Seema Shah
Director of Consulting, Great Place to Work UK
Although AI has the potential to revolutionise the way we work, preserving the human touch is vital – both for employee engagement and long-term business success.
There are endless ways organisations can leverage AI, but top-performing companies do so, knowing that trust is everything. Build trust, and your people will rise to their full potential, propelling the business forward.
Are you asking the right questions?
Diving headfirst into implementing AI, without first considering how to use it in a way that benefits both employees and the organisation, is a recipe for disaster. As a leader, it’s helpful to ask yourself: Have we involved people in discussions and decisions around embedding AI into our workplace? Are human and AI contributions aligned in a way that supports both employees’ success and organisational goals? Do we have a culture that fosters growth and encourages innovation?
The most successful companies use AI to empower their people, building new systems that make work more meaningful and equitable for all. They prioritise development so their entire workforce is prepared for the future of work. They stay committed to ensuring high levels of employee wellbeing through periods of change that come along the way.
The most successful companies use
AI to empower their people, building
new systems that make work more
meaningful and equitable.
Staying ahead of the curve in AI implementation
When we look at the 350 organisations ranked on the 2025 UK’s Best Workplaces for Development™ list, nine in 10 employees agree: ‘Management keeps me informed about important issues and changes’ (vs six in 10 at a typical UK company). This means they’re ahead of the curve when it comes to implementing AI without losing the human touch.
One hotel brand, for example, uses an algorithm to help pair employees with mentors. A transportation company uses AI within its career marketplace to suggest open positions aligned with an individual’s career goals that they’ve shared with the tool, helping reduce inequality on issues like promotions and pay. A tech firm created a cross-functional working group to promote, govern and support employee efforts to implement AI into workflows, educate colleagues on complex issues around AI and help teams learn from each other.
Take your people with you
Whichever path you choose, to fully harness the potential of this technology, employees must be taken along for the ride. When your people trust that you’re using AI to support them, not replace them, they’ll be willing and excited to embrace change.
