HR leaders told to 'infuse AI skills and pathways' or get left behind
Many employers across Australia risk missing out on the full benefits of artificial intelligence because they are lagging in upskilling their workforce on the technology, according to a new report from Dayforce.
The global study revealed that 65% of Australians are untrained in AI despite its widespread adoption in workplaces.
Nearly a third of employees recognise that it is important to develop AI skills, but 50% said their companies don't offer training courses.
A further 81% of employees believe that employers should reskill workers impacted by AI, yet only 17% of organisations currently do this.
The findings come amid estimates from the Productivity Commission that productivity gains from AI will be above 2.3% in the next decade, with labour productivity growth estimated at 4.3%.
This means an extra $116 billion of GDP over the next decade, according to the commission.
But Rob Husband, Vice President ANZ at Dayforce, said their findings indicate that most businesses are not yet realising the full value of AI.
"Employees are eager to reskill and take on new opportunities, but without investment in training, transparency, and career mobility, Australia's businesses risk chasing market noise rather than creating lasting impact," Husband said in a statement.
Impact of AI in Australia
According to the global study, AI is already delivering "measurable returns" when it comes to HR-related use cases.
In Australia, the majority of executives report clear value from AI in HR automation (77%), internal mobility (76%), as well as learning and reskilling (72%).
However, its adoption in workplaces has also fuelled fears among workers of losing their jobs to technology.
The report found that 43% of Australians believe AI will lead to job losses. In fact, some 13% said they have already seen their roles change due to AI, with 40% expecting more change soon.
Despite this, 56% of employees said their employers don't have a programme in place to reskill or transition employees affected by AI.
"For HR leaders, the mandate is clear — infuse AI skills and pathways for your people today or risk being left behind," said Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, Chief People Officer at Dayforce, in a statement.
"Employees are eager to grow, but without a clear strategy for training and career mobility, organisations risk creating a two-tier workforce — those driving innovation with AI and those struggling to keep pace."
