Dive Brief:
- Employers are facing an “autonomy crisis,” with 1 in 5 workers (21%) saying they believe they are losing control over their professional future, according to a white paper published Dec. 2 by the University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies.
- Autonomy is key to worker resilience, author Karen Johnson explained in the report. For example, the university’s Career Optimism Index this year found that 91% of workers who feel they have autonomy adapt easily to new work situations. By contrast, lack of autonomy contributed to more than half (51%) of workers reporting burnout, according to the research.
- Perhaps surprisingly, AI has emerged as an ally in restoring autonomy, Johnson noted. In particular, the index found that workers using AI felt more autonomous, more optimistic about their career, more confident in their ability to learn new skills and were more likely to say their burnout had improved.
Dive Insight:
As CEOs plan further workforce cuts to leverage AI and boost the bottom line, the University of Phoenix white paper urges employers to revisit a familiar and critical alternative: Instead of continuing to treat growth opportunities for workers — and the sense of autonomy these opportunities foster — as optional, view them as essential.
“By failing to prioritize internal development, organizations inadvertently fuel the very problems they seek to solve: Burnout, turnover and talent shortages,” Johnson wrote.
Johnson recommended that employers start by reframing autonomy as a shared resource, one that benefits both workers and employers. For example, organizations can reduce turnover and foster loyalty and confidence by investing in “reskilling and upskilling programs that provide employees with clear, accessible pathways for advancement,” she said.
Also, rather than position AI to replace workers, train employees to use AI to “accelerate their learning, productivity and problem-solving,” Johnson suggested.
Additionally, employees become more motivated and better equipped to handle complex tasks when they are given autonomy to overrule AI decisions from the start, researchers at the University of Auckland and the University of Western Australia reported last year.
AI systems are built on hard data, and humans can recognize nuances — “soft” information” — that AI can miss, the researchers said.
Still, empowering employees and fostering autonomy may not be enough, according to a July report from Wiley Workplace Intelligence.
Organizations also need intentional strategies that provide clear expectations, supportive leadership and opportunities for meaningful contribution, the Wiley researchers emphasized.
