Recent findings indicate widespread discomfort among Brits regarding the use of AI in HR practices.
- Over half of Brits are uneasy with AI being employed in HR roles, as found by a SurveyMonkey study.
- The rapid integration of AI in workplaces poses trust and training challenges.
- A significant portion of the workforce lacks AI policies and training, exacerbating concerns.
- AI’s impact on job security is a major worry, particularly among men.
The integration of AI in human resources is a contentious issue, with more than half of the British workforce expressing discomfort according to a recent study by SurveyMonkey. This scepticism comes amidst AI’s transformative role in streamlining HR tasks such as recruitment processes, job description writing, and interview question generation.
The lack of structured AI policies and training appears to significantly contribute to these apprehensions. The study reveals that 41% of UK employees state their organisations have no AI guidelines, and a staggering 70% have not received any form of AI training. This training deficit is more pronounced among older age groups, with less than 5% of those 65 and over having any exposure to AI training, even informally.
Trust in AI remains a significant barrier, with 39% of workers hesitant to trust HR departments utilising AI. Furthermore, the perceived threat to job security compounds these concerns, with nearly half of the workforce worried about job displacement due to AI advancements. Men appear more anxious than women, with 53% expressing concern over AI’s impact on their employment compared to 39% of women.
Zoe Padgett, Senior Research Scientist at SurveyMonkey, notes the urgency in addressing these issues: ‘During an era of rapid digitalisation and increased AI use in the workplace, it is clear that there is still widespread scepticism surrounding the technology. The fact our research showed that over half of Brits don’t feel comfortable with HR teams using AI highlights the need for more AI training and clearer AI policies to address the issue of mistrust.’ This highlights the necessity for organisations to foster trust through robust policy frameworks and comprehensive AI training initiatives.
Addressing training and policy gaps is crucial to mitigating AI-related scepticism in the HR sector.
