Why employees are secretive about AI at work

Justin Hale, a master trainer with the professional training and consultancy company Crucial Learning says that the problem is not that employees use AI, but that they’re afraid to talk about the topic. Leaders should “go in expecting that there will be people who are afraid, unsure, or uneasy,” he said. He argues that when employees use AI in stealth, they miss out on an important opportunity for their professional development. He said that people could outsource tasks that they should be doing themselves if they overuse AI.

Covert AI use can also undermine team collaboration. “People begin to say, ‘I’m going to ask AI for my team’s opinion, instead of me asking people their opinion,” he said. “And now, what happens is that we don’t have an AI-driven team — we have individuals working together with AI.”

Others workplace experts point out the benefits. “Let’s face it: employees don’t hide their AI use to get away from something. They’re hiding because they want to get ahead and avoid getting in trouble,” David Torosyan said, who is the head of HR and payroll at J&Y Law Firm Los Angeles. Torosyan, who heads HR and payroll for J&Y Law Firm in Los Angeles, has seen how AI is becoming more integrated into the workplace. It has also become a key tool to increase employee productivity. “People use it to write faster and communicate more clearly,” he said. “They are solving problems in real-time with tools that weren’t available a few short years ago. They do it in the shadows, not because they are unethical, but because of a lack of clarity and psychological security.

This is on leadership, he says. “If we don’t create a culture that welcomes innovation, employees will innovate without us,” he said. “That’s the way we lose visibility, supervision and trust.”

ZipRecruiter Career Expert Sam DeMase also puts the responsibility on management.

She said, “Leadership must create policies that are practical and ethical in their AI usage and communicate these policies to their team.” “Leadership must share practical examples of how to use AI, and shed light on areas in which AI should not be used. This transparency removes the shame and fear that some employees feel when using AI at work. AI is becoming more prevalent, and when used properly, it can boost employee productivity and give them time to think about innovative ideas.

This approach requires striking a balance between oversight and innovative thinking. He recommends using opposing statements to clarify your intention. “I’m not telling you to be afraid of getting in trouble,” he said. “What I’m saying is let’s be honest, so we can see both the opportunities and the risks.”

HR leaders must help employees understand which tasks can be handled by AI and which ones require human judgment.

Hale says that while administrative work is a good fit for AI, creative problem solving and strategic thinking are still the domain of human beings. “When I asked for a thought-piece on this topic, I wanted you to come up your own ideas, because you had experience, stories, and examples that were unique to you. I didn’t want to outsource to AI,” said Hale. Hale stresses the importance of setting measurable goals for organizations that are ready to make a cultural change. Instead of saying you want AI in workflows to be adopted, define specific goals and success metrics with clear timelines. The leaders themselves are in need of education. “Outside of companies where AI is a part of their business I would say that [leadership AI knowledge] still is very rudimentary,” said he. His recommendation is that executives should read one article about AI at work every day.

The best approach is to frame AI adoption as a project that involves everyone, rather than a mandate from the top. “Framing the problem as a “we” problem and making it into a project together… shows a whole lot more loyalty, connection, and collaboration on the part of the leader,” he said.

Leaders who frame AI discussions as a partnership instead of a scrutiny create psychological safety. As Hale puts it, “Your job is to suck fear out of the air so that people feel like they could bring up any question, any concern.”

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