Algorithms can be ‘game changers’ for employee productivity

Digital workplace applications have been heavily implemented across the vast majority of Australian employers, with a new report claiming that AI-driven personalisation integrating into these apps will be a productivity “game changer”.

New research from Gartner has claimed that over 20 per cent of workplace apps will rely on AI-driven personalisation algorithms for adaptive worker experiences by 2028. The importance of workplace apps was not understated in the report – as digital workers found themselves to be three times more likely to be productive when satisfied with workplace apps.

Yet, at this stage, only 23 per cent of digital workers are completely satisfied with their work applications in 2024, down from 30 per cent in 2022.

“The apps used for work should feel as intuitive and empowering as the most popular consumer apps,” said Tori Paulman, VP analyst at Gartner.

“That’s exactly what employees are craving – a seamless, personalised, and omnichannel digital experience that mirrors the ease and consistency of mainstream consumer applications.

“Yet, over the past 10 years, the gap between consumer and enterprise app experiences has widened. Many work applications remain isolated, inconsistent, and rigid, leaving much to be desired in terms of user experience,” said Paulman.

According to Gartner, leaders within organisations must enhance workplace applications to bridge the gap with consumer-like experiences by doing the following:

• Implement best practices: Focus on AI-driven personalisation within workplace applications. These tools should analyse workstyles to provide personalised insights, prioritise tasks, and automate workflows, all tailored to enhance each employee’s productivity.

• Ensure transparency: Clearly communicate how digital workplace algorithms function and adhere to ethical guidelines. Detail the decision-making processes and implement strong data privacy and security measures to protect employee information and build trust.

• Prioritise key outcomes: Identify critical business goals, such as improving customer service first-call resolution. Determine which employee roles will benefit most from AI-driven personalisation and explore how adaptive user experiences can reduce friction and boost productivity.

• Define clear requirements: During vendor selection, prioritise applications that feature AI-driven adaptive user interfaces, personalised task management, and designs centred on the employee experience to ensure intuitive and effective tools.

• Monitor and adapt: Regularly assess the effectiveness of AI-driven personalisation. Collect employee feedback and make continuous improvements to ensure these tools align with evolving employee needs and organisational objectives.

“In the realm of digital workplace applications, these algorithms can be game changers for productivity by understanding and observing workers’ behaviour, preferences, and past interactions to provide crafted recommendations,” said Paulman.

“The power of these algorithms brings valuable insights to the surface, streamlines information, prioritises tasks for workers, and even automates workflows to save time and make core work easier.”

Kace O'Neill

Kace O'Neill is a Graduate Journalist for HR Leader. Kace studied Media Communications and Maori studies at the University of Otago, he has a passion for sports and storytelling.