How to Get Employees to Embrace AI at Work

This month, the UKG Workforce Institute Weigh-In examines how to build trust with employees, especially when implementing AI technology in the workplace.   

The UKG Workforce Institute Weigh-In for June 2024: Technology such as AI can have a huge impact on the workplace. While many organizations are already using AI, a recent UKG study uncovered 54% of people have “no idea” how. How can companies increase their employees’ trust and willingness to embrace technology such as AI at work?   

“So many people believe that AI and robotics generally will mark the end of their jobs that they approach AI with marked skepticism, if not hostility. Yet, automation has been a part of the workplace for over 100 years, if not longer, and the labor force and jobs have continued to grow despite our equally long concerns about machines in the workplace. In short, we seem to have always feared automation and robotics but, at the same time, have benefitted from the proliferation of these technologies. 

HR personnel certainly need to listen to the fears and apprehensions workers have, but they also need to find fact-based answers to those fears. Yes: some jobs disappear when automated processes are introduced. That said, the record shows that new jobs emerge. For example, the last television-manufacturing company in the United States, Zenith, left Springfield, Missouri, in the mid-1980s and moved to Mexico, where it had built a mostly automated manufacturing facility. Over 1,000 jobs disappeared overnight. However, the manually skilled workers in Springfield became very attractive to medical-instrument manufacturers. Those companies relocated to Springfield to take advantage of these workers, and today Springfield is the nation’s leader in medical instruments. The jobs pay more and there are more of them.    This story is so typical of our dynamic economy that HR departments should be able to find something relevant and fact based to communicate to worried workers. We can’t stand against change; but, in this instance, the change to AI and robotics for American workers will likely have a silver lining.” — William Beach, former commissioner of labor statistics at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and current senior fellow in economics at the Economic Policy Innovation Center   

“I don’t think the problem with poor adoption of AI is lack of trust among employees. It’s more likely leadership doesn’t understand the technology and is fearful of it. To get leaders to trust AI, they need some training, a fair bit of hands-on time, and a calm voice to put risks in perspective.” — David Creelman, CEO, Creelman Research   

“Leaders must align their technology strategy with their people strategy. If an organization’s technology strategy is done effectively and successfully, it will incorporate the technology capabilities that will best address the business challenges that people in the organization prioritize. The impact of this technology, whether it is AI or other capabilities, must be monitored and measured. These results will lead directly to successful business outcomes or to process improvements and change. The communication of these results, if done comprehensively for all people in the organization, is essential to building trust and technology adoption.” — Nanne Murray Finis, chief nurse executive, UKG   

“Show them what’s in it for them, and assuage their fears. While it’s true that some traditional ‘white-collar professions’ like software engineering are in danger of being automated, digital humans are not exactly like living humans yet. I am fond of saying that you won’t lose your job to AI, but you may lose your job to a person who knows how to work with AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), robots, etc. At the end of the day, whenever you insert smart tech into a traditionally human-driven process like recruiting (or other HR functions), you still need a person to build it, manage it, determine if it’s doing the job it’s intended to do, explain its results to decision-makers, fix it when it breaks, and redeploy it if necessary. Inevitably, the implementation of AI means more humans will be needed, not fewer. The bottom line is that everyone, no matter who they are, has to look at the components of their jobs that will likely be taken over by AI and make a concerted effort to develop adjacent skills that will have to be performed by humans. And our organizations can be essential allies in helping employees discover what those adjacent skills are — and then mastering them.” — Alexandra Levit, co-author, “Deep Talent” 

“As mentioned, many organizations have used some type of AI, such as generative AI (GenAI), and for quite some time, although a large volume of employees are unaware of that fact. As such, start the discussion by explaining exactly what you mean when describing AI, and, from this point, create a list of existing AI in the workplace along with explaining how it is used (if it is not evident), and then discuss what (if any) plans the company is contemplating in the near term with the use of AI. One simple example to consider can be seen in the HR department in drafting a new employee handbook, where the workforce is mainly English speaking, although there is a significant number of employees with Spanish as their native language. One can use an AI product to draft a new employee handbook or revise an existing one. In addition to drafting a new handbook, AI can change the tone of the document, and this can be especially useful when considering documents that are sent out to the entire organization, such as an employee handbook.   

