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Two-thirds of employees (66 percent) think that AI will have a positive effect on their jobs, according to a new report from Ruder Finn.
For “Harnessing AI and Emotional Intelligence to Shape the Future of Work,” 225 people who oversee and directly work in internal communications or human resources were asked how they think various factors will affect the future of the workplace.
Only 10.27 percent of respondents thought that uncertainty about AI would have the biggest effect on their work environment. That number is far outweighed by the 24.16 percent who thought that economic uncertainty was the biggest threat or the 47.57 percent who named uncertainty about the workplace (e.g.,job security, restructuring and leadership shifts) as the top anxiety producer.
More than half (57 percent) said they use AI for internal comms and HR initiatives at least once a week, with 24 upping that rate to once a day. But, on the other side, 32 percent said they are not using AI at all.
AI was judged to be a plus when it comes to innovation (cited by 58 percent) and productivity (55 percent), but it didn’t do nearly as well in areas like employee engagement (38 percent), collaboration (37 percent) or retention (22 percent).
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That split highlights one area in which AI is often seen as falling short: the human factor. In other words, the things that AI can’t do are likely to be the things that set up employees for success. More than half of respondents (58 percent) said that skills requiring a higher EQ, or emotional quotient (innovative thinking, creativity) are more important than IQ-based skills such as technical and subject matter knowledge.
One key to making a successful transition to AI, the study says, is paying attention to AI training. Employees who have a low level of satisfaction in the training they receive are considerably more likely to lag behind on their AI use. Only nine percent of respondents with a low training satisfaction level are likely to be “more optimistic than worried” about AI adoption. That number rises to 18 percent for those with neutral levels of training satisfaction and 35 percent for those with high satisfaction.
Despite a positive take toward AI itself, most respondents are not nearly so upbeat on the way their company is handling the AI transition, with 73 percent saying their employer is “not particularly effective at managing change around AI adoption.”
The study gives a few pointers on how employers can remedy that situation. Those include developing a comprehensive change management plan; investing in training that focuses on real-world application of approved tools and continuous learning; and working to develop employees’ emotional intelligence.
“As AI accelerates innovation and productivity, leaders must not lose sight of the human drivers of engagement and culture,” said Ruder Finn CEO Kathy Bloomgarden. “Technology can optimize how we work but it’s human empathy, communication and purpose that determine how connected and motivated employees feel.”
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