Cultural shift needed to unlock AI adoption at work, survey shows

New survey data reveals that organisations’ success with AI depends more on cultural change and leadership transparency than on technical access, highlighting the importance of trust, training, and employee involvement to drive effective adoption.

At a moment when organisations are pouring resources into generative and other AI technologies, new survey data suggests the real barrier to effective adoption is cultural rather than technical. According to the original report from Great Place To Work, while most employees worldwide now have access to AI at work, fewer than half feel excited about it or trust their employer to use it responsibly. ^[1]

The research finds that leadership behaviours , not simply tool availability , most strongly predict whether employees will adopt AI. Industry data shows employees are 2.5 times more likely to use AI when leaders visibly support it, and more than twice as likely when leaders explain how AI can benefit their careers. This aligns with analysis from Great Place To Work on common pitfalls, which warns that failing to be transparent or to involve employees in decisions can quickly erode trust in AI initiatives. ^[1][2]

A persistent communications gap exists between executives and frontline staff. According to the survey, 83% of executives believe their message about AI is getting through, yet only 37% of frontline workers agree; similarly, 81% of executives say they are encouraging AI use while just 33% of frontline employees feel encouraged. The study and related guidance both emphasise that tailored, two-way engagement with frontline teams is critical to close this divide. ^[1][3]

Training and peer support also materially affect adoption. The research reports that employees who receive training are far more likely to be active AI users , 94% of trained employees use AI compared with 52% of those who want training but have not received it. Great Place To Work’s advice further notes that employee resource groups and collaborative communities provide safe spaces for experimentation, increasing uptake and trust. ^[1][2][3]

The cultural readiness problem is widespread: Great Place To Work’s 2024 survey of 43,000 employees across 69 countries found two out of three organisations were not culturally or operationally prepared for AI transformation. Industry commentators caution that rushing pilots without employee involvement risks costly rollbacks , echoing S&P Global and McKinsey findings that many pilot projects stall and that reported financial impact has so far been limited for many firms. ^[1]

To help organisations assess alignment and readiness, Great Place To Work (in partnership with Cadence Design Systems) developed the AI For All Index™, a 12-question assessment designed to measure how well workplaces are set up for equitable, trusted AI adoption. The company says the index draws on responses from tens of thousands of employees to highlight where leadership, training and peer networks need strengthening. ^[1]

Taken together, the evidence points to a clear sequence for leaders: invest in skills and peer networks, communicate benefits and safeguards plainly, and involve employees , especially frontline workers , in designing AI-driven changes. Industry guidance stresses that doing so not only improves adoption but helps avoid trust-eroding mistakes that can derail longer-term value creation. ^[2][3][1]

📌 Reference Map:

##Reference Map:

• ^[1] (Great Place To Work blog) – Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3, Paragraph 4, Paragraph 5, Paragraph 6, Paragraph 7
• ^[2] (Great Place To Work blog: “AI-powered mistakes & trust”) – Paragraph 2, Paragraph 4, Paragraph 7
• ^[3] (Great Place To Work UK: “AI adoption strategies”) – Paragraph 3, Paragraph 4, Paragraph 7

Source: Noah Wire Services