What makes us human?
AI is becoming more integral to business, but the human approach shouldn’t be forgotten or side-lined. Computers are very good at finding easy ways to do things, making processes simpler and communications quicker. They’re irreplaceable in the modern workplace, but you still need humans for empathy, support and creativity. Here in my latest blog article, I’m going to look at why the human approach is still so important in business.
Futureproof on all fronts
The way AI is taking over many aspects of our lives is happening quietly, almost without us even noticing. This is especially true in business, where we are becoming ever more reliant on technology in our everyday lives. At work, few of us could carry out our jobs without email or an internet connection, while in our personal lives, we’re increasingly reliant on streaming for entertainment and the internet for communication. We often hear about how futureproofing is an important component of any business. We need to make sure we’re not left behind in terms of new thinking, but also that our technology isn’t superseded and becomes outmoded. However, when we talk about futureproofing, it shouldn’t just be about technology.
Ensuring we retain the human touch is an essential part of futureproofing too. We can’t lose sight of what makes successful businesses tick and what makes efficient, productive, creative businesspeople. Human interaction, as we all know, is an essential part of work. It’s important both for efficiency and also has many positive mental health impacts. It’s worth considering how the ‘human touch’ continues to make such a difference to several areas of our lives.
Decision-making and negotiating
One of the biggest advantages humans have over AI is the ability to make informed decisions. By assessing the pros and cons of an argument or problem, we can reach conclusions. Sometimes this can be made by a single person, or it can be a group consensus. But it’s something that must be done by people and the ability to make decisions and to negotiate are talents that successful businesspeople must possess.
Support and empathy
Also important are emotional aspects, such as support and empathy. From ‘reading the room’, to ensuring people who may be encountering mental challenges are adequately supported, these attributes are also something that computers cannot ascertain. It’s often useful to make sure that staff connect ‘in person’, as it’s so much easier to measure someone’s wellbeing by simply looking at them. For example, an email can mask true emotions and feelings, and is often read in the ‘voice’ of the recipient, not necessarily in the tone of the author.
Thinking creatively
Perhaps the biggest and most important aspect of being human is the ability to think creatively. There’s nothing that compares to a group of colleagues in a room, knocking around ideas, compiling a strategy or reaching a conclusion. Imagination is something that cannot be created. These ‘human touches’ are natural traits that can’t be taught and in that way, are entirely crafted by the nature of the individual. We are all different, which as businesspeople makes each of us in our own way unique.
