Dive Brief:

• The vast majority (93%) of respondents in a new Oracle and Future Workplace study said they would trust orders from a robot. But while the 1,320 HR leaders and employees in the study understand technology's advantages, organizations have been slow to prepare employees for using AI in the workplace. The result is decreased productivity, obsolete skills  and job loss, according to the study.
• Employees in the study expect that in the next three years, AI will improve operational efficiencies (59%), speed up decision making (50%), greatly reduce cost (45%), improve customer experiences (40%) and improve the employee experience (37%). HR leaders expect AI to positively affect: learning and development (27%), performance management (26%), compensation/payroll (18%), and recruiting and employee benefits (13%).
• Study respondents also identified barriers to organizations' adopting AI. HR leaders said they're concerned that they won't be able to adjust to the rapid adoption of AI as part of their responsibilities (90%), and they don't feel empowered to address the AI skills gap, for which their organizations have no training (72%). Employees are concerned that they won't be able to adjust to the rapid adoption of AI (51%), although 71% believe AI skills and knowledge will be important in the next three years.

Dive Insight:

Employers don't seem to have caught up with employees when it comes to adopting AI. Four in five employees in a survey by The Workforce Institute at Kronos think artificial intelligence (AI) will make work more engaging and empowering, but they also reported feeling that employers' silence on the topic is a concern.

In reality, there are many reasons employers can't afford to be silent about AI nor put off preparing workers through AI skills training. Organizations that fail to prepare the workforce for the disruption predicted by employment experts may lose out significantly on the competition for talent. AI's benefits are expected to streamline and speed up work processes for greater productivity.

HR leaders understand the power of technology, since HR office functions were among the first to be automated. HRIS has streamlined data maintenance, benefits administration and payroll, eliminating many administrative tasks​ and leaving HR more time to set strategic goals that align with organizational objectives. HR professionals are already capable of helping their organizations undergo digital transformation to prepare for the workplace of the future. Organizations now must give HR departments the resources and support to make it happen.