Cultivating the right environment is necessary for the adoption of generative AI, according to a new report, which revealed how the technology has impacted workplace communication and employees’ skills.
A new global report from The Adaptavist Group revealed that the adoption of generative AI in workplaces has led 32% of employees to speak less to their colleagues.
According to the report, 48% of employees are now consulting AI on legal or policy issues at work, while another 41% are using it for HR-related matters.
A quarter of employees (26%) further indicated that they would rather engage in small talk with an AI bot than with a human, with the figure rising to 32% for business leaders.
These findings come as the report noted that 26% of the respondents confessed to being less polite since using generative AI, while 29% are worried that their abilities are declining because of reliance on AI.
“As GenAI continues to embed itself in society, we’re seeing a shift in how work gets done and how people connect and communicate,” said Neal Riley, AI innovation lead at The Adaptavist Group.
Carolyn Freeman, CyberPsychology specialist, attributed employees’ growing preference for generative AI in communication to the chatbot’s ability to be always available and non-judgemental.
“Interactions with AI can feel more private, contained, and forgiving, giving employees space to vent frustrations, explore ideas, or rehearse difficult conversations without fear of damaging performance reviews or workplace reputations,” Freeman said in a statement.
However, the specialist warned that this reliance on AI can also displace efforts to satisfy employees’ specific psychological or emotional needs through real people.
“Employees need regular opportunities, whether in person or virtually, to discover shared interests, exchange ideas, build trust and form the foundations of effective collaborative teams,” Freeman said.
Fostering a good environment
Riley stressed the importance of cultivating the right environment in order to strike the right balance between finding the benefits of AI and reducing potential drawbacks.
“The key to achieving a culture where AI use remains healthy and work-conducive is one which encourages responsible AI experimentation, and has a framework for measuring success,” Riley said.
Organisations that actively encourage responsible experimentation with AI report the following benefits:
- Growing skills in AI-friendly organisations (89%)
- Improved satisfaction (54%)
- Better team collaboration (68%)
- Successful ROI on AI (73%)
“Evidently, when organisations have the right culture in place, they see stronger performance, clearer communication, and measurable business returns,” Riley said.
Source – https://www.hcamag.com/nz/news/general/workplace-relationships-hit-hard-by-ai-adoption/558520