Report says AI tops workplace priorities in India, surpasses pay, burnout issues

By Anjali Sharma

WASHINGTON – The report issued on Thursday said that artificial intelligence has become the most influential factor on how Indians approach work, surpassing pay and burnout as the top workplace priority.

The study by jobs site Indeed revealed that 71 per cent of workers utilize AI to validate ideas, solve problems, or plan career moves, marking AI’s shift from a support tool to a trusted collaborator.

The report said that 75 per cent of employees have adopted at least one new workplace behavior such as skill nomadism, micro-retirements, moonlighting, flexible schedules and “bare-minimum Mondays”.

It said that 68 per cent of entry-to-junior level employees report actively trying new approaches to learning and career planning. Around four in 10 employees said they blend work and life through moonlighting, flexible schedules or short career breaks.

Over 42 per cent of employers see job-hopping and brief office appearances as signs of disengagement, while 62 per cent of employees consider these actions pragmatic strategies for adapting to change.

The report said that employees are shifting roles and skills more frequently as workers move between roles and learn new skills to remain employable and explore different career paths.

It found that this behavior helps employees adapt quickly to changing job requirements and new technologies.

Flexibility and autonomy were cited by 43 per cent of employees as key factors driving behavioural change, followed by stress and burnout at 37 per cent, and job security concerns at 30 per cent, the report noted.

It asserted that 1 in 5 employers reported a rise in attrition of over 20 per cent in the past year.

The report called for companies to adopt talent strategies that align training, career paths, and retention initiatives with changing expectations.

It added that software-as-a-service provider Valuvox conducted the survey for Indeed gathering responses from 3,872 individuals, comprising 1,288 employers and 2,584 employees across 14 industries.