(PR in) HR Pulse | HR News Round-up: 17th April – 30th May 2023
Photo by Bank Phrom on Unsplash
AI tech has become unexpectedly dangerous for employees
Following the recent boom of AI integration in work processes, unexpected developments and issues have arisen, not least AI passing a CAPTCHA.
The TUC addressed the government's newly released report, AI Regulation: a pro-innovation approach, at a recent AI conference in London saying that it isn’t placing enough safeguards on AI tech in the workplace.
TUC’s Assistant General Secretary, Kate Bell warns that AI technology is changing the way individuals are hired, managed and fired. Not following the rules of fair treatment will lead to discrimination.
Renate Samson, Interim Associate Director of AI research institute at the Ada Lovelace Institute, says that experts don’t understand the extent of what they have created, AI tech has developed at a faster rate than expected - jumping 20 years in six months and if he situation isn’t handled now then we are likely to see more issues arise.
Sources: Personnel Today, HR Magazine, People Management and The Independent.
Four day work week vs. six hour work days. Which would you prefer?
Six hour work days may be a better alternative to the four day work week as companies worry about manning their online presence on Fridays and struggle to give all employees the day off.
Dr. Mansoor Soomro, Innovation and Enterprise lead at the Future of Work Research Center at the Teesside University International Business School suggests that eight hour workdays aren’t necessary as his research reveals that people are only productive for two thirds of the day.
His research is also backed by a successful two year trial conducted in Sweden which tested this theory across a number of organisations. In 2017, the trial revealed a boost in productivity, improved employee engagement, reduced stress and improved employee health.
Australian tech company, Code Heroes has also seen a 15% increase in productivity when trialling a six hour workday - with the addition of core hours.
Core hours refer to working a ‘normal’ work day for a set number of hours and then working the rest of the daily hours flexibly - under the employees' control. For instance, 9 am to 1 pm, plus 2 flexible hours.
Source: WorkLife.