Change management: How to get your team on board with AI

According to a study done by McKinsey, one-third of companies are already using generative AI in at least one business function, ranging from sales and marketing, product development, operations, or administration. Of those companies that are already using AI, 40% of them expect to invest more in AI soon. 

The new technology is helping companies capture more value from existing business lines and maintain their competitive edge. So how can your company take advantage of these benefits without overwhelming your team? 

In this post, we’ll share insights and guidance on how you can (successfully) adopt AI while ensuring that your employees are comfortable with the transition.

Encourage your team to learn more about AI

Unfortunately, over half of the American population is more concerned than excited about the increase of AI in daily life. While awareness is spreading and more people are hearing about AI, many do not have a deep understanding of how AI works and the benefits it has in the workplace. Your employees may feel confused, overwhelmed, or worried about the prospect of using this new technology.

Provide your employees with support and information as you begin to adopt AI. Give examples of how your employees might already use AI, such as chatbots to contact a company’s customer service. These demonstrations might make them feel more at ease knowing that AI is already working to make their personal lives more convenient.

Education is also an integral part of the change. Encourage your employees to learn new skills or improve their current ones by offering training focused around technical skills that can help them learn more about AI and how they will be using it. Leave room to tailor the training depending on your employee’s current skill levels and the questions they will have along the way.

In addition, a study done by the American Psychological Association found that a disproportionate percentage of employees who are worried about AI in the workplace also experience high levels of stress and symptoms of burnout compared to employees who are not worried about AI. Offering extra reassurance that this transition is not a threat to their jobs, but can rather give them precious bandwidth back to fight burnout, can go a long way in reducing stress and increasing motivation.

Integrating AI thoughtfully into existing systems

Almost 40% of employees are worried that AI will take over their jobs. To mitigate these fears and maintain your employee retention rates, it’s crucial that you plan AI integration carefully. Similar to how you would train a human employee, you may want to introduce AI as an assistant rather than the star of the show, on day one.

Resist any temptation you may have to scrap all of your existing systems and replace them with AI. Because, while AI is an excellent tool for assisting your employees, you don’t want to make your employees feel like they’re being pushed out. Find ways to incorporate AI into your existing workflows that creates net new bandwidth for your human teammates.

Change management principles to keep your team in the loop

While AI is a relatively new concept in the workplace, change management is not. All companies have a change management strategy. However, traditional top-down decision-making processes could cause your AI implementation to go awry. Instead, consider creating a change management strategy that focuses on strong communication that includes all employees.

Use the following principles to improve the transition to AI:

• Be transparent about decisions. Tell employees about potential changes early and include key employees during the decision-making process. Instead of simply asking their opinion after decisions are made, make sure their opinions are heard beforehand.
• Provide a framework for freedom. Don’t lock your employees into a hard-and-fast plan. Offer them guidelines and let them choose their own path to change. For example, your company vision might help your employees set their own metrics for success.
• Have two-way conversations. Top-down communication can come off as commanding, while two-way conversations between employees and leadership create collaboration and allow employees to voice their questions or worries.

While these principles may increase the time it takes to make decisions and roll out change initiatives, they can save time in the long run by avoiding obstacles. Having a thorough understanding of your employees day-to-day responsibilities that will involve AI improves your chances of success.

Tracking results throughout the change

Don’t expect your AI implementation to happen overnight. It may take time to get your team on board and fully engaged with the new technology. 

Watch employees to see how they react throughout the change. Employees who are comfortable with the change are excellent role models for others who may be apprehensive. If you find particular teammates are having trouble adjusting, try pairing them with someone who has become familiar with the AI. 

You can also consult the AI’s training material to provide extra information to your employees. Some AI platforms like Regie.ai will offer thorough guidance and support for setting up and using the AI.