AI anxiety, skills gaps emerge as major workplace risks for Indian firms: Report

New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) Nearly half of Indian organisations (49 per cent) worry about investing in artificial intelligence without adequate employee training and 52 per cent cited weak cyber threat literacy as “top people” risks, a report said on Wednesday.

The report from Marsh said Benefits inflation is the number one people risk in India, with 65 per cent of HR and risk professionals expecting health and benefit costs to rise over the next one to two years.

Technology disruption, rising economic pressures and shifting talent dynamics are reshaping the enterprise risk landscape.

Organisations and their people are operating under sustained uncertainty driven by rapid AI adoption pressures and a deepening talent crunch, the report said after collecting responses from over 4,500 HR and risk professionals across 26 markets — including 311 participants from India.

Within India, these workforce-related vulnerabilities directly impact organisational resilience and business performance, the report said.

Around 96 per cent of employees trust their employer to provide access to affordable, quality healthcare and 54 per cent depend on their employer for medical coverage.

However, 41 per cent of respondents said benefit decisions are made without considering long‑term cost impact and 40 per cent said they are made without adequately considering the health and financial impact on employees.

The report highlighted that 41 per cent of respondents say benefit decisions are made without considering long‑term cost impact and 40 per cent say they are made without adequately considering the health and financial impact on employees.

Labour shortages are the top concern for HR professionals in India. It is the fourth overall risk, the report noted.

Inadequate supervisory and leadership skills emerged as India’s most powerful risk multiplier as 62 per cent of respondents said weak leadership would have a catastrophic or high impact on organisations.

Meanwhile, lack of transparency, fairness and inclusion also featured within India’s top five risks, more prominently than in the global rankings.

—IANS

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