Although GenAI can work through this task in seconds, this example illustrates just how easy it would be to use this particular AI product, and it also helps show the ongoing need for someone in HR to proofread the document and make any final adjustments. Essentially, it saves time and effort drafting a document (or booklet), which could then be applied to other tasks or projects, while, at the same time, supporting the need for a person to review, edit, publish, distribute, and communicate the reviewed or new handbook. Although this example is straight forward, providing examples to an employee on how to leverage AI in a manner that allows higher level outputs with time savings can be done in many occupational fields. The key in this example is to show how AI can be used to enhance the work already performed, while supporting the model that a person is still needed to operate the AI, and to get the document communicated and distributed out to the company.   

 Now, let us take that employee handbook that we just edited and finalized, place it back into the GenAI program, and ask it to translate it to Spanish. AI will also do this same work for you. However, a person is still needed to proofread the final translation changes made by AI. Often, showing employees how technology will be used will reduce fear and improve trust, while giving employees time to digest what is on the horizon. Still, there are certain occupations that will logically experience a greater negative impact with the proliferation of AI, and, in an ideal world, these folks would get retrained into more advanced roles. Communicating these likely impacts in a somewhat timely manner throughout the organization will most likely help support and/or build trust with the employees in occupations who are likely to be minimally impacted by AI and encourage those who will be deeply impacted to rethink their career options.” — Dennis Miller, associate vice president of HR and benefits administration, The Claremont Colleges   

“Increasing employees’ trust and willingness to embrace technology like AI starts with education and transparency. Providing clear, accessible information on how AI will be used and its benefits can demystify the technology and dispel fears of job displacement. It’s important to highlight how AI can augment human work, removing mundane tasks and opening opportunities for more meaningful, creative work. Including employees in the AI implementation process can also foster trust. Asking for their input on how AI can be best utilized in their roles makes the technology seem less like an imposition and more like a collaborative tool. Offering training and development programs to upskill employees for the AI-enhanced workplace can also mitigate fears and build confidence in their ability to adapt. Demonstrating the positive outcomes of AI through pilot projects or success stories can further increase trust. When employees see tangible benefits, such as reduced workload, improved decision-making capabilities, or new opportunities for innovation, they are more likely to view AI as a valuable asset rather than a threat.” — Jessica Kriegel, chief scientist of workplace culture, Culture Partners   

“Before expecting employees to trust that AI will be used ethically and beneficially, companies must radically invest in skills development. It means prioritizing educational programs that teach workers the fundamental concepts of AI, its applications, and potential impacts. Only when employees grasp the basics can they form informed opinions about whether or not to trust AI’s role in the future of work.” — Laurie Ruettimann, host, Punk Rock HR podcast 

“Companies can increase their employees’ trust and willingness to embrace technology such as AI at work by prioritizing transparent communication and inclusive decision-making processes. Providing clear explanations about the purpose and benefits of AI integration, along with addressing any concerns or misconceptions, can alleviate fears and uncertainties. Offering comprehensive training programs and ongoing support to help employees develop the necessary skills to effectively utilize AI tools fosters confidence and competence.” — Dan Schawbel, managing partner, Workplace Intelligence 

“One of the main barriers to AI adoption is a lack of knowledge and understanding of how it works and its benefits. An alternative is continuous education and training programs. These programs should be designed for all levels of the organization and include offering regular training sessions that explain the basics of AI and its practical applications, providing access to specific AI-related certifications and online courses, and creating spaces where employees can ask questions and get clear, direct answers. For employees to feel comfortable with AI, it is important that they feel part of the implementation process. Some ideas include involving employees in the design and development of AI solutions, so they feel part of the change; creating channels for employees to provide feedback and suggestions on AI usage; and implementing pilot programs with groups of employees to gather feedback before a companywide adoption.” — Ivonne Vargas Hernandez, award-winning journalist and bestselling author, “¡Contrátame!” (Hire Me!)   

To learn more practical ways to build trust in the workplace, especially with emerging technology such as AI and GenAI, download the “AI in the Modern Workplace” white paper from UKG.