Employee Anxiety About Generative AI: Writing for a Change

About 30% of American professionals worry that artificial intelligence will make some jobs obsolete. We'll take a look at a format for communications that companies could use to assuage AI anxiety.

Backstory

It seems nearly half of employees in the office fear they could be "left behind" in their careers if they don't keep up with the application of AI, according to a recent Washington State University survey.

Many American workers are worried that AI could make their jobs obsolete or leave them behind if they don’t keep up with the latest skills and tools.?

According to a survey by EY, 75% of US employees are concerned AI will make certain jobs obsolete, and 65% say they are anxious about AI replacing their job.

They feel the need for more education and training on how to use generative AI programs like ChatGPT, which can create realistic text and dialogue.?

These programs have many applications and benefits. However, they also pose ethical and social challenges involving mass layoffs like the ones we are seeing in the Tech sector.

Equal Opportunity Displacement

Some surveys have shown that the fear of technology is growing among workers, especially those with college degrees. They are concerned about the future of their careers and the relevance of their skills.?

A survey by APA showed that 38% of workers reported worrying that AI might make some or all of their job duties obsolete in the future, and that this worry was associated with negative mental health outcomes.

A Zippia report cited that 27% of employees have anxiety over the possibility of new innovations, robots, or AI making their jobs obsolete in the next five years, and 49% believe people have lost their jobs to AI as organizations look to technology for budget cuts and staff reduction.

Reduce Anxiety for Greater Productivity

Corporate leadership that is considering implementing Generative AI in their organizations need to develop strategic communications with their employees that reduce their anxiety.?

No communications about the organization's plans or incoherent, spotty correspondence will only raise staff anxiety levels.?

Anxiety leads to distractions that create a drag on productivity; after all, how can someone work on their manager's stuff when they're spending time at work looking for a new job.

Write to Allay Hearsay

So let's work with my Artificial Intern (AI) to craft a message to allay job-related anxieties arising from hearsay around the office that Management is introducing Gen AI into the company.

Employees have no idea what departments the AI implementations will come into first, what jobs will be affected, what jobs will be cut.

We will use the SCAAM attributes for effective Change communications to craft leadership's message to the company:

Simplicity — One piece, one message

Consistency — make sure the message is the same no matter who views it

Audience — know who you're communicating to

Authenticity — be genuine in the communication

Medium — the "medium" is the message, as Marshall McLuhan wrote in 1964: produce appropriately for the channel

Get the Message Out

Let's start with a strategic overview message from leadership…

Subject: A message from leadership on generative AI

Dear colleagues,

We are writing to you today to share some exciting news and address some of the concerns you may have about the introduction of generative AI into our company.

Technology Update

Generative AI is a powerful technology that can create realistic text, images, audio, and video based on a given input. It has many applications and benefits for our business, such as enhancing our creativity, productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction.

The Facts

However, we also understand that generative AI may raise some questions and anxieties among you. You may wonder how it will affect your work, your skills, and your career. You may hear rumors or speculations about the impact of generative AI on our organization and our industry.

We want to assure you that generative AI is not a threat, but an opportunity. It is not a replacement, but a complement. It is not a competitor, but a collaborator.

AI's Intended Purpose

Generative AI will not make your jobs obsolete or leave you behind. On the contrary, it will help you do your jobs better and faster. It will free you from repetitive and mundane tasks, and allow you to focus on more creative and strategic aspects of your work. It will also enable you to learn new skills and tools, and expand your horizons and possibilities.

Continued Staff Support

We are committed to providing you with the necessary training and support to use generative AI effectively and responsibly. We will also keep you informed and involved in the process of adopting and implementing generative AI in our company. We will not make any decisions without consulting you and considering your feedback.

Harness the Potential

We believe that generative AI is a game-changer for our company and our industry. We also believe that you are our most valuable asset and our key to success. Together, we can harness the potential of generative AI and achieve our goals and vision.

Thank you for your attention and your trust.

Sincerely,

The leadership team

How We Applied SCAAM for Effective Corporate Communications

Simplicity — ?I tried to keep the letter simple and clear, with one main message: generative AI is an opportunity, not a threat, and the company will support the employees to use it effectively and responsibly.?

I used short sentences and headings to organize the letter and make it easy to read and understand. Bullet points are fine, just as long as the email does not look like a Powerpoint presentation.

Consistency — ??I made sure the message was aligned with the company's strategy and goals, and the purpose of introducing generative AI. I explained how generative AI could benefit the business, the customers, and the employees.?

I also emphasized the company's commitment to providing training and support, and involving the employees in the decision-making process.

I made sure the message was consistent throughout the letter, and aligned with the company's vision and values. I used positive and reassuring words, such as "exciting", "opportunity", "help", "support", "trust", etc.?

I avoided negative and alarming words, such as "fear", "threat", "replace", "obsolete", etc.

Audience — ??I knew the audience was the employees of the company, who may have different levels of knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards generative AI. I addressed them as "colleagues", to show respect and solidarity.?

I also used "we" and "you" to create a sense of connection and dialogue. I acknowledged their concerns and questions, and tried to answer them in a transparent and honest way.

Authenticity — I tried to be genuine and sincere in the communication, and not sound like a robot or a salesperson. I used a friendly and conversational tone, and added some emoticons to convey emotion and empathy.?

I also expressed gratitude and appreciation for the employees' attention and trust.

Medium — I chose email as the medium for the message, as it is a common and convenient way of communicating with a large and diverse group of employees. I also considered the format and layout of the email, and made it visually appealing and easy to scan.?

I used a clear and catchy subject line, a salutation and a signature, and a reasonable length. I also added some links to external sources for further information.

So, one way or another, Gen AI is infiltrating offices. It may or may not displace people from their jobs, or merely augment what they are already doing.

Why leave them guessing?

William Dodson troubleshoots Technology Change Management & Corporate Communications Programs.

Contact him for advise or intervention in corporate communications or technology implementations that are confusing staff or creating employee resistance to Change: [email protected].

He is a former Organizational Change Management senior consultant for PriceWaterhouseCoopers, BearingPoint, Computer Sciences Corporation, and Cap Gemini-Sogeti.

His most recent books include:

"Artificial Intelligence for Business Leaders: The Essential Guide to Understanding and Applying AI in Organizations (2023, Cosimo Publishing, LLC), 100 pp. ISBN 979-8-9884070-7-2. In digital format and Amazon Kindle.

"The New 'Teacher's Pet': A.I. Ethical Dilemmas in Education and How to Resolve Surveillance, Authenticity, and Learning Issues" (2023, Cosimo Publishing, LLC), 77 pp. ISBN 979-8-9884070-8-9. Kindle edition: https://bit.ly/3TMrwDA