Exploring AI

Workplaces are built on communication, yet miscommunication is one of the most common and harmful issues faced by organizations today. A lack of transparency can leave employees feeling unheard, while managers struggle to address issues they may not even know exist. This disconnect can lead to frustration, poor mental health, and reduced productivity.  At Junction 2024, Europe’s largest hackathon, our team of four from Metropolia's Strategy and Development Services set out to solve this problem with a simple question: What if AI could help make workplaces healthier by bridging communication gaps?  With Bubble Burster, we're not just solving communication gaps—we're building workplaces where every voice matters and every issue drives meaningful change  Our hackathon idea was an AI tool called Bubble Burster.  A platform that combines artificial intelligence, transparency, and actionability to create better communication and well-being in organizations.  Miscommunication Hurts Everyone  Communication isn’t just about meetings and memos. It’s the thread that ties together an organization’s culture, goals, and mental well-being. But when employees feel unheard or when managers lack visibility into issues, the thread frays.  This is how AI could help people understand each other A 2022 study by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that poor communication, unresolved conflicts, and lack of employee support are among the leading risks to mental health at work. These risks often go unnoticed because employees hesitate to speak up, or their concerns get buried under vague processes.  Bubble Burster as an AI Problem-Solver  Bubble Burster empowers both employees and managers by turning communication issues into actionable insights. It works in three core ways:  1. For Employees: A Voice That’s Heard  Employees can manually submit workplace concerns or rely on our AI to detect issues automatically. By analyzing virtual meetings and team conversations, the AI raises tickets for potential problems (ranging from excessive workload to workplace harassment) based on guidelines from WHO’s "Risks to Mental Health at Work." Tickets ensure transparency, giving employees confidence that their concerns are visible to managers. The ticketing system serves as a central hub where managers can monitor progress, update statuses, and resolve concerns in real time.  The platform doesn’t stop there; employees receive tailored advice powered by an AI chatbot, helping them navigate workplace challenges. The chatbot provides tailored advice to help them navigate their workplace concerns, offering immediate guidance while they wait for management to take action.  Figure 2: Daily diary and issue progress tracker  2. For Managers: Clarity and Action  Managers rely on clear, actionable data to address workplace issues effectively. Bubble Burster’s ticketing system transforms employee concerns into structured tickets categorized by type, frequency, and department. The AI automatically classifies each ticket, allowing managers to prioritize the most pressing issues and track their resolution in real time.  The well-being dashboard provides an overview of company-wide and department-specific trends, empowering managers to identify patterns, allocate resources, and make informed decisions. From acknowledging new issues to resolving ongoing concerns, the system ensures every problem is visible and actionable.  Figure 3: Issues list  3. The Bigger Picture: A Healthier Workplace  A healthier workplace is achieved by using data, not just non-actionable noise. Bubble Burster provides a well-being dashboard that organizes issues by department, allowing managers to track current employee’s mental health status, and process effectively.   Figure 4: Company health represented in dashboards Our Hackathon Journey  Bubble Burster was created during Junction 2024, a 48-hour sprint that challenged us to think fast, code faster, and build something impactful. Over two days and more than 15 hours of coding per day, our team transformed an ambitious idea into a working prototype by leveraging AI into the workplace.  Representing Metropolia's Strategy and Development Services, where we specialize in applying AI to solve real-world problems, we brought together our expertise in AI and workplace dynamics. Just as we’ve worked to bring AI closer to teachers through our AI-powered Moodle plugin, we aimed to make AI a valuable tool for improving communication and well-being in organizations.  The collaboration between Mika Hämäläinen, Leo Huovinen, Lev Kharlashkin, and Melany Macías, showcased the power of teamwork under pressure. By combining our skills and experience, we built a platform that has the potential to create healthier, more transparent workplaces.  Why Bubble Burster Matters  Our goal with Bubble Burster isn’t just to solve communication problems—it’s to create a healthier, more transparent workplace where employees feel valued, and managers can take meaningful action.  By leveraging AI, we have built a system that:  Detects problems employees may not voice themselves.  Provides actionable data and advice for both employees and managers.  Fosters trust, accountability, and well-being across teams.  We hope Bubble Burster inspires organizations to view communication as a cornerstone of mental health and productivity, and this is just the beginning. As we refine the platform, we envision deeper integrations with tools like Slack, Teams, and Zoom, making it even easier for organizations to adopt. By expanding its capabilities, we aim to create workplaces where everyone feels heard, supported, and empowered.