AI saves Swiss employees around one hour a day

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) saves employees in Switzerland an average of 51 minutes per day, leaving more time for creative tasks, strategic thinking or a better work-life balance. Across all countries surveyed, the time saved is even higher at one hour per day. This is the result of a large workplace survey.

The Adecco Group's annual Global Workforce of the Future survey was conducted among 35,000 employees in 27 leading economies, including 1005 participants from Switzerland.

17 percent of all Swiss employees who use AI save up to two hours a day thanks to artificial intelligence. The global average is 20 percent. In addition, 2 percent in Switzerland say that they save between 3 and 4 hours a day thanks to AI (globally: 5 percent).

The time savings seem to be confirmed across all industries. On a global level, employees in the energy, utilities and environmental technologies sectors reported the highest time savings at 75 minutes per day, while the lowest figure - in the aerospace and defense sector - was 52 minutes per day. Employees in the technology sector saved an average of 66 minutes per day, in the financial sector 57 minutes and in manufacturing 62 minutes per day.

Denis Machuel, CEO of the Adecco Group, says: "There has been a lot of speculation about how AI will change the world of work. It is all the more exciting to now see the first possible signs of efficiency gains. The time saved by employees is obviously being put to good use and is not limited to one or two industries, but appears to be having an impact across all sectors. It's still early days, but AI seems to be delivering on its promise."

The survey suggests that the time saved is being used to create more value. In Switzerland, 31 percent of all respondents (global: 28 percent) say that they use the extra time for more creative work, 27 percent (26 percent) say that AI allows them to spend more time on strategic thinking, while 28 percent (27 percent) say that AI has helped them achieve a better work-life balance. However, there are signs that the time saved thanks to AI is not always used productively. 23 percent of respondents - both in Switzerland and globally - said that they were managing the same workload, and 23 percent of respondents in this country said that they were spending more time on personal activities (globally: 21 percent).

A changing world of work: AI requires targeted internal mobility and further training

In addition to measuring the impact of AI, the study provides further insights into how the world of work is changing.

Promoting employability

Employees are increasingly concerned about an uncertain future, with economic conditions and job security being their top priorities. While more and more employees are choosing to stay with their current employer, the impact of AI on job stability has been largely underestimated over the past year: In Switzerland, 20 percent of employees say they have lost their job due to AI. Across all countries, this figure is slightly lower at 13%.

Marcel Keller, Country President of the Adecco Group Switzerland, says: "The rapid integration of AI into the Swiss workplace underlines the importance of continuous training and adaptability. Companies must prioritize these aspects in order to remain competitive."

In Switzerland, 32 percent of all respondents expressed concerns about long-term job security (globally: 40 percent). Across Switzerland, 81% say they plan to stay with their current employer. Globally, the figure is 83% - the highest in three years.

However, the view of the disruptive effects of AI becomes more balanced when other aspects are considered. For example, 66% (Switzerland) and 51% (globally) of employees agree with the statement that AI skills expand their career opportunities, and 65% (or 46%) believe that AI offers them more opportunities to learn new skills and advance professionally.

Skills alone are not enough: adaptability is the key to success

A select group of high-performing employees outperform their peers, largely due to strong support from their employers. To grow this part of the workforce and develop future leaders, companies need to prioritize the continuous improvement of skills. Currently, only 4 percent of employees in Switzerland are future-oriented, i.e. people who are characterized by their adaptability, their willingness to be flexible in their career plans and their proactive approach to acquiring new skills. On a global average, this figure is slightly higher at 11 percent. In the global group of forward-thinking employees, the survey found that globally, 93% receive an individual development plan, compared to 51% of the total workforce. In addition, on a global average, 95% of these forward-thinking employees participate in leadership training offered by their companies, compared to only 57% of the total workforce.

Promoting internal mobility

Employees could lose confidence in their employer's commitment, especially as the desire for greater internal mobility grows while fewer and fewer employees decide to stay and continue their education.

Globally, 76% of employees believe that companies should first train existing employees for various functions within the company before hiring external employees - an increase of 12 percentage points since 2023. In Switzerland, the proportion is similarly high at 74%. However, only 9% of respondents globally plan to stay in their company to continue their training - a decrease of 7 percentage points compared to the previous year.

Mental health remains crucial in a rapidly changing world

Taking care of employees' mental health should be a top priority. Companies need to consider concerns that AI may favor certain groups of employees by demonstrating their commitment to inclusion and sustainable work practices. In the last 12 months, 34 percent of employees in Switzerland (globally: 40 percent) have experienced burnout due to excessive workload. On a global level, one in four people (40 percent) have experienced burnout due to excessive workload.

This figure rises to a global average of 62% among those who are concerned about the impact of AI and are negatively affected by it. In Switzerland, the majority of respondents are confident that their company's management has sufficient knowledge of AI to understand the risks and opportunities: 58% are of this opinion. On a global average, however, confidence in the AI skills and knowledge of their own managers is significantly lower at 46%.

Over three quarters (76% at both Swiss and global level) value the human expertise of a recruiter who sees potential in them that goes beyond their skills and experience. In the previous year, only 64 percent across all countries answered this question in the affirmative.

Source: www.adeccogroup.com