UK leaders are more likely to use AI for cost-cutting than innovation and it’s affecting employee confidence.
When H/Advisors surveyed more than 600 senior leaders globally, AI and technology emerged as the top driver for change. But UK leaders ranked cost efficiency third (vs. eight globally), while innovation and R&D fell to seventh (vs. third globally). The implication: UK companies are more likely to see technology as way to improve efficiency, reduce costs and stay competitive than as a catalyst for innovation.
This defensive posture appears to be reflected in employee confidence: just 35% of 5,000 UK workers surveyed by the IC Index believe AI is solving “the right problems” in their organisation – dropping to 28% in UK-only businesses (vs. 42% in international ones).
When technology is positioned primarily around efficiency, employees naturally question what it means for their own future. Communicating the purpose behind technological change – not just the business case but what it means for people – is key to building trust and confidence during transformation.
Q&A
We spoke with Michael Andrews, Chief Strategy & Transformation Leader at Sabio Group, a leading AI-first customer experience transformation consultancy, about navigating AI adoption and the role leaders play in helping employees embrace change.
How is AI changing the employee experience?
AI helps people do their jobs better. At its best, AI removes low-value, repetitive tasks and gives employees more time to focus on the work that needs human judgement, empathy and decision-making. In customer experience, that is already happening. AI assistants are now summarising customer conversations, completing CRM notes, helping colleagues find the right information faster, and analysing sales conversations to identify where conversion can be improved.
It is also improving accessibility. Real-time translation, for example, can help employees support customers across languages and markets in a way that was much harder to scale before. Sabio’s work with Transcom used AI-powered real-time voice translation to enable agents to converse with customers in more than 100 languages, with the stated benefit of allowing recruitment based on knowledge rather than language skills.
So, the real opportunity is not just automation. It is better performance. AI can help employees work faster, improve quality, reduce admin and focus more on the customer.
What role does communication play in making AI adoption successful?
Communication is critical because AI can be intimidating. Some employees worry they will not understand the tools. Others worry what AI means for their role or their future. If leaders do not explain the purpose clearly, people will fill the gap themselves and usually not positively.
The best AI programmes are clear from the outset. Leaders need to explain why AI is being introduced, what it will be used for, what it will not be used for, and how people will be supported. Training matters, but so does honesty. Employees need practical examples, not slogans.
It also helps to involve people early. Frontline employees know where the real friction is in a process. If they are involved in pilots and design, they are more likely to trust the outcome and become advocates for the change.
How can leaders build trust with employees during AI transformation?
Trust starts with being clear about the objective. If the objective is only presented as cost reduction, people will naturally be defensive. If the objective is better service, better productivity and better employee support, the conversation changes.
The recent Gartner research is useful here. It found that only 20% of customer service leaders had reduced agent staffing because of AI, while 55% had stable staffing levels and were handling higher customer volumes. Gartner’s advice is that leaders should avoid framing AI only around headcount reduction and should focus instead on workforce augmentation, new roles and transparent communication.
That is the right message. In customer service, human judgement, empathy and escalation will remain important, especially in complex or sensitive situations. Trust is built when leaders are honest about both sides of the change: AI will automate work, but it should also make people more effective.
Why employees are keeping AI to themselves
As organisations accelerate AI adoption, employees are grappling with growing uncertainty about what it means for their roles. Recent findings highlighted by Forbes found that only 6% of employees expect AI to create more job opportunities, while 32% believe it will reduce opportunities, reflecting widespread concern about job security.
That uncertainty appears to be influencing how transparent employees are about their AI use. A global study by KPMG and the University of Melbourne found that 57% admitted hiding their AI use at work, while almost one in three said they had deliberately withheld AI-related knowledge from colleagues or employers. Employees were concerned that revealing their use of AI could lead to increased workloads, damage perceptions of their capability, or even make their role easier to replace.
This creates a paradox. AI has the potential to unlock new ways of working, but many of its biggest productivity gains come from employees discovering better ways to complete everyday tasks. If those insights remain hidden, organisations risk slowing the very efficiency gains they are trying to achieve. AI adoption depends on more than providing employees with the right tools. It also depends on creating an environment where people feel comfortable using them openly.
The role of communications in AI adoption
Successful AI adoption requires more than simply introducing new technology. Employees need to understand why AI is being introduced and what it means for them. Internal communications can help close this gap by explaining the business rationale behind AI adoption, setting clear expectations and practical guidance around how it should be used, sharing real examples of how employees are using it successfully, and creating opportunities for people to ask questions and learn from one another. Highlighting and celebrating teams that are using AI responsibly can also help reinforce positive behaviours and encourage wider knowledge sharing.
The more employees understand both the purpose of AI and the organisation’s expectations for its use, the more likely they are to use it confidently, share successful approaches with colleagues and help embed AI across the organisation.
Key dates for the diary
Digital Workplace & Internal Communications Conference Brussels
22 September 2026, Brussels, Belgium
This conference brings together communication, IT and HR professionals to explore how digital workplaces and generative AI are changing the way organisations work, communicate and engage employees. It covers topics such as responsible AI use, corporate culture and digital leadership, modern work in the age of AI-agents, and hybrid work culture in practice. Link to website
Future: People & AI 2026
13-14 October 2026, Brussels, Belgium
Hosted by The Conference Board, this event focuses on how leadership, skills, and cultural shifts define the future of work. It covers topics such as organisational transformation, leadership in change, productivity and new work models in the age of AI, and preparing organisations for an AI-enabled future. Link to website
Internal Communications Conference
18-20 November 2026, London, United Kingdom
This event explores how communication, culture, leadership, and employee experience converge to drive stronger engagement and meaningful business outcomes. It covers topics such as employee engagement, workplace culture, leadership communication, change communications, and creating impactful communication strategies. Link to website
How to build trust during digital transformation
H/Advisors’ Leading without a Landing research found over three-quarters of leaders expect technological advancements to reshape their organisation over the coming year. Yet as we’ve seen, UK employees remain sceptical – uncertain whether AI is solving the right problems and unclear on what it means for their role. Closing that gap requires more than a launch announcement. It requires clear, sustained communications that help people understand what’s changing, why it matters, and what’s expected of them.
Our approach
- Align leadership on a shared vision: Before communicating AI initiatives to the wider organisation, ensure leadership is aligned on why the transformation matters, how it connects to strategy, and what it means for people. Mixed messages from the top erode trust quickly.
- Build a narrative that answers ‘what does it mean for me?’: Employees don’t need a technology explainer – they need to understand how AI will affect their work, what’s expected of them, and what support is available. A clear transformation narrative provides the foundation for consistent, relevant communications across audiences.
- Equip managers to have meaningful conversations: Managers are where questions land. Give them more than talking points – equip them with practical Q&As, worked examples, and facilitated sessions so they can answer questions confidently, encourage experimentation and help employees apply new technologies in their day-to-day work.
- Create space for questions and concerns: Dedicated feedback channels, open forums and regular pulse checks help identify emerging issues early and signal that leadership is listening.
- Track understanding and impact – not just awareness: Measuring whether employees saw a message is not the same as measuring whether they understood it or changed how they work. Use surveys, feedback and adoption data to identify where communications are landing, where they need to be sharper, and whether they’re driving the behaviours you need.
Get in touch
Adaora Geiger, Head of Transformation & Change, for more information on our services.
+44 7833 200401
[email protected]