Employees and leaders not seeing eye to eye on AI

Workers in Australia and around the world are expressing low levels of trust in their bosses’ ability to implement AI effectively, according to new research from Qualtrics. The findings also reveal differing views on the immediate benefits of the technology.

Qualtrics analysed responses from more than 35,000 employees globally in the ‘State of AI in Employee Experience’ report, including 2040 in Australia. The study identifies several key challenges to address, which include building greater trust in the workplace, reshaping perceptions and expectations of AI, and providing employees with the enablement and training they need.

Employees do not trust leaders to implement AI effectively

Just 45% of Australian managers and individual contributors trust their leaders to implement AI effectively — 15 percentage points lower than the trust levels among senior leaders. Additionally, less than half (46%) of employees at the manager level or below believe their bosses will prioritise their wellbeing over profits when making decisions about new technologies — 15% lower than that of senior leaders. Only 34% of employees at manager level or below say new technology is being deployed in the workplace with clear principles, ethics and guidelines, compared to 53% of senior leaders.

The AI disconnect between leaders and their teams is evident in perception of the technology’s impact on the nature of their jobs, with a 27-point gap in positive sentiment towards AI between senior leaders (56%) and employees at manager level or below (29%).

“The relationship between employees and their bosses is already tense, and ongoing changes in the workplace are intensifying this friction,” said Dr Cecelia Herbert, Workplace Behavioural Scientist at Qualtrics. “AI is a prominent source of disruption right now, and we are all depending on organisations to navigate this new landscape with the highest level of integrity. As leaders explore the potential of AI, it cannot be overstated how critical it is for leaders to build trust with employees. This requires demonstrating care for people, as well as seeking out and valuing diverse perspectives, so they can make informed, transparent decisions.”

AI expectation management: Workers prioritise quality over quantity

Leaders who expect a surge in productivity after introducing AI may need to reset their expectations. Only 29% of employees say they would use the time saved by AI to increase their output. Instead, most plan to focus on improving efficiency (43%) or engaging in new tasks (39%). Also, just 38% of employees believe that AI will enhance the quality of their work, highlighting the need for better alignment and communication about the potential benefits of AI in the workplace.

“The productivity promise of AI lies in increasing the quality and efficiency of work rather than merely delivering more of it. However, on the surface there appears to be another point of misalignment on the value of AI: while executives are bullish about productivity and efficiency boosts, employees don’t necessarily see it that way,” Herbert said. “These insights are encouraging for organisations, as they demonstrate that employees are focused on improving the services, products and experiences they deliver.”

The intrinsic link between good experience and AI adoption

Workers who have positive employee experiences — those who are engaged, have their expectations exceeded by their organisation and are given opportunities to provide feedback — are more likely to trust their bosses to implement AI well, feel excited about it and use it more frequently. These findings stand in stark contrast to employees with poor employee experience.

When employees have their expectations met at work they are:

• 3.8 times more likely to trust their leaders to implement AI
• 1.7 times more likely to have a positive perception of AI’s impact on their work
• 2.3 times more likely to use AI at least weekly.
   

Highly engaged workers show similar trends. They are:

• 2.3 times more likely to trust their bosses with AI
• 1.7 times more likely to have a positive perception
• 1.5 times more likely to use AI weekly.
   

The frequency of organisational feedback collection also impacts AI comfort levels. Workers asked to provide feedback at least monthly are:

• 1.8 times more trusting of their bosses and feel positive toward AI, compared to those giving feedback on a two-year cycle or more
• 2.1 times more likely to use AI on a weekly basis.
   

“There is a deep, intrinsic link between good employee experience and employees’ comfort and adoption of AI,” Herbert added. “This reality underscores the need for organisations to prioritise employee needs as they navigate change and address the tensions between leaders and their teams. Ultimately, frequent and ongoing dialogue is the vehicle of organisational trust that’s key to building a competitive business advantage.”

How to get there

The following are tips for successful employee adoption and use of AI:

• Align the purpose and goals of AI: Ensure a shared understanding of AI’s purpose and expectations early on. Clear alignment helps avoid potential issues later. For example, if the goal is for employees to deliver more with fewer resources, this won’t land well.
• Support employees through enablement: Employees are adopting AI faster than their leaders, which introduces operational, security and financial risks. Organisations must provide robust frameworks, guidelines, principles, ethics and training to bridge this gap effectively.
• Identify internal AI champions: Designating champions to lead, teach and showcase how AI tools can be effectively applied to specific tasks is crucial for fostering adherence to policies and encouraging adoption.
• Use the right AI tools for the job: Avoid rushing into AI adoption, which can lead to poor-quality results. Evaluate available tools carefully to identify the ones best suited to your organisation’s specific needs. Be sure to include employees who will be using it too.
• HR and IT working in lockstep: A partnership between HR and IT is essential for success. IT ensures the organisation invests in the right tools, while HR focuses on employee engagement and effective use of those tools.
   

Image credit: iStock.com/Suriya Phosri