By 2028, more than 20% of digital workplace applications will use AI-driven personalization algorithms to generate adaptive experiences for the worker, according to Gartner.
Digital workers satisfied with work applications are nearly three times more likely to report being much more productive compared with those who are not satisfied. Yet, a Gartner survey of 5,141 employees conducted from April through July of 2024 found that only 23% of digital workers are completely satisfied with their work applications in 2024, down from 30% in 2022.
“The apps used for work should feel as intuitive and empowering as the most popular consumer apps,” said Tori Paulman, VP Analyst at Gartner. “That’s exactly what employees are craving—a seamless, personalized, and omnichannel digital experience that mirrors the ease and consistency of mainstream consumer applications.
“Yet, over the past ten years, the gap between consumer and enterprise app experiences has widened. Many work applications remain isolated, inconsistent, and rigid, leaving much to be desired in terms of user experience,” said Paulman. To enhance workplace applications and bridge the gap with consumer-like experiences, technology leaders should take five direct actions:
- Implement Best Practices: Focus on AI-driven personalization within workplace applications. These tools should analyze workstyles to provide personalized insights, prioritize tasks, and automate workflows, all tailored to enhance each employee’s productivity.
- Ensure Transparency: Clearly communicate how digital workplace algorithms function and adhere to ethical guidelines. Detail the decision-making processes and implement strong data privacy and security measures to protect employee information and build trust.
- Prioritize Key Outcomes: Identify critical business goals, such as improving customer service first-call resolution. Determine which employee roles will benefit most from AI-driven personalization and explore how adaptive user experiences can reduce friction and boost productivity.
- Define Clear Requirements: During vendor selection, prioritize applications that feature AI-driven adaptive user interfaces, personalized task management, and designs centered around the employee experience to ensure intuitive and effective tools.
- Monitor and Adapt: Regularly assess the effectiveness of AI-driven personalization. Collect employee feedback and make continuous improvements to ensure these tools align with evolving employee needs and organizational objectives.
“In the realm of digital workplace applications, these algorithms can be game-changers for productivity by understanding and observing workers’ behavior, preferences, and past interactions to provide crafted recommendations,” said Paulman. “The power of these algorithms brings valuable insights to the surface, streamlines information, prioritizes tasks for workers, and even automates workflows to save time and make core work easier.”
