World News: 14:00 GMT Monday 16th April 2018. [MetLife, Inc. via Businesswire via SPi World News]
Rather than fearing the robot, employers and employees are embracing its potential with open arms, new data from MetLife reveals. But, they are worried about losing a sense of human connection within the workplace.
More than half (56 percent) of employers have a positive view of automation technologies that can help companies do human jobs (e.g., Artificial Intelligence, analytics, collaboration tools, robotics), compared with 20 percent who are pessimistic, according to MetLife’s 16th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study (EBTS).
On the employee side, nearly half (49 percent) are optimistic, while only a quarter (24 percent) are pessimistic. This breaks down along gender and generational lines: men (54 percent) are more optimistic than women (43 percent), and millennials (63 percent) are more optimistic than Xers (47 percent) or boomers (38 percent).
Still, both employers and their workers have trouble reconciling their optimism around automation with their desire for human connection. About half of both groups (46 percent of employees, and 51 percent of employers) worry the workplace is becoming less human.
“While automation is the next workplace frontier, the biggest fear is that work is losing its human touch, likely due to unmet needs for personalization and recognition,” says Todd Katz, executive vice president, Group Benefits at MetLife. “Employers who are able to balance their—and their employees’—desire for innovation through automation, while creating great work experiences, will be tomorrow’s talent leaders.”
Creating Human Experiences
This year’s study shows that employees increasingly see work as an extension of themselves and that personalized options—for professional development, work schedules and employee benefits—go a long way toward building loyalty and trust.
The ROI of Great Work Experiences
Among employees who feel most ‘connected’ or ‘empowered’ at work, more than 90 percent expect to still be working for their organization in 12 months, compared with 81 percent of all workers. They are also at least 17 percentage points more likely to say they trust their company’s leadership and 11 percentage points more likely to report that employee benefits help them worry less about unexpected health and financial issues.
“With unemployment at a record low and top talent in high demand, employers are looking for new ways to attract and retain workers,” says Katz. “For employees to feel connected and loyal in this era of automation, a positive employee experience is essential. Employees want a say in how, when and where they work—and they’re prepared to reward the organizations that deliver with hard work, performance and loyalty.”
Research Methodology
MetLife’s 16th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study was conducted from December 2017 through January 2018 and consists of two distinct studies fielded by ORC International, a leading business intelligence firm. The employer survey includes 2,501 interviews with benefits decision makers at companies with at least two employees. The employee survey consists of 2,653 interviews with full-time employees, ages 21 and over, at companies with at least two employees.
About ORC International
ORC International combines real market evidence from multiple sources with industry expertise to uncover insights that fuel an organization’s most important decisions. A global top 20 firm, ORC empowers smart, curious teams to make recommendations that drive growth and shape the future of its clients’ businesses. To learn more about ORC International, visit www.orcinternational.com.
About MetLife
MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("MetLife"), is one of the world's leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help its individual and institutional customers navigate their changing world. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180416005229/en/
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Business Wire: 14:00 GMT Monday 16th April 2018
Published: 2018-04-16T14:00:00.
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