reduce strain on communication and collaboration within teams. AI-powered platforms serve as regular project timeline management. They might send reminders and create meetings with agendas and notes. Since AI manages these administrative concepts, workers will spend more time collaborating with high-level decisions.
As per the PwC report, AI can save workers about seven hours weekly in scheduling and coordination-related tasks. Save it, and any of those hours could be combined to cut the traditional workweek down to just three and a half days, making the work process much better and less time-consuming.
In many ways, short work shortens the work week. AI in workplace automation will reduce employees' burnout. Now, companies can check workloads and redesign them where necessary. AI tracks employee performance and recommends changes to improve work-life balance. It reduces stress and ensures manageable workloads, making it possible for workers to take frequent breaks and avoid long work hours.
Research by Gallup shows that burnout in employees increases the likelihood of taking sick leave by 63 percent and seeking alternative employment by 23 percent.
Although most people may see it as a pipedream, almost halfway into a 3.5-day workweek, AI has already made the idea a reality. It reduces work hours, increases productivity, improves communication, and automates repetitive tasks. This prepares a worker to face a future of healthier work-life balance made available through the transformative experience of AI technologies.