A survey by Experis, IT recruitment business and part of the global recruitment firm ManpowerGroup has found more than half (54 per cent) of Britain’s employers expect Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies will have a positive impact on their staff headcount over the next two years.
The survey of 2,000+ British employers also finds that more than two thirds (69 per cent) of businesses expect AI tools and technologies – including ChatGPT, Machine Learning and Virtual Reality – to have a positive impact on upskilling and reskilling, as well as on employee training (68 per cent). 67 per cent of British organisations anticipate a positive impact on employee engagement because of AI technology, and 60 per cent think it can positively impact the onboarding process too.
“These findings suggest the mood amongst employers is largely at odds with wider concerns for AI having a negative impact on future jobs,” said Rahul Kumar, director at Experis. “It seems many businesses are in fact feeling optimistic about AI and its potential to be used for effective recruitment and retention. This doesn’t mean we should dismiss concerns around the possible negative impacts of AI on employment but there is clearly a strong sentiment amongst employers that these technologies can help overall.
“In the IT sector especially, where eight in ten employers (81 per cent) are reporting difficulty in filling open roles – this optimism is to be welcomed as it could help to drive an AI-supported upskilling and recruitment revolution.”
Talent demand in the UK’s IT sector is estimated to continue to outgrow supply as the survey also shows that IT employers anticipate a Net Employment Outlook of +43 per cent for Q3. While this has weakened by 5 per cent on the previous quarter and 8 per cent compared to this time last year, it is still an exceptionally high Outlook and 4 per cent higher than the global employment Outlook for IT (+39 per cent). It also contrasts with recently announced mass layoffs by companies including BT, Meta and Vodafone.
Kumar adds: “What we’re seeing is an overcorrection on the accelerated pace of hiring that took place in this sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. This time last year, we saw big tech firms hiring in anticipation of a boom in the sector, yet the economy returned to business as usual faster than expected. Many of the recent announcements concerning mass layoffs are longer-term and will not necessarily have an immediate impact. But we would encourage those organisations affected, to try not to lose this workforce and the wealth of institutional knowledge, by supporting employees in upskilling and reskilling to fill the growing talent gap.”
The optimism around the impact that new technologies will have is not limited to AI but also extends to the Metaverse. The Experis survey also found that despite only 24 per cent of respondents being very familiar with the metaverse, and 63 per cent having no experience of using it in a professional context, they are optimistic about its potential use, with 65 per cent believing new technology will have a positive impact on the world of work by connecting people.
