26.07.2024

ALMOST THREE-QUARTERS OF ROMANIANS EXPECT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THEIR WORKPLACE, A SURVEY SHOWS

Almost three-quarters (73 percent) of Romanian respondents believe that generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) will have some impact on their workplace, according to a survey titled "How work preferences are changing in the GenAI era" published by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), The Network and The Stepstone Group.

Also, 55 percent of respondents want to retrain and train to adapt to the new context, while 40 percent would do so only if necessary, and 5 percent do not plan to do so at all, the survey found.

Globally, three-quarters of employees believe that GenAI will bring some level of change to their workplace. Despite the uncertain times, they remain confident in their position in the labor market: 57 percent of them are willing to retrain for new positions to advance their careers.

Regarding the negotiating position, 60 percent of Romanian respondents believe they have an advantage when it comes to negotiating a new job, and 65 percent say that potential employers contact them at least once a year, 12 percent - once every few years, and only 23 percent reported never contacting recruiters.

Regarding adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), only 23 percent of Romanians report using this technology regularly, compared to 29 percent of the French and 39 percent of Americans. The report states that 23 percent of Romanians have never heard of AI, compared to 14 percent of respondents globally.

The survey results highlight the proactive approach employees are taking in responding to the impact of GenAI. By prioritizing retraining and development, they not only prepare to adapt to technological change, but also express confidence in their ability to thrive in an evolving job market. This adaptability is essential to maintaining a stable and sustainable workforce in the face of continuous technological advancement.

In terms of important job choice factors, financial aspects are the priority for Romanian employees, followed by work-life balance and relationships with superiors. Globally, the most valued factor is job security.

Romanian employees are also sure about what they don't want. For example, 69 percent would turn down an attractive job offer if they had a negative experience during the interview. In addition, 35 percent of employees say they would not work for companies that do not offer the option to work from home or remotely, and 41 percent value diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

The "How work preferences are changing in the GenAI era" survey gathered responses from 150,735 employees from 188 countries and is the second part of the 2024 edition of the Decoding Global Talent series. The survey in Romania was conducted on a sample of 1,074 respondents.