How AI enhances employee experience and wellbeing

You don’t need to look far to see AI linked to productivity and business growth. But research and viewpoints highlighting how AI is good for people are harder to find.

Inspired by my colleague Parisa’s recent blogs for the Humanising AI series, I wanted to share my thoughts on how AI really does benefit us as people. Her work has explored how AI can be designed to better understand and support human interactions, and I want to build on that by looking at how AI enhances wellbeing and job satisfaction by actively supporting employees in their daily tasks. 

This blog references findings from an internal CGI UK study conducted in November 2024 with 270 generative AI users, to evaluate AI’s impact on health and wellbeing at work. The research included confidential surveys, qualitative feedback, and focus groups and showed positive correlations between AI use and workplace wellbeing, particularly in job satisfaction, stress reduction, and overall happiness.

As you read on, consider how AI could enhance not just the work we do but our experience of work itself.

AI and workload

Consider this common workplace interaction:

Colleague 1: “How are you?”   Colleague 2: “Busy”   Colleague 1: “Me too”

What if we reconsidered what makes us ‘busy’? While AI boosts productivity, its real value lies in eliminating unnecessary tasks that create workload without adding value to organisational productivity and the human experience of work. Many high-volume tasks are predictable, administrative, and enduring, and are ideal for AI automation, freeing up employees to focus on more strategic and meaningful work.

In our study, 84% of users reported an improved ability to manage their workload due to access to GenAI tools. The study also showed reductions in stress and mental fatigue, potentially making time for more value-added work. However, organisations must also be mindful of a potential ‘rebound effect,’ where increased efficiency leads to higher work expectations. Sustainable AI adoption means balancing enhanced capabilities with a focus on employee wellbeing.

Satisfaction and happiness at work

What makes for a good day at work? What tasks take away from that experience? Most of us have probably said:

“I’d love to do XYZ, but I just don’t have the time.”

AI gives us an opportunity to change that. When deployed properly, AI allows a shift from mundane work to more fulfilling tasks.

We can see GenAI helping to tip the scales, improving workload management and increasing capacity for more engaging and fulfilling work. This shift enhances roles and drives cascading benefits:

• More strategic work to drive better outcomes
• More human connections through deeper engagement
• More creativity to drive innovation.

All these benefits have the potential to improve our experience at work and drive employee engagement. In our study, 65% of users reported increased happiness at work, and 69% said job satisfaction had improved. It’s also worth noting that only 2% experienced a decline in happiness at work and 1% experienced a decline in satisfaction at work.

AI and sense of confidence

Feedback and review are crucial to achieving quality outcomes, particularly in hybrid and remote work environments, where immediate input isn’t always available. AI can serve as a valuable tool for employees, helping them refine early ideas, structure their thoughts, and fine-tune drafts before seeking final input and approval from their manager.

For junior employees, AI can be particularly useful in building confidence by providing initial feedback on their work, allowing them to approach discussions with their managers better prepared and more informed. Our survey feedback highlights that GenAI is being used as part of a broader support system, complementing, not replacing, human mentorship and feedback.

AI is a powerful tool, but its success hinges on thoughtful implementation and human oversight. When used appropriately, AI helps reduce pressure, supports iterative improvements, and enhances overall confidence. This creates a win-win for both employee confidence and organisational efficiency. For example, ChatGPT is improving efficiency and user experience of CGI’s 5-star UK Service Desk. It has empowered our agents by improving knowledge management, decision-making and service quality, while maintaining the human touch.

AI and sense of achievement

With today’s evolving demands and dynamic careers, work is a marathon, not a sprint. Rest assured, you’re not alone if you have ever thought:

“There’s just never enough time in the day!”

Especially for middle and senior leaders who need to juggle top-down and bottom-up pressures. For many in these roles, ‘not falling behind’ is a realistic goal, and ‘getting ahead’ is aspirational.

AI can support this progress. Our research found that GenAI positively impacted users’ sense of achievement, particularly among leadership roles. When leaders feel more accomplished and have a strong sense of achievement, their teams benefit through increased motivation, clearer direction, and enhanced collaboration. This positive impact cascades across teams and departments, fostering a more engaged and productive workforce.

Overall health and wellbeing

The average employee spends one-third of their life working. That’s around 90,000 hours so it’s only logical that people are starting to reflect on how work affects their overall wellbeing.

Health and wellbeing are influenced by multiple work-related factors, including stress, social connections, job demands, workload, flexibility, confidence, growth, and achievement. Our research found that 90% of users experienced improved wellbeing due to use of GenAI. So, if AI can positively impact these experiences at work, isn’t it worth exploring? Short answer: Yes.

Many organisations have invested extensively in wellbeing initiatives that focus on external support and resources rather than addressing the root causes in work itself. One lesser-discussed benefit of AI is its role in workplace collaboration. Our study found that AI tools help maintain strong social connections by enabling seamless information-sharing and reducing time spent on administrative tasks, allowing for better team engagement.

So considering a variety of factors that can contribute to overall workplace wellbeing, our study showed that AI can help optimise workloads and collaboration while enhancing job satisfaction, confidence, achievement and happiness.

Can AI really create a happier and healthier workplace?

AI’s future in work isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about enriching jobs and empowering people. Whether you work in healthcare, education, the public sector, or private industry, in the office or working remotely, AI can enhance employee happiness, boost confidence, and improve job satisfaction when implemented with a people-first approach. 

But these benefits won’t happen by accident. Organisations must take a deliberate, human-centric approach to AI adoption, ensuring employees experience tangible improvements in their daily work. By doing so, businesses can unlock AI’s full potential, enhancing productivity, job satisfaction, and overall wellbeing.

How is your organisation using AI to support its people? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Get in touch to explore how AI can help create a more fulfilling and productive work experience.