Research-backed ways to increase employees’ enjoyment of work by reducing time spent on unpleasant tasks.
June 12, 2024
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Research by BCG shows that workers who spend too many hours on tasks they dislike (“toil”) are at risk for quitting, and employees who spend sufficient time on work that creates joy are less of a flight risk. A study of the consulting firm’s administrative employees demonstrates how they can use AI to reduce time spent on toil and increase time on joy-creating tasks. The research also explores the key factors that drive successful gen AI adoption; the main finding is that having a manager who is immersed in using AI will drive employee engagement with the technology.
Enjoying work matters — a lot. Our earlier research has shown that employees who enjoy their work are about 50% less likely to look for a new job. But increasing this emotion is about more than free lunch and other perks. People work at work — and it is therefore critical for any effort to improve joy to be grounded in the day-to-day rhythms, routines, and tasks that employees spend their time on.
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Deborah Lovich is a managing director and senior partner in the Boston office of Boston Consulting Group. She leads the firm’s Future of Work topic globally and is a fellow of the BCG Henderson Institute.
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Rosie Sargeant is a project leader at Boston Consulting Group, based in London. She is also an ambassador of the BCG Henderson Institute.
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Jacob Smith is a principal at Boston Consulting Group, based in Sweden, and an ambassador of the BCG Henderson Institute.
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