A difficult return to the office
While teleworking became a common way of working during the pandemic, this trend is reversing. Amazon's recent announcement that it will be returning to the office in its entirety by 2025 is a blatant example of this. In Luxembourg, by 2023, 55% of companies had already reduced the frequency of teleworking, to encourage better collaboration, strengthen corporate culture and stimulate innovation.
Amazon Kirchberg – Main office Amazon, aboutamazon.eu
However, this return to the office does not always meet the expectations of employees, who are demanding more and more flexibility in their work organisation. The new generations, in particular, attach great importance to work-life balance.
AI, a driver of autonomy and flexibility for employees
If presence in the office is to become the norm once again, AI will play a crucial role in the way work is structured. By automating repetitive tasks, avoiding human error and optimising workflows, AI frees up precious time. These productivity gains pave the way for a new approach: if being in the office is compulsory, why not reduce the time spent there?
GenAI allows people to do more work and smarter BCG Stury: AI at Work 2024: Friend and Foe
According to a study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the use of AI in businesses can improve efficiency by 30%. This freed-up time can then be reinvested in two ways: either to further increase productivity or to offer employees that much-sought-after flexibility, enabling a better work-life balance.
Case study: Gesper AI, the personal assistant for employees
A concrete example of this development can be found at Microtis, a major player in HR software in Luxembourg. In collaboration with Aura HR, a specialist in AI applied to human resources, Microtis has developed Gesper AI, an HR chatbot designed to relieve teams of recurring requests from employees while offering the latest greater autonomy.
‘If an HR employee spends 30 to 40% of his time on repetitive tasks, and the chatbot automates 60 to 80% of them, that frees up 20-30% of his time, equivalent to 35 to 52 hours per month per HR employee.
Thanks to this tool, HR professionals can focus on more strategic missions, while employees receive instant answers to their questions about their personal situation, the company and Luxembourg legislation.
AI, the catalyst for the 4-day week?
At a time when teleworking is on the decline, the 4-day week, supported by AI, is emerging as a realistic and attractive alternative. The ability of this technology to reduce non-productive tasks means that a whole day can be freed up without any loss of efficiency. Each company can decide how to use this saved time, whether to boost performance or to offer greater flexibility to its employees.
Productivity VS Freedom Microtis
Conclusion
In the context of the war for talent, this additional flexibility could well be a decisive competitive advantage in attracting and retaining the best people. As employees‘ expectations evolve, AI is positioning itself as an essential tool for reconciling companies’ performance objectives with their employees' need for autonomy and flexibility.
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