ChatGPT is taking over the workplace

Long story short: Will robots take over the workplace? How to use tech for good

January 27, 2023 11:17 AM

Employees are attached to their tech, and it's continuously changing how work gets done.

In this week's top stories, new tools like ChatGPT are revolutionizing how people engage with their day-to-day tasks. The artificial intelligence-powered chatbot can actually write emails, scan documents and build presentations, potentially saving employees time from these menial tasks. Yet where should employers draw the line?

"AI doesn't have free will," says Ricardo Michel Reyes, chief science officer and co-founder of AI company, Erudit. "It still needs someone to tell it what the PowerPoint is about, what goes first and what colors and fonts to use. The problem is that often employers will think that a tool is enough by itself or that they don't need to train people."

Once HR leaders and employees understand the power of tech, they can use it to their advantage. Whether it's to consolidate tech tools to manage employees globally, or mine data for DEI insights, leaders have many cutting edge resources at their disposal. Read on for best practices to navigate today's virtual world.

What ChatGPT means for the future of work

It might sound too good to be true, but a tech-driven future is closer than you may think. In November of 2021, artificial intelligence company OpenAI launched ChatGPT, an interactive chatbot that can fulfill a number of tasks for its user, from typing out a text response for someone to coming up with an entire dissertation on any given subject. Once the command is put in, the chatbot takes mere minutes to complete the task.

"You won't have to train people to do certain things anymore, but rather train them how to use AI tools to do those things," says Ricardo Michel Reyes, chief science officer and co-founder of AI company, Erudit. Those capabilities can be applied to the workplace — Reyes regularly uses AI-powered assistants to respond to his work emails or read long reports and spotlight key points. He tells associate editor Paola Peralta how these tools could help improve productivity and efficiency in the workplace.

Read more:

What ChatGPT means for the future of work

Deel's new HR platform simplifies tech tools for global businesses

The economic, legal and cultural differences that exist within a global workforce can overload HR, disrupt productivity and leave a disconnect among employees. Seeing the need for a better way to manage these issues, HR services platform Deel has created an all-inclusive platform that takes the work out of running a global business.

The platform features HR reports, organization charts and a people directory, all in one place. Employers can also track, approve and analyze time off and expenses, regardless of an employee's location. Based on local laws specific to countries and workers, customized contracts, benefits and holidays are also included in an employee's profile. Currently, the platform is free for companies with fewer than 200 employees, potentially saving organizations at least $20,000 on a tech stack they would need to build independently.

Read more:

Deel's new HR platform simplifies tech tools for global businesses

Why the word 'metaverse' is a hindrance to virtual work

Seventy-eight percent of business professionals said they would be eager to participate in more immersive experiences at work, as opposed to current tools such as videoconferencing, according to a survey by telecommunications company Ciena. Adam Riggs, CEO of software company Frameable, works with his team to enable this: they build virtual spaces for employers looking to better support their hybrid or remote employees. But they never use the word "metaverse."

"The word 'metaverse' is a bit polluted now," Riggs tells associate editor Paola Peralta. "The design aesthetic and the hardware requirements and all of the pieces in the current understanding is very rooted in entertainment and in novelty, and not around the current work problems." Riggs shares considerations employers should make when implementing AI and metaverse features.

Read more:

Why the word 'metaverse' is a hindrance to virtual work

Leadership can make or break a company's DEI approach

Data can play a crucial role in ensuring your DEI efforts are moving in the right direction, by utilizing quantitative and qualitative data and analytics to measure the experiences of people across different identity groups. Sharing this data with all levels of an organization adds to the transparency of an employer, promotes involvement, and strengthens employee connections to each other, leadership and the company itself.

"DEI tools that layer on top of all your people analytics shows us where there are inequities and disparities across the employee lifecycle," Jyl Feliciano, VP of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at sales enablement company Highspot, tells editor Lee Hafner. "Now we can get to those places that are on fire quickly, or we can see where we're knocking it out of the park and reward and encourage, and then leverage those best practices."

Read more:

Leadership can make or break a company's DEI approach