Excitement or Fear? AI's Impact on Company Culture

AI is an integral part of company culture today. There are few who would deny that. Its applications and potential attract attention and interest from individuals and global organizations alike. By employing AI-powered solutions, businesses can automate repetitive tasks, streamline workflows and improve overall efficiency. This, in turn, alleviates some of the factors contributing to employee burnout.

By automating repetitive and mundane tasks, employees can focus on more meaningful and challenging work that aligns with their skills and interests. In fact, 30% of executives say integrating AI into the workplace will significantly raise expectations for employee productivity, according to new Qualtrics research.

However, it is important to note that the introduction of AI in the workplace should be accompanied by proper planning and due consideration. Transparent communication about the purpose and impact of AI implementation is crucial to address employees' concerns and ensure their trust in the technology (and their workplace as a whole). It is also essential to provide adequate training and support to help employees adapt to the changing work environment and acquire new skills required to work alongside AI systems.

The reason for that is organizations do not want workers to lose the human element to work (or worse, to lose their critical-thinking skills). According to Qualtrics research, more than half of the employees who responded highlight these as noteworthy concerns.

That said, the biggest concern (or even fear) is that there is a possibility AI can replace jobs entirely. More than two-thirds of employees believe that some jobs are at risk because of AI and 23% believe their own jobs are at risk, according to the research. That “fear” is there because nearly 60% of employees say their company either doesn’t have a policy on using AI or they aren’t aware of such a policy, leaving them in the weeds as they try to figure out what is or isn’t legitimately allowed.

Again, it is paramount that companies really understand how they can incorporate AI and remain transparent with employees in order to avoid any confusion on the actual intent of incorporating it.

“The excitement among executives about AI is not surprising given the promise of more efficiency, but the concerns of employees are also well founded,” said Qualtrics Chief Workplace Psychologist Dr. Benjamin Granger. “Organizational leaders would be wise to remember that at their roots, organizations are simply groups of people and the bigger promise of AI is to help people be happier, healthier and more productive at work - outcomes that benefit everyone.”

Ultimately, the emergence of AI, particularly technologies like GPTs, continues to create both excitement and uncertainty in the workplace. But in either case, a thoughtful and strategic approach to AI implementation is essential to ensure a smooth transition and create a positive and sustainable work environment.

Edited by Alex Passett