Is AI Intensifying Workplace Burnout?

When ChatGPT emerged in late 2022, Anurag Garg, the founder of Everest PR, was quick to integrate the AI language model into his agency’s operations. With a team of 11, Garg hoped that incorporating AI tools would streamline workflows and enhance competitiveness. However, the reality turned out to be quite different.

Instead of boosting productivity, the new technology introduced stress and tension among employees. The team found that tasks were taking longer as they had to create prompts for ChatGPT and meticulously check its output for inaccuracies. Each update to the platform required additional time for staff to learn new features, further complicating their workload.

“There were too many distractions,” Garg explains. “The team complained that their tasks were taking twice as long because we were now expecting them to use AI tools.” The intention behind using AI was to simplify processes, but it ended up overwhelming the team and contributing to feelings of burnout.

As a leader, Garg faced his own challenges. The rapid influx of AI tools created pressure to stay updated with the latest developments. He was juggling multiple platforms—using ChatGPT for content generation, Zapier for task management, and Perplexity for client research. “There’s an overflow of AI tools, and no single tool solves multiple problems,” he laments. This led to frustration and confusion as he struggled to keep track of which tool was best suited for specific tasks.

Ultimately, Garg decided to scale back the mandatory use of AI, focusing on it primarily for research purposes. This change brought a significant improvement in team morale. “It was a learning phase for us. Work is now more manageable, and everyone feels more connected to their tasks,” he says.

The stress Garg’s team experienced reflects broader trends identified in recent research. A survey by Upwork, which involved 2,500 knowledge workers from the US, UK, Australia, and Canada, revealed that while 96% of executives believe AI will enhance productivity, 77% of employees felt that AI tools have actually decreased their productivity and increased their workload. Notably, 61% of respondents feared that using AI at work would elevate their chances of burnout, with this figure rising to 87% among younger workers.

Additionally, a study from Asana highlighted the negative effects of juggling multiple work-based applications. Among knowledge workers using 16 or more different apps, 23% reported decreased efficiency and shortened attention spans due to the constant need to switch between platforms. Cassie Holmes, a management professor at UCLA, pointed out that “using multiple apps requires additional time to learn them and switch between them, which can be frustrating.”

Leah Steele, a former lawyer turned coach, specializes in helping legal professionals manage burnout. She observes a growing burden as firms adopt AI productivity tools without considering their implications. “There’s a continuous demand to do more with less, but companies aren’t necessarily evaluating whether the systems they introduce are truly beneficial,” she says.

Steele emphasizes that burnout isn’t solely about workload volume; it’s also about employees’ emotional responses to their roles. “Many feel trapped in high-volume, low-control environments, contrasting sharply with their original aspirations of client interaction and meaningful contributions.”

The Law Society of England and Wales acknowledges the necessity for better support for lawyers adapting to new technologies. President Richard Atkinson notes that while AI can automate routine tasks to enhance efficiency, it can paradoxically lead to increased workloads. “Learning to use these tools takes time, and many weren’t originally designed for the legal sector, complicating transitions,” he says.

On the other hand, Alicia Navarro, founder of the platform Flown, believes that while there is a surge of AI tools, their effective use can greatly benefit smaller firms. “For startups with limited resources, AI can be empowering, enabling them to accomplish more and enhance their teams’ compensation,” she explains.

In conclusion, the integration of AI into the workplace has sparked significant debate about its true impact on productivity and employee well-being. While it holds potential benefits, the accompanying stress and potential for burnout require careful management and support. As businesses navigate this rapidly evolving landscape, the focus must remain on balancing technological advancement with employee well-being.