Employee Concerns Over AI And Workplace Surveillance Linked To Declining Mental Health, Survey Reveals

AI and Workplace Surveillance
Spread the love

Worries about the increasing presence of AI and workplace surveillance technologies are taking a toll on the psychological well-being of employees, according to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA).

The survey, titled “Work in America: Artificial Intelligence, Monitoring Technology and Psychological Well-Being,” serves as a follow-up to the APA’s 2023 Work in America Survey.

This online survey, carried out by The Harris Poll, gathered responses from 2,515 employed adults across the United States between April 17 and April 27, 2023.

Stress In Employees Due To AI and Workplace Surveillance

A staggering 38% of respondents expressed concerns that AI might eventually render some or all of their job duties obsolete.

Among those who reported this worry, a substantial 64% revealed that they typically experienced feelings of tension and stress during their workday, in stark contrast to the 38% who did not harbor concerns about AI.

The survey also unveiled disparities in concerns about AI job displacement based on education and ethnicity.

Employees with a high school education or less were notably more likely to worry about AI replacing their job duties, with 44% expressing these fears compared to 34% of those with at least a four-year college degree.

Furthermore, Black (50%), Hispanic (46%), and Asian (44%) workers exhibited higher levels of apprehension about AI job displacement in comparison to their White counterparts (34%).

Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr., CEO of the APA, emphasized the need for employers to educate their workforce about AI’s role and provide avenues for feedback. He noted, “The workplace is changing rapidly.

Open and honest communication from employers can help relieve employees’ anxieties about the unknown and improve overall well-being, which is associated with higher organizational performance.”

The survey also delved into concerns related to workplace monitoring through computer software, cameras, or other technological means.

Approximately 51% of employees across various workplace settings reported awareness of their employers using technology for monitoring purposes. This included office workers (49%), manual laborers (49%), and customer/client/patient services workers (55%).

Worryingly, employees subjected to monitoring reported lower morale, with 46% expressing discomfort with how their employer employed technology for surveillance, 51% feeling micromanaged, and 39% experiencing emotional exhaustion at work in the past month.

These statistics underscore the psychological toll that pervasive workplace surveillance can take on employees.

The survey also highlighted the detrimental impact on employees’ sense of self-worth. Nearly 41% of those who worried about AI job displacement believed they were not valued by their employers, in stark contrast to the 23% who did not share these concerns.

Similarly, 37% of these employees felt undervalued by their co-workers, compared to just 17% among those without AI-related worries. Furthermore, employees who reported being monitored by their employers more frequently expressed feelings of being undervalued at work (26%) compared to those who were not monitored (17%).

The findings align with the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health and Well-Being in the Workplace, which identifies “mattering at work” as one of the “Five Essentials” necessary to enhance workplace well-being.

Feeling appreciated by employers can enhance an employee’s sense of value, meaning, and stress management capabilities.

Conversely, those who do not feel valued, as seen among workers concerned about AI or subjected to workplace monitoring, may be at higher risk of experiencing symptoms associated with poor mental health, such as stress, irritability, or workplace burnout.

Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr. underscored the importance of recognizing the impact of technology on employee well-being, stating, “Employers who pay attention to how technology affects their employees will perform better.”

In a rapidly evolving work landscape, where the integration of AI and workplace surveillance becomes increasingly commonplace, the survey highlights the urgent need for organizations to prioritize not just technological advancement but also the mental health and well-being of their employees.

Fostering open communication, providing education, and ensuring that employees feel valued are essential steps in creating a workplace environment that can harness the benefits of technology while safeguarding against its potential negative consequences.



Spread the love
  • Low Moods Make Your Children’s Food Choices Unhealthy: Study

    Low Moods Make Your Children’s Food Choices Unhealthy: Study

    Researchers studied the link between emotions and children’s unhealthy food…

  • Our Brains Hear Sounds When We Sleep, Study Finds

    Our Brains Hear Sounds When We Sleep, Study Finds

    Researchers studied how our brains react to sounds when we…

  • Did You Know Food Is The Love Language In Asian Households?

    Did You Know Food Is The Love Language In Asian Households?

    Experts study the link between food, love languages, and mental…

  • Certain Brain Waves Influence Our Social Behavior, Study Finds

    Certain Brain Waves Influence Our Social Behavior, Study Finds

    Researchers explored brain waves related to social behavior.

  • Our Body Odors Determine Our Friendships, Study Finds

    Our Body Odors Determine Our Friendships, Study Finds

    Researchers revealed how similar body odors influence human social interactions.

