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Does your workplace have an AI culture problem?

Image credit: Max Acronym / Shutterstock

When it comes to AI, you might be operating under the assumption that taking a wait and see approach is the best way to navigate uncharted territory.  

But the reality is AI has already infiltrated almost everything you do day-to-day, from asking Siri to set a timer on your phone to using text prompts while writing an email, and burying your head in the sand and hoping it eventually goes away isn’t really an option anymore.  

So why are so many business leaders resisting this change? According to a recent report by Workday, 93% of employees and business leaders have concerns about implementing AI in the workplace in a more formal and structured capacity. 

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“​​Training and upskilling are essential to get the most from AI. This technology breaks new ground for businesses, and it’s crucial that employees are given guidance on how to use it. They need to be shown how it works, the use cases it’s suited to, the benefits it offers – as well as a frank look and its limitations. Before rolling the technology out, businesses should start with developing a clear AI approach and guidelines,” says Daniel Pell, vice president and country manager, UKI at Workday.  

“However, it’s important that we recognise AI upskilling is not only a technical problem. It’s also cultural. In fact, one of the biggest barriers to AI adoption today is trust. This trust gap can only be overcome through clear communication of AI’s use alongside strategic implementation in areas that benefit employees and businesses.” 

However, if your employer isn’t thinking strategically about AI, there’s nothing stopping individual employees from taking the initiative to start a more formal upskilling process.  

The University of Oxford’s Artificial Intelligence Programme is an online course that requires 10 hours of self-paced study per week, delivered over six weeks. 

If a shorter taster course is more in line with your time and budget constraints, Coursera’s AI for Everyone course takes five hours in total to complete online. Or if you’re within commuting distance to London, General Purpose offers three-hour instructor-led day professional courses to help unlock AI’s business potential.  

And for those who do successfully upskill, the tangible benefits are manifold.  

Workday’s latest research indicates that AI’s potential impact on productivity could unlock £119bn worth of productivity annually across UK large enterprises and save individual employees 737 hours, the equivalent of 92 working days per year.  

Three jobs hiring across the UK 

Pell explains: “Our AI & productivity research shows that AI presents a productivity windfall to organisations thanks to the transformative number of hours it can save employees and leaders alike. For many organisations, this will give them the freedom to bolster flexibility – that could mean offering more choice over working hours or even implementing a shorter working week – which recent trials suggest can offer its own benefits.  

“However, such initiatives aren’t suited to all organisations – it’s up to each business to determine how they implement AI and what they do with the productivity boost it can offer.” 

Ultimately, if your employer is resisting change and isn’t interested in implementing or supporting upskilling in AI, it could be time to reassess your long term career goals and weigh up your options.  

And if this is the case, the UKTN Job Board features thousands of jobs in companies that are tapping into the latest technology now.  

Looking to broaden your career horizons? Discover your perfect role on the UKTN Job Board today 

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