In India, Slack's research shows that the Problem Solver and Expressionist workplace personas are leading the way in adopting AI

New Delhi: Slack, the leading workplace productivity platform, today unveiled the results of its new global research, shedding light on the diverse workplace personas in India and their influence on technology and artificial intelligence (AI) adoption.

The YouGov survey of over 15,000 desk workers across nine markets – including 2000 in India – offers unique insights into the preferences and behaviour of Indian desk workers. With a diverse range of workplace personas, India stands at the forefront of AI adoption, driven by Problem Solvers and Expressionists.

Problem Solvers and Expressionists lead the way in AI adoption in India

In India, the Problem Solver workplace persona is the most prevalent, constituting 23% of the workforce. These individuals excel in tech and automation, displaying a strong enthusiasm for AI and workflow optimization. Notably, 92% of them are early tech adopters, with 77% expressing excitement about AI. The Problem Solver’s eagerness to enhance productivity is evident, as 43% are keen on leveraging AI. Their active pursuit of external tech training contributes to India’s leading AI usage rate of 54%, as revealed in the research, surpassing Singapore at 34%.

In India, the Expressionist workplace persona represents 21% of the workforce, characterized by a visual communication style using emojis, GIFs, and memes. Globally, 72% of Expressionists employ these visual tools to enhance communication, compared to 29% of all desk workers. They advocate for fun and lighthearted workplace interactions, using visuals to create virtual connections. Expressionists are also notable in South Korea (15%) and Singapore (12%).

Detectives and Road Warriors less prevalent in India

India has fewer Detectives, the investigative workplace persona, comprising 16% of the workforce, compared to higher percentages in France (38%), the U.K. (34%), the U.S. (33%), and Germany (33%). The research suggests India’s comparatively younger workforce is a factor here, with Detectives found to be most common amongst older workforces.

Road Warriors, who thrive on flexibility and remote connections, are most common in Japan (28%) and Singapore (26%), yet they make up just 18% of the Indian workforce. They are outgoing, adaptable, and prioritise working from various locations according to their schedules. They are more likely to work on geographically distributed teams, with 17% collaborating in groups without any physical presence, and put a high value on flexibility in how and where they work.

Derek Laney, Slack Technology Evangelist, APAC, Salesforce, said, “As India’s various work models continue to evolve, our research has found that every workplace, whether it has five or 5,000 employees, comprises a diverse ecosystem of personalities, skills, and approaches. In India, Problem Solvers and Expressionists are helping to drive technological transformation at work with their enthusiasm for AI and innovative communication styles. While Detectives and Road Warriors may be less common in India than in other markets, fostering diverse teams is pivotal for productivity. Having a range of workplace personas not only makes our work days more interesting, but allows for different strengths to come together. No two employees are alike and businesses need a platform that enables a range of different styles of work to be successful.”