AI is viewed by many as a groundbreaking, complex innovation that is revolutionising the working world as we know it. While this is most certainly true, at its very core it is in fact just another business change – not the great enigma it can be perceived as. Successful AI implementation requires the same strategic planning, governance, and management as any other change.
However, as AI tools promise significant change, with this comes inevitable scepticism with hurdles such as a lack of employee buy-in for businesses to overcome. Lack of buy-in largely manifests itself due to not fully understanding the technology, a general oversight of the benefits it can deliver, fears over jobs being replaced, or resistance to change in general.
Setting clear AI strategies, educating employees on the ‘why’ of AI, upskilling and properly educating colleagues on best practice usage, and incorporating it into onboarding processes for new team members becomes imperative, and will help to make employees feel more involved and therefore bought into AI programmes.
Buy-in starts with understanding
While introducing AI programmes into organisations is one thing, in order for them to be successful, employees need to be on board and invested in the change. Our recent research found that AI and its impact is the most critical business challenge C-Suite leaders will need to adapt to in coming years. So it’s paramount that leaders foster the right conditions for it to succeed.
Appointing a clear head of AI, or a designated AI lead, can make a massive difference in encouraging buy-in – ensuring not only that AI programmes run smoothly, but that employees feel confident that they have someone to turn to with questions or concerns. Many companies are already ahead of the game here with 39% of FTSE350 leaders saying that they have an active head of AI within their business.
That being said, having a head of AI is not the only solution to successful AI buy-in. There is very little point bringing in new tech and a head of AI if the benefits to teams and the wider organisation are unknown. Colleagues need to know exactly how AI tools will benefit them – whether that’s to improve efficiencies, enhance customer service, or automate certain tasks.
Despite knowing how essential this is for buy-in, only a third of businesses have invested in briefing and educating employees on their AI strategy and how it impacts their day-to-day work. Unfortunately, organisations cannot expect teams to jump on board with AI if they don’t know or understand the value of it. To maximise the value of AI programmes, teams should be briefed and educated effectively, to foster a culture of confidence and effective usage.
AI skills are essential at all levels
As AI becomes more and more integrated into day-to-day tasks within multiple industries, we are seeing a trickle-down effect. Whilst AI-specific roles rely on a depth of more technical AI skills, many businesses are starting to require AI knowledge at all levels. A sentiment echoed at many of this year’s AI events is ‘you might not lose your job to AI, but you could to someone who understands how to use it.’ Ultimately, understanding the capabilities of AI can enhance decision-making, efficiency, and innovation at any level and businesses are more aware of this than ever.
At the executive level, this knowledge can act as a guide for strategic direction or unlocking additional time for creativity and deep thinking, while at an operational level, it can help to optimise processes and provide data analysis. At any level and even in the most non-technical roles, AI’s usefulness for research, sparking ideas, and acting as an assistant for creating content is well-recognised.
Other, more specific skills such as effective prompt engineering are essential for many business change roles. This will maximise a team’s effectiveness in non-AI-specific roles. An aptitude for AI is fast becoming a critical asset across all departments and industries, and yet there is still a skills gap with 38% of our research respondents saying they don’t have enough skilled AI professionals.
Many individuals are using generative AI in their personal lives, and have experienced the associated benefits. Naturally, they will want to apply these benefits to their working lives, which can drive the aforementioned benefits, including motivation. With this in mind, organisations must be prepared with the appropriate governance to educate internally, ensuring generative AI is used ethically and in line with policies, i.e. to protect organisation’s data.
To keep pace with this shift, organisations must invest in upskilling and fostering a culture of continuous learning. Teams need to be empowered to interact with AI tools, whether it’s through internal training, cross-collaboration in dedicated workshops or steering groups, or a focus on AI literacy in onboarding processes. Building AI fluency across the workforce unlocks new levels of productivity and frees up time, which leads to bought-in employees.
Educating employees that AI isn’t to be feared
All good leaders know AI has the potential to be transformative; a difficulty, however, can come from a reluctance and fear from colleagues to integrate these tools into their day-to-day. This reluctance can stem from a worry over the prospect of AI taking jobs. This worry is prominent amongst younger workers, with Survey Monkey finding 32% of respondents aged 18-24 are worried AI will make their job obsolete. Many are also worried about the ethics of AI.
All of this considered, leaders need to identify potential sources of resistance and develop strategies to address them. This could be as simple as creating an environment where open dialogue about concerns and opportunities is encouraged. Those going through a large AI integration may want to set up a dedicated change management team, whose entire remit is to ensure the change runs smoothly and is communicated effectively. Leaders can also encourage buy-in through establishing clear company policies and regulations that promote the responsible and sustainable use of AI, including data ownership.
Not only this, organisations should also actively support their teams in developing skills and building confidence in areas essential for thriving in a tech-driven future. In an era dominated by AI, human abilities such as critical thinking, adaptability, and flexibility remain vital, as AI has yet to master them. This presents a valuable opportunity for leaders to motivate their teams to strengthen these capabilities. This will not only boost overall business performance, but also ease concerns employees may have about AI potentially replacing their roles.
Creating full team buy-in is the key to success
Securing employee buy-in is crucial for the successful integration of AI. When employees understand how AI will improve their day-to-day tasks and contribute to the company’s overall success, they are more likely to embrace the technology. By addressing concerns openly, fostering a culture of confidence, and demonstrating the practical benefits of AI, companies can encourage employees to get on board, leading to a smoother and more successful AI programme and a happier team.
