Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™.
Over the past few years, the tech industry has revolutionized productivity through the creation and investment in AI technology. Leaders in AI boast about the technology’s capabilities to bolster productivity. If AI is really saving us so much time and energy in the workplace, tech companies should be pushing for businesses to adopt a 4-day workweek.
Since the pandemic, workers have argued against returning to the office for the 5-day workweek. While most white-collar workers were either working from home or adhering to a hybrid work model, it made some employees realize that much of their work doesn’t need to be completed daily in an office.
Companies like Kickstarter and Microsoft Japan have operated on a 4-day workweek schedule since 2021 and 2019, respectively. Microsoft Japan has reported that it led to a 40% increase in productivity.
According to a 2024 CNBC and Generation Lab poll, 81% of Gen-Z and Millennial workers support a 4-day workweek. Depending on the job, the work day might not involve much work at all. Office work is mostly busywork, including sending emails, taking calls and attending meetings.
With the advent of AI tools, it is possible to automate specific tasks, allowing workers to focus on their primary responsibilities. AI has a lot of potential to automate routine tasks and allow employees to be effective in their work lives, but this depends on how companies use the technology to their advantage.
Currently, companies are using AI to replace workers completely. Instead, businesses should be using artificial intelligence to assist their employees to be more efficient. AI replacing a person with experience, without human supervision, could be disastrous. We shouldn’t trust AI to completely handle the work, as it is still prone to making mistakes, despite how much it’s improved in recent years.
Companies should use AI as a tool, rather than a substitute for workers. AI-driven productivity enables companies to do more, allowing their employees to finish their tasks in less time, freeing them to take on other work duties, as well as have time for personal matters. More completed work means that shareholders’ demands are met, and employees can enjoy a better work-life balance without losing their pay.
This means more work is being completed, which fulfills shareholders’ demands, and employees can enjoy a better work-life balance without losing their pay.
Widescale adoption of AI tools in the workplace will vary depending on the business. The tech industry wants us to put our complete trust in it to provide what humans can’t. We shouldn’t be using technology to render humans useless; we should be using technology to make our lives better.
Companies should rethink the status quo and reimagine the workplace as a place that can be a benefit to the workers as well.
