According to a new study, UK employers need to find creative ways to engage employees in developing essential ‘human’ skills to unlock the AI potential.
Hemsley Fraser is a learning and development specialist. The study highlights employee cynicism and gender and generational differences in learning. It also shows concern about AI’s impact on the job market.
Nearly three quarters of employers (71%) see AI as valuable for their organisation and 67 per cent recognise the importance human skills like critical thinking and innovative ideas, but a number challenges prevent effective upskilling.
Disruptions in the workplace and frequent reorganisations contribute to feelings of fatigue and disengagement. Over a third of respondents (35%) reported feeling fatigued, isolated and less productive at work because of constant change. Women are more likely to feel the effects, as 40 percent report these feelings compared with 31 percent of men.
It is clear that the traditional approach to workplace learning does not meet the challenge of acquiring new skills. Employees have different preferences in terms of where and how they get their inspiration to learn.
Learning preferences are shaped by generational and gender differences
The survey found that age and gender influence the way employees learn at work. Women (17%) are more likely than men (12%) to seek out ideas from their colleagues for improving skills, while men (22%) are more likely than women (18%) to turn to the internet.
The age of the learner also influences their learning preferences. Respondents in the age ranges of 45-54 (22%), and over 55 (23%) tend to prefer specialist learning providers. However, younger employees between 25-34 (27%), and 35-44 (23%), are more inclined to choose content from large technology companies.
This suggests that organisations should tailor their learning and development strategies for different employee groups rather than relying solely on uniform solutions.
Employees growing anxious about AI adoption
Nearly one third (29%) of business leaders surveyed believe that AI will cause more anxiety in UK workers by 2025 compared to the previous year. Women seem to be more concerned about this issue than men, with 32% of women saying they are.
In spite of the unease firms are divided over how to best address the skill gap. The majority of respondents (36%) believe that the focus should be on improving employee skills. However, 30% advocate a strategy focused on performance.
Another 21 percent of respondents support this type of strategy, but acknowledge that it has not yet been implemented in their organisation.
Creative workplace learning methods
Some organisations experiment with new approaches despite the challenges. A little over a quarter of respondents (28%) said that a combination of online and face-to-face learning produced the best results. On-the-job training (17%), and AI tools such as ChatGPT (13%), were the next most popular options.
Lynsey Whimarsh, CEO of Hemsley Fraser, stressed the importance of humans skills to help employees adapt to AI. She also warned that workers may not be motivated to learn new skills following years of disruption.
Human skills are essential, not only to help people cope with the new AI-era but also to ensure that organisations retain their sense of connection and teamwork needed to innovate and flourish.
The UK business leaders cannot rely on a one-size-fits-all approach of flooding the learning platforms with content. Employers will instead need to use technology to create highly engaging and creative learning options to motivate their employees and change their behaviours.
