Simon Daly is Employee Experience Strategy Director at Qualtrics
The risks AI poses continue to be discussed around the globe, but there is no doubt that the technology is seen as the solution to many problems. The UK government announced its AI Opportunities Plan recently, working with private sector to invest PS14bn into various projects and creating 13,250 new jobs. In the US, we’ve seen several tech giants announce $500bn in investment for “The Stargate Project”, while China launched DeepSeek to continue the race to be first in AI development.
Leaders must listen to their employees to understand what they want out of the technology. Employers who want their staff to be able to use technology efficiently and effectively every day must consider how AI can help them solve their most pressing challenges.
AI has repeatedly been hailed for its increased productivity. Business leaders must work with their employees to establish trust, and to ensure that their AI investments are successful before they implement any solutions.
AI is not the same for employers and employees
Employees are driving AI use, but not the way we would expect.
Our research shows that when asked what they would do with the saved time by using AI, only 32% (managers and lower) UK employees said they would increase the amount they produce. This compares to 43% for senior directors. Employees would prefer to use the time saved by AI to improve their quality (42%), and efficiency (42%).
One could argue that workers are using AI to improve their quality and efficiency, not just to do more work. This blurred understanding of how AI is used could have a negative impact on the business, especially when it comes to building trust.
Reducing the Trust Gap
It is not a novel concept that building trust with employees can have an impact on their intention to remain at the company. Our research found that only 46% of UK employees believe their leaders will implement AI in an effective manner. Moreover, only 36% UK employees below the manager level believe that new technology is deployed in accordance with ethics and guidelines.
It may seem like a simple explanation that AI’s rapid expansion is creating pressure on companies to transform at a similar pace, which causes alarm among employees. However, this isn’t the only cause of a lack in trust. The UK government has introduced new tax laws, and business leaders are dealing with an economic climate that is difficult. This is all adding to the pressure on leaders.
Leaders must provide stability to their employees. This can be done by prioritising behaviors that build trust. The right solutions should be in place for organisations to listen to the employee sentiment and provide regular touchpoints to active employee feedback. Leaders should now be focusing on the importance of over-communicating to their employees, and demonstrating how each project within the company relates back to its goals.
Building trusting relations with employees
AI’s success will depend on the expertise of people and culture experts. These experts are crucial in creating guidelines for AI use across the company, making sure they align with employee needs and preferences and creating principles that ensure AI is implemented ethically. These experts also need to manage organisational change so that employees feel trusted and supported in the face of a geopolitical landscape that is constantly changing.
The success of AI depends on a successful partnership between people and technology. Business leaders that take the time to learn about their employees’ concerns, needs and aspirations regarding AI will be in a better position to implement solutions.
Organisations can create a culture where people and technology thrive by fostering an open dialogue, setting clear guidelines and maintaining transparency during the AI implementation. It’s not just about adopting AI technologies, but also about taking people on the journey to ensure they feel valued and empowered.
The original version of this article Building Trust In the AI Era: Employees’ Real Wants appeared first on HR News.
