As workplace polarity becomes the norm, differing preferences for fully digital or more organic ways of getting things done will become the norm, predicts Wallace. Organisations can’t simply force everyone to use digital channels, even if the pandemic spurred a giant leap in technology uptake and acceptance.

“Organisations will need to cater to both the digital and organic experiencers,” says Wallace, noting that up to 25% of the Australian population rejects digital-only models. “We know ourselves better and we expect our employers and brands to understand us better, too.”

New South Wales healthcare providers are using AI to deliver better patient experiences. A new system called OrbitaASSIST lets patients make verbal requests from their beds using smart speakers, rather than pressing call buttons. Information is converted into automated tasks and delivered to shared smartphones used by nurses, who can respond, prioritise, and escalate patient requests faster.

“Nurses can let patients know their request has been heard and help is on the way,” says Nick White, principal and co-creator of OrbitaASSIST and executive vice president, patient care solutions at Orbita. “Nurses also know exactly what a patient is asking for and can respond appropriately.”

Because nurses arrive at bedsides with full knowledge of what’s requested—and having received real-time data on critical information like vital signs and when medication was last administered—they can spend more time providing one-on-one, empathetic care to patients.