According to a recent survey conducted by UiPath, a prominent enterprise automation software company, a staggering 86% of Indian respondents firmly believe that automation has the potential to address burnout and significantly improve job fulfillment. Furthermore, 85% of participants expressed a favorable view towards employers who utilise business automation to support their workforce and modernise operations, in contrast to those who do not.
With mounting responsibilities and dwindling support, employees in India are facing an uphill battle. Within the past six months, 53% of respondents reported being burdened with additional tasks due to layoffs or hiring freezes. The strain of this workload has taken its toll, with 36% of workers in India experiencing burnout. As a result, an increasing number of employees are turning to AI tools as a means of finding relief, thus giving rise to what is now being termed the Automation Generation.
The Automation Generation transcends specific age groups or demographics, encompassing professionals who are embracing AI and automation to foster collaboration, creativity, and productivity. These workers seek to leverage these technologies to enrich both their professional and personal lives, in an effort to avoid feeling like mere automatons themselves.
The survey, which included 6,400 participants from various countries, uncovered additional insights:
- The Automation Generation values flexibility, career growth, and focused work time. Indian respondents expressed a desire for more time to acquire new skills (55%), engage in creative or strategic work (42%), and enjoy greater flexibility in their work environment (41%).
- Globally, workers are increasingly seeking automation and AI-powered tools to assist with mundane, repetitive tasks. In India, 86% of respondents believe that automation can alleviate burnout and enhance job satisfaction. When asked about tasks they wished to automate, Indian participants prioritised data analysis (64%), resolving IT/technical issues (60%), and improving customer interactions (57%).
- Older employees exhibit a higher receptiveness to the potential benefits of AI-powered automation in the workplace. 91% of Baby Boomer respondents, along with 87% of Generation Z, 86% of Millennials, and 84% of Generation X, believed that automation could enhance their job performance.
Brigette McInnis-Day, Chief People Officer at UiPath, emphasised the transformative impact of AI-powered automation: “Employees of the Automation Generation are embracing AI-powered automation so they can better manage their workloads, excel in their careers, and improve their work-life balance.” McInnis-Day further stressed the importance for businesses to adopt an open, flexible, and enterprise-ready approach to AI deployment to attract and retain employees in an automation-first world.
Arun Balasubramanian, Vice President & Managing Director, India & South Asia, UiPath, acknowledged the significant role automation will play in India’s journey to becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2025. Balasubramanian highlighted the survey’s findings, underscoring that a majority of workers across all generations in India recognise and embrace the potential of AI-powered automation to support them at work. To combat rising burnout levels and increased workloads, organisations must leverage automation to augment human capabilities and cultivate a productive workforce, establishing a solid foundation for sustainable business growth.