As more workers incorporate AI into their day-to-day lives, a surprising dichotomy is taking shape: employee efficiency may be increasing, but it could come at the cost of motivation.
Once workers use generative AI to complete a task, their desire to do a task without AI takes a major hit, according to a recent study published in Scientific Reports. Employees reported an 11% decline in intrinsic motivation, and 20% increase in boredom.
The researchers conducted four different experiments, in which 3,500 participants were tasked with various real-world assignments, including writing a Facebook post, drafting an email, and writing a performance review for a subordinate. Some participants used ChatGPT on their first task, and then worked without AI assistance on their second, whereas others completed both assignments without any help.
“Our findings have big implications for companies looking to leverage gen AI’s potential gains without hurting their employees’ drive when it comes to their other responsibilities,” write the study researchers Yukun Liu, Suqing Wu, Mengqi Ruan, Siyu Chen and Xiao-Yun Xie in an accompanying article published in the Harvard Business Review.
The researchers concluded that the motivation dip lies in AI’s role of making workers feel disconnected from their tasks. When workers felt that they were not fully in charge of the output of a certain task, it undermined their connection to the assignment. In the case of the performance review, when the critical thinking and personalized ideas are removed via automation, employees reported that the task became less engaging.
Corporate America is captivated with the promise of AI, but still struggling to figure out how to train employees, and how the new tech can best contribute to workflow. As companies race to win the productivity game, the latest study offers a cautionary warning about the emotional spillover effects that bosses need to watch out for. But while the latest data may be concerning for employee morale, it doesn’t mean that it’s time to abandon the AI ship. In an effort to both maximize productivity and engagement, the authors suggest five potential solutions for employers.
The first suggestion is to blend AI and human contributions. For example, instead of having AI write the performance review itself, the authors recommend having gen AI draft an outline, which a manager then customizes and tailors. The second is designing engaging solo tasks, which allows a give-and-take when it comes to AI-assisted work, like brainstorming. The third suggestion is to make AI collaboration transparent via clear communication to employees about the technology’s role as an assistant, not a replacement. Fourthly, organizations should also rotate between AI-assisted and independent tasks, in an effort to maximize workflow productivity. And finally, the researchers suggest offering employees AI trainings that teach them to use the technology mindfully.
“By thoughtfully designing workflows that integrate gen AI, businesses can unlock its benefits without compromising workers’ motivation and engagement,” the researchers write. “After all, the future of work isn’t just about what AI can do—it’s about what humans and AI can achieve together.”
