AI likely to impact the global job market ‘within a year’ 

Human resource professionals are sounding the alarm over the imminent impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and technological advancements on the global job market.

Nicholas Roberts, president of the Human Resource Management Association of Barbados (HRMAB), warned on Tuesday that numerous jobs worldwide could become obsolete within months.

“A lot of jobs are going to become redundant within the next few months to a year,” Roberts told journalists.

He stressed that Barbados and other small states should therefore prepare for the changes ahead.

“So the aim of many of our societies, especially small island developing states like Barbados, is to see how we can re-engineer our work complements, our workforces, our human capital to meet the needs of the country.”

Robertson was speaking at a press conference at the Standard showroom in Wildey to launch the HRMAB 2024 Conference, scheduled for October 9-10 at the Wyndham Grand Resort. Under the theme Bridging the Gap Between People and Technology in Our Society, the conference aims to address the urgent need for businesses and HR professionals to tackle the workforce challenges posed by emerging technologies.

Roberts emphasised the importance of integrating AI into the workforce while supporting employees’ transitions into new roles. He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had accelerated the shift towards remote work and increased the use of technology in business operations. However, he expressed concern that some sectors, particularly the public sector, have been slow to fully embrace these changes.

Criticising the government’s decision to revert to pre-pandemic work models after initially adopting remote work policies, Roberts described it as “two steps forward and five steps backward”.

The conference will feature three keynote speakers: Jennifer McClure, president and CEO of Disrupting HR; Leslie Lee Fook, a prominent voice in AI from Trinidad and Tobago; and Marsha Lewis, an international consultant in human capital.

Roberts stressed the importance of performance management in ensuring employee productivity, whether working remotely or in the office. He argued that concerns about reduced productivity among remote workers often stem from poor performance management rather than the remote work model itself.

“A lot of businesses, not just the public sector need to take performance management seriously and not just use it as a tick-the-box exercise and when it is done properly, then you can see the efficiencies within the business or you put AI on top of it,” Roberts explained.

He added: “Technology is only going to enhance productivity if you have a workforce that is engaged and productive.” 

Roberts urged businesses to utilise technology to improve efficiency and drive productivity, rather than relying on outdated practices that hinder progress.

The HRMAB president also called for an overhaul of the education system to prepare students for future job markets. 

“We as a country need to be looking to see where the world is going and filling those gaps within our school system,” he said. “Obviously it’s going to take a multilateral and a multisectoral and a multi-part agreement to meet those needs.” (LG)

Editor’s note: This story was corrected to clarify Nicholas Roberts’ comments that job displacement is a real possibility in various sectors worldwide within the coming months and years. He urged Barbadians to prepare for the changes by embracing a collaborative approach, where people and technology work in tandem.