How workers really feel about AI – and what that means for businesses

The AI opportunity for employers

Germany and the UK remain 4th and 6th on the list of the world's strongest economies, but can these positions be maintained or even improved? As for many other societies, the impending large worker shortage is already a drag on economic strength. For Germany, productivity development has also been stagnating for decades. What role does AI play in this scenario? It has the potential to significantly mitigate the predicted effects of these developments, e.g. by boosting productivity, as a recent OECD study shows.

The good news first: AI is attractive! For less than one in four people, the AI orientation no longer plays a role in their job decision. For 44 % of people from Germany and 37 % from the UK, leading companies in the field of AI are very attractive employers.

In terms of productivity, a majority also expect significant productivity increases. So, in order to make the best possible use of the potential of AI in the future, companies should now set out on the path of making the right investments. Our study results make it clear that there is a need to catch up on this point: Approximately one fourth of employees from Germany (26 %) and one third of employees from the UK (32 %) believe that their employer uses AI effectively to increase productivity and performance. Again, slightly fewer Germans (17 %) and Brits (25 %) see their employer actively investing in training and development programs to help employees use AI effectively. At the same time, one in two people from Germany (49 %) believe they have a clear understanding of how AI can be used in their field. That's about 17 % more people than from the UK. People from the UK are similarly optimistic when it comes to AI being able to revolutionize their daily tasks and workflows within the next five years (40 %). From Germany, even 53 % stated this. However, this optimism could be even more pronounced.

The positive results therefore impressively show that there is a great opportunity for companies to set themselves apart from the competition as "first movers" by making the right investments. However, this opportunity is likely to be limited in time as more and more companies are recognizing the benefits that AI brings.

The more AI experience, the higher the opinion

To get a picture of opinion, we asked respondents to choose between opposing statements regarding AI in the workplace, among other things:

In terms of productivity versus job loss, respondents are optimistic. In each case, a majority (63 % in Germany and 59 % in the UK) already tend to assume that AI will increase their productivity rather than make their job redundant. This fits with the latest findings, as the so frequently propagated fear of mass job losses is giving way to a restructuring of the world of work, as shown, for example, by the latest report of the World Economic Forum. While some occupational groups will be affected more severely by job losses, others will experience a strong upswing and completely new occupations will emerge.

Another exciting result is revealed with regard to the topic of decision-making. While the consensus is that people are (still) critical of outsourcing important decisions to artificial intelligence, people believe the technology has great potential. In the UK, 7 out of 10 people (65 %) assume "AI will make decision-making more data-driven and objective". The majority in Germany also see it this way (59 %). Things get particularly interesting when we take a more differentiated perspective. For this purpose, we took a closer look at the results from Germany. In fact, the level of agreement increases by a whopping 14 % if the respondents already have experience in dealing with AI.

Overall, the results suggest curiosity and openness, but not universal euphoria. For example, the results also show in which areas people are still more reluctant and companies may have the greatest communicative and educational tasks. Although productivity gains through AI, for example, promise to free up more time and thus increase the space for interpersonal interaction, people are not yet convinced. Just 3 in 10 employees believe that AI will improve the interpersonal aspects of their work. Interestingly, the value increases significantly (+15 %) if there is already experience with AI tools. This shows: There is a strong need for education and communication. It stands to reason to conclude that those companies will have major advantages in terms of support and implementation speed that systematically introduce their employees to AI and initiate appropriate communication measures.

A detailed cross-country comparison by The Stepstone Group’s subsidiary Totaljobs shows what other differences exist between the UK and Germany, particularly with regard to the topic of recruiting.

What employers should do now

The fact that already at the beginning of the great change on the labor market the results of our as well as other studies, are to be interpreted so clearly, shows that people have recognized the opportunities of AI. So how should employers proceed to enable their employees to best integrate AI into their work? The results of our survey provide clear recommendations on how companies can successfully implement AI and not only engage their employees along the way, but also become a more attractive employer. We have compiled the first three for you here:

• Invest in the implementation and use of AI: Sufficient necessary resources should be made available so that AI can be used as effectively as possible by employees. Those who invest promptly can position themselves as pioneers and benefit twice over.
• Training and education: Provide training and education for your employees to help them understand and gain skills in using AI. This can increase the acceptance and use of AI tools and systems.
• Communication & participation: Communicate openly and transparently about goals and milestones to build trust. And don't forget to put your employees' expertise and desires first, because your employees know best where they are most likely to need AI solutions.

This article marks the start of a series of articles covering a wide variety of topics related to AI in the workplace. For example, on AI skills: How do people rate their own skills and are they ready for the widespread adoption of AI? So stay tuned for more exciting insights.

About the study

We are currently experiencing the next big revolution in the labor market. And we are all part of it: Artificial intelligence will fundamentally change the world of work as we know it. Automation, increased efficiency and new employment opportunities are just some of the expected effects. What opportunities does AI offer the working world in Germany and how do employees view the use of AI? These and other questions were investigated by The Stepstone Group in an online survey. More than 3,000 people took part in the survey in Germany from mid-May to early June 2023. Of these, about 24 % have leadership responsibilities, while about 19 % are in recruiting. The results are representative of the workforce in Germany. The survey in the UK was conducted by The Stepstone Group’s subsidiary Totaljobs with 2,000 people from late April to early May and is also representative of the workforce.