AI could help cut admin burden

These savings would equate to 1.1 million hours a week across the whole sector. This represents a 16 per cent increase in their capacity, and time that could be used differently.

Across the wider public sector, AI has the potential to save 23 million hours of admin a week.

The research, developed by Dr Chris Brauer, Director of Innovation at Goldsmiths University, features in a new report from Microsoft, Harnessing the Power of AI for the Public Sector, and shows AI could save more than four hours a week on administrative tasks, per staff member across all public sectors.

With an estimated 5.93 million public sector employees in the UK, as of December 2023, this equates to an overall saving of 23 million hours, every week.

The research, commissioned by Microsoft, shows that the scale of administration required of the UK’s public sector is drawing front line workers away from delivering frontline services, and “impacting the motivation, engagement and even mental health of large proportions of the public workforce”.

The report highlights that 74 per cent of police officers would prefer to spend less time on admin. It shows officers are spending 12 hours a week managing information and data, nine hours on report writing, and 8.5 hours responding to communications.

Dr Brauer said: “Rapid advances in AI mark an inflection point for public sector organisations across the world.

“Generative AI and large language models (LLMs) have the transformative potential to reshape government operations and redefine the future of public service delivery. Governments cannot afford to remain frozen as AI transforms the world around us.”

Based on surveys of more than 1,000 public sector workers, the report reveals that managing information and data is the administrative task that takes the biggest proportion of time, with each worker spending, on average, more than eight hours doing so every week. The sheer amount of administrative work is significantly impacting staff performance and morale:

• 45 per cent of public sector respondents say they are “drowning in unnecessary administrative tasks” and that this high administrative workload is negatively affecting their mental health and wellbeing;
• 55 per cent say the amount of admin work is having a negative impact on their ability to get on with their day job, and 54 per cent feel this is reducing their job satisfaction and motivation; and
• Half of respondents also say high admin workloads are compromising the quality of service they provide (48 per cent) and limits the time they can spend with the public or patients (49 per cent).

Perhaps unsurprisingly then, 57 per cent of all public sector staff say they would prefer to spend less time on administrative tasks, with more than half (52 per cent) feeling like they are always playing catch up, due to the amount of admin.

“Used responsibly, AI offers tremendous opportunities to empower public servants to do more of what they do best,” says the report.

“AI’s ability to automate routine tasks and analyse vast amounts of data can free up valuable time for police officers, doctors, nurses, social care workers and council staff, enabling them to dedicate more of their efforts to personalised interactions that truly enhance the lives of those they serve.

“AI can also enable significant efficiency gains that will enable public servants to clear backlogs, and improve the use of resources and delivery across the public sector.

The report offers seven key recommendations for the next government, which would broaden and strengthen the adoption of AI throughout the public sector:

Establish a national AI delivery centre: Create a centralised unit within Whitehall focused on driving AI adoption across government departments. This centre would pool expertise and resources from government, academia, and industry to develop scalable AI solutions.

Declare ‘AI for all’ principles: Introduce a set of guiding principles to ensure all public sector employees benefit from AI while being protected from potential risks. This declaration would emphasise the need for AI literacy and continuous learning.

Implement a comprehensive upskilling strategy: Develop a holistic approach to upskilling the public sector workforce. This strategy would target public sector leaders, employees, and the general public, fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation.

Unlock the power of public sector data: Break down data silos and treat data as a strategic asset. This involves modernizing data infrastructure and promoting data sharing across government entities to enable seamless AI integration.

Re-imagine procurement processes: Update procurement mechanisms to prioritise AI technologies. An AI-First policy would ensure the acquisition of cutting-edge technologies that drive transformative change while adhering to ethical standards.

Accelerate local government AI adoption: Support local authorities in scaling successful public-private partnership models. This involves creating networks of ‘change agents’ who can drive AI adoption and share best practices.

Maximise economic opportunities: Update the Treasury’s approach to strategically invest in AI technologies across the public sector. This includes introducing an AI Transformation Mandate for all departments to identify and implement AI opportunities.

Hugh Milward, vice-president, External Affairs, at Microsoft UK, comments: “The recommendations outlined in our report highlight the immediate benefits of AI for the public sector and also underscore the long-term economic gains of a successful AI roll-out. More than this, if AI is rolled out effectively across public services and the administrative burden is reduced, there’s huge potential to enable front line public sector workers to spend more of their critical time on delivering front line work. By acting now and strategically investing in AI, the UK can position itself as a global leader in AI innovation, driving economic growth and improving public services for all citizens.”