82 percent of people believe in better career support from robots

A global study by Oracle and Workplace Intelligence, a human resources research and consulting firm, surveyed 14,639 executives, HR leaders, managers and full-time employees about the impact of Covid-19 on the workplace, AI and career development, and the use of AI at work. The survey was conducted between July 27 and August 18, 2021, in the U.S., U.K., UAE, France, Netherlands, Germany, Brazil, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Australia. The study targeted full-time employees aged 22 to 74.

Workers suffer from loneliness, isolation and loss of control

The study now found that people around the world feel constrained in their personal and professional lives. However, they are ready to take back control of their future. Yet they are also increasingly turning to robots to support their career development after the COVID-19 pandemic left them feeling lonely. "The last year and a half has changed the way people work, where they work and, for many people, who they work for. While there have been many challenges for employees and employers, it has also been an opportunity to change the workplace for the better," said Dan Schawbel, managing partner of Workplace Intelligence, commenting on the findings.

According to the study, 80 percent of people have had negative experiences in the past year. Many experienced financial problems (29 percent), increased mental health issues (28 percent), suffered from a lack of professional motivation (25 percent) and felt disconnected from their own lives (23 percent). Sixty-two percent found 2021 to be the most stressful year yet at work. Nearly half (52 percent) struggled more with mental health issues at work in 2021 than in 2020, and the number of people who feel they have little or no control over their personal and professional lives has nearly doubled since the pandemic began (up 93 %). Respondents said they have lost control over their future (43 percent), personal life (46 percent), career (41 percent), and relationships (39 percent). Seventy-six percent feel constricted in their personal lives, worry about their future (20 percent), are trapped in the same routine over and over (31 percent) and feel more loneliness than ever before (26 percent).

People are motivated to make changes, but face major challenges

Despite the adversity of the past year, people around the world are eager to make changes in their professional lives. 93 percent of the population worldwide used the past year to reflect on their lives. 88 percent said the importance of success has changed for them since the pandemic, with work-life balance (42 percent), mental health (37 percent) and workplace flexibility (33 percent) now top priorities. Seventy-five percent feel constrained professionally because they don't see opportunities for career development (25 percent) and are too overwhelmed to make changes (22 percent).

70 percent of respondents also said that feeling stuck at work also has a negative impact on their personal lives. It leads to additional stress and anxiety (40 percent), contributes to them feeling personally constricted (29 percent) and limits them in their private lives (27 percent). Indes: 83 percent of respondents are willing to make a change. However, 76 percent said they face major obstacles in doing so. The biggest hurdles include financial instability (22 percent), uncertainty about what career change makes sense for them (20 percent), lack of confidence to make a change (20 percent) and lack of growth opportunities in their company (20 percent).

Looking ahead to 2022, career development is at the top of the priority list. Many are willing to give up key benefits such as vacation (52 percent), cash bonuses (51 percent) and even a portion of their salary (43 percent) for better career opportunities. However, 85 percent of employees are not satisfied with the support they receive from their employer. They would like companies to provide better career support with more training opportunities (34 percent), higher salaries (31 percent) and opportunities for new roles within the company (30 percent). "The past year has set a new course for the future of work. Amid the stress, anxiety and loneliness of the global pandemic, employees have surprisingly found their voice, become more confident and are now advocating for what they want," said Yvette Cameron, senior vice president, Oracle Cloud HCM.

Workers want better career support and rely on technology to deliver it

To retain and develop top talent, employers need to pay more attention than ever to the needs of their employees and better support them with technology. Eighty-five percent of respondents want technology to help them define their future by identifying skills they need to develop (36 percent), recommending new learning opportunities (36 percent) and identifying next steps toward their career goals (32 percent). As many as 75 percent of respondents would change their lives based on robot recommendations. A full 82 percent believe robots can support their careers better than a human by providing unbiased recommendations (37 percent), quickly answering questions about their careers (33 percent) or finding new jobs that match their current skills (32 percent).

But survey respondents nevertheless believe that people still play a crucial role in career development and are better able to provide support by giving advice based on personal experience (46 percent), identifying strengths and weaknesses (44 percent), and recommending roles according to personality rather than just looking at a resume (32 percent). Demands are made of employers, however: 87 percent of respondents believe their company should do more to address their needs, and 55 percent are more willing to stay with a company that uses advanced technologies like AI to promote career development.

"If companies want to attract and retain talent, they need to place more emphasis on helping their employees identify and develop new skills, and provide personalized career paths so they can regain a sense of ownership over their careers," says Oracle's Yvette Cameron on the topic of better career support.

Source: Oracle