  • How To Talk About Mental Health At Work

    How To Talk About Mental Health At Work

    Experts have suggested ways to talk about mental health at…

  • How To Stop Binge Eating? Surprising Research Reveals

    How To Stop Binge Eating? Surprising Research Reveals

    Researchers explored the neural mechanisms behind binge eating.

  • Music In Marketing Influences Consumers’ Green Behavior, Study Finds

    Music In Marketing Influences Consumers’ Green Behavior, Study Finds

    Researchers revealed how music in marketing influences ethical and sustainable…

  • Study Finds The Key To Boost Employee Engagement In The Workplace

    Study Finds The Key To Boost Employee Engagement In The Workplace

    Researchers surveyed how “engaging leadership” boosts employee engagement in the…

  • Researchers Discover The Gene Associated With Alzheimer’s Disease In Women

    Researchers Discover The Gene Associated With Alzheimer’s Disease In Women

    Researchers discovered the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease in women.

  • How To Talk About Mental Health With Your Kids

    How To Talk About Mental Health With Your Kids

    Experts recommend ways to talk about mental health with your…

  • Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A New Type Of PTSD

    Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A New Type Of PTSD

    A team of international researchers studied the longer-lasting sister disorder…

  • Mouth-Watering Food Triggers Excess Insulin Secretion, Says Science

    Mouth-Watering Food Triggers Excess Insulin Secretion, Says Science

    Researchers at the University of Basel studied how food triggers…

  • How Women Can Avoid Unwanted Sexual Experiences?

    How Women Can Avoid Unwanted Sexual Experiences?

    Researchers revealed how “capable guardianship” amongst friends can help prevent…

  • How Vecna In Stranger Things Symbolizes Depression, Trauma, And PTSD

    How Vecna In Stranger Things Symbolizes Depression, Trauma, And PTSD

    How the character of Vecna in Stranger Things Season 4…

  • Parental Training Helps Babies Sleep Better, Study Finds

    Parental Training Helps Babies Sleep Better, Study Finds

    Researchers explore the link between parental training and baby sleep.

  • Teenagers More Vulnerable To Cannabis Addiction, But Not Other Mental Health Disorders

    Teenagers More Vulnerable To Cannabis Addiction, But Not Other Mental Health Disorders

    A new study shows that adolescents are more vulnerable to…

  • Research Provides Insight Into How Menopause Affects The Brain

    Research Provides Insight Into How Menopause Affects The Brain

    Researchers explored how menopause affects the brain in women.

  • Researchers Can Now ‘Screen’ Cognitive Impairments With Sketches And Drawings

    Researchers Can Now ‘Screen’ Cognitive Impairments With Sketches And Drawings

    Researchers at the University of Tsukuba explored how people’s drawings…

  • Cell Therapy Can Repair Traumatic Brain Injury: Study Claims

    Cell Therapy Can Repair Traumatic Brain Injury: Study Claims

    Researchers explored how traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be corrected…

  • What Bradley Cooper’s Drug Addiction Says About Mental Health Issues

    What Bradley Cooper’s Drug Addiction Says About Mental Health Issues

    Actor Bradley Cooper’s drug addiction highlights substance abuse and mental…

  • Researchers Couple An Algorithm With Brain Scans To Detect Alzheimer’s Disease Early

    Researchers Couple An Algorithm With Brain Scans To Detect Alzheimer’s Disease Early

    Researchers at the Imperial College London, the UK, explored how…

  • What Makes For A Great Romantic Relationship? This Study Will Surprise You

    What Makes For A Great Romantic Relationship? This Study Will Surprise You

    Researchers explored how pairing people of similar desirability results in…

  • Do Zoom Meetings Reduce Creativity? Science Says Yes.

    Do Zoom Meetings Reduce Creativity? Science Says Yes.

    Experts study the impact of Zoom fatigue on our creativity…

  • Reducing Air Pollution Boosts Children’s Intelligence: Study

    Reducing Air Pollution Boosts Children’s Intelligence: Study

    Researchers explored the link between air pollution and brain development…

  • Gritty People Are More Flexible And Detail-Oriented, Study Claims

    Gritty People Are More Flexible And Detail-Oriented, Study Claims

    Researchers explored the link between grit and cognitive performance.

  • How Does The Brain Track Moving Objects? Study Finds

    How Does The Brain Track Moving Objects? Study Finds

    Researchers explored how the brain interprets motion in causal inference.