New research from Qualtrics reveals that workers in Singapore and globally are expressing low trust in their bosses' ability to implement AI effectively. Around 50% of managers and individual contributors in Singapore trust their leaders to implement AI effectively, 17 percentage points lower than the trust levels among senior leaders.
"As leaders explore the potential of AI, it cannot be overstated how critical it is for leaders to build trust with employees. This requires demonstrating care for people and seeking out and valuing diverse perspectives so they can make informed, transparent decisions," said Dr Cecelia Herbert, Workplace Behavioural Scientist at Qualtrics.
Perception gaps
The report also highlighted perception gaps between employees and senior leaders.
For instance, 47% of employees at the manager level or below believe their bosses will prioritise people's wellbeing over profits when making decisions about new technologies, 20% lower than senior leaders.
Transparency is a key element in building trust in AI implementation. Yet, almost half (48%) of workers at the manager level or below believe new technology is being deployed in the workplace with clear principles, ethics, and guidelines, compared to 67% of senior leaders.
Tips for successful employee adoption and use of AI
For successful employee adoption and use of AI, Qualtrics recommends aligning on the purpose and goals of AI tools at work and providing robust AI frameworks and training.
Moreover, it helps to delegate employee champions to lead the application of AI tools and appropriate AI tools for the job.
Qualtrics also recommends a partnership between HR and IT to ensure appropriate investment in the right tools and employee enablement.
The report analysed responses from more than 35,000 employees globally, including 1,039 in Singapore.
