New research from Great Place To Work shares evidence-backed strategies that drive AI adoption, employee performance, and financial growth.
The future of work is being defined by AI – as artificial intelligence makes leaders who embrace it more accountable, and employees who are trained to use it more valuable. Yet only 40% of employees across Europe who feel psychologically safe at work are excited about using AI tools (compared to an even lower 21% of those who don’t feel safe).
The Great Place To Work European Workforce Study of almost 25,000 employees across 19 countries found that 45% of senior leaders say their organisation is investing in AI. Conversely, only 22% of employees and frontline managers say the same. The gap shows that there needs to be a greater involvement of employees at all levels in conversations about AI.
The good news?
European employees are very open to adopting AI, with 70% of workers being excited to use AI at work, when their organisation introduced them to the risks and benefits of using AI tools.
And 81% of European employees are enthusiastic about using AI if they also believe that their organisation would use such tools to benefit employees, their company, or a wider society.
Addressing the skills gap
Jobs are changing. Investment in AI presents an opportunity to boost productivity in countries where it’s currently below the European average, including the UK. Yet despite the excitement around AI, and even the rapid adoption of platforms like ChatGPT, many workers still feel that AI tools are out of reach.
Tech and finance are the two sectors leading AI investment across Europe – and are the only industries where a majority of senior leaders and mid-level managers report their organisations investing in AI tools.
When employees feel involved in decisions affecting their work, they are more likely to be enthusiastic about using AI (43% vs. 21%).
In organisations where people who try new ways of doing things are celebrated, regardless of the outcome, employees are 2x more likely to lean into using AI.
4 in 5 European employees are excited about using AI tools when they believe it would improve their work, their organisation, or the society as a whole.
However, there is a disconnect between employee enthusiasm for using AI tools and organisations investing in employees’ ability to use them.
Only 26% of European employees say that their organisation has introduced them to the risks and benefits of using AI tools. And only 24% say that their employer is investing in their ability to use AI tools.
Only 36% of European workers believe that their organisation will use AI in a way that benefits employees
– and only 43% believe in a way that benefits customers or the general public. This issue of trust is a problem for companies relying on employees to adapt quickly and develop new processes and products that unlock the potential of AI tools.
To see the full report, please visit: https://uk.greatplacetowork.co.uk/resources/winning-the-ai-race-report
