Artificial Intelligence and Employee Well-Being: Balancing Technological Progressions with Human-Centric Workplace Strategies, a Research Agenda

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) enabled technologies are now corporate organisations' top priorities due to the availability of large data and the advent of the Internet of Things during the past ten years. AI is becoming a crucial component of business model innovation, process transformation, disruption, and gaining a competitive edge for companies adopting digital and data-centric cultures. This study investigates the implications of smart technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, and algorithms (STARA) on the future of work, with a particular emphasis on employee well-being and workplace dynamics. As futurists project that by 2025, 52% of all work functions will be automated, replacing one-third of current jobs, the rapid advancement of STARA creates both opportunities and risks. While automation has the potential to produce 133 million new jobs, it also threatens to eliminate 75 million employments, raising employee anxieties about job security and future roles. Despite the rising volume of studies on smart automation, there is still a major vacuum in our understanding of its implications on employees' mental health, well-being, and the entire workplace. This study investigates STARA's dual influence: while technology reduces physical strain and automates tedious jobs, it also raises new difficulties such as job displacement concerns and shifts in worker dynamics. The study emphasizes the need of human resource professionals to develop methods that strike a balance between technological integration and employee assistance. Key areas of focus include providing reskilling opportunities, adopting mental health initiatives, and encouraging open conversation regarding AI's expanding role in the workforce. By addressing these concerns, organisations may build a more resilient workforce that is better suited to the fourth industrial revolution. The study intends to contribute to a better understanding of how organisations may safeguard and improve employee well-being in the face of fast technological change, ensuring that STARA integration encourages innovation while simultaneously supporting a healthy and engaged workforce