Tailor AI Adoption Strategies to Meet Workforce Needs

Most U.S. workers view the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace as a long-term trend, according to SHRM’s December 2024 U.S. Worker Panel report. While views on AI longevity remain largely unchanged, worker perceptions continue to vary based on factors such as income level, AI familiarity, and current reliance on AI tools at work.

As AI adoption grows, more employees are engaging with the technology — whether they’re ready or not. AI holds the potential to drive effectiveness and streamline workflows, benefiting organizations and workers alike. However, failure to consider workforce sentiment before rollout may lead to disjointed integration and employee disengagement.

To ensure the successful adoption of AI tools, businesses must consider their unique workforce and adjust adoption strategies accordingly. Factoring in strategies specific to demographics, industries, and roles to personalize approaches can help better address employees’ needs and concerns.

By measuring employee sentiment and responding with a tailored AI strategy, businesses can support innovation and gain a competitive edge while maintaining a productive and engaged workforce. 

Opinions Remain Stable: Workplace AI Is Here to Stay

As AI adoption in the workplace continues to expand, most workers see it as a lasting shift, rather than a passing trend. According to SHRM’s report, perceptions of AI’s longevity remained stable throughout 2024. On a 100-point scale, average allocations by workers ranged from 68 to 71 points throughout the year to favor AI as a long-term trend, expressing assuredness in its fixture in the workplace. 
 
The percentage of indecisive workers—those allocating between 40 and 59 points—increased slightly throughout 2024. This increase came from a drop in workers who believe AI is merely a fad—represented by scores between 20 and 39 points. This data suggests a shift in worker perceptions, reflecting a growing confidence in AI's longevity in the workplace.  

This shift may be driven by increased exposure to AI tools. As businesses continue to integrate AI to enhance efficiency and existing workflows, employees are becoming more familiar with its capabilities — reducing skepticism and strengthening AI's staying power.

Nonetheless, while AI is broadly seen as a long-term trend by workers, SHRM data showed that perceptions vary based on worker demographics and experience with the technology.  

AI Functionality and Experience

Despite stable confidence in AI’s longevity, the functionality of workplace AI appears to influence employee perceptions of the technology. SHRM data showed that workers who prefer to use AI for routine tasks are more likely to see AI as a long-term trend. On the other hand, those who rely on co-workers over AI allocated an average of 11 fewer points toward AI being a lasting trend.  

Additionally, some workers with less AI experience remain skeptical. This is especially true for employees ages 18 to 44 who have no experience with the technology — with nearly 40% of this demographic viewing workplace AI as a fad. Conversely, workers ages 18 to 44 who frequently use AI were the least likely (21%) to view workplace AI as merely a fad.

Why it matters: For businesses, addressing AI hesitancy and providing employees with continued education and exposure to AI tools will be key as the landscape continues to evolve.

The Influence of Worker Demographics

SHRM's November 2024 U.S. Worker Panel report revealed a shift in how workers view the role of AI in the workplace. The percentage of workers who believe AI is very important for the future of work decreased by 11%, and the percentage of workers who believe AI is somewhat important increased by 9%.

According to the December 2024 report, higher-earners and college-educated employees are more likely to see AI as somewhat or very important, while lower-income and nondegreed workers are more likely to dismiss its significance.

• Workers with a college degree who earn more than $75,000 per year are most likely to believe that AI is somewhat or very important.

• Workers with no college degree who earn less than $75,000 per year are the least likely to believe AI is somewhat or very important.

This divide in AI perceptions may be linked to broader concerns about job security as businesses increasingly integrate AI into workplaces. SHRM data revealed that, while less than 1 in 5 U.S. workers (18%) are concerned that AI will replace their job in the next year, over one-third (35%) reported concerns about AI replacing their job in the next five years.

However, higher-income, college-educated employees — who are more likely to view AI as essential — tend to feel more secure in their jobs. According to Pew Research, 43% of higher-income workers reported feeling a great deal of job security, compared to just 22% of lower-income workers. This disparity suggests that those in lower-paying roles, who may see AI as a potential threat rather than a tool for advancement, are more skeptical about AI’s significance in the workplace. Perceptions of job security also vary by the type of employer that workers have, further influencing attitudes toward AI adoption.

Why it matters: AI is reshaping roles within organizations. Leaders must be especially cognizant of AI’s impact on lower-income and nondegreed employees and ensure that upskilling opportunities are accessible.

Personalize AI Adoption by Measuring Employee Sentiment

A personalized approach to workplace AI adoption ensures integration aligns with both employee and industry needs. However, before rolling out AI-driven tools, companies should first assess employee sentiment to determine where support, education, or reassurance may be needed. 

Assessing employee sentiment toward AI allows leaders to tailor implementation and training strategies based on a data-driven understanding of their workforce. Companies can measure AI sentiment in several ways:

Employee Polls and Surveys: Industry- and role-specific surveys allow leadership to determine workers’ comfort levels with AI. Insights on perceived job impact and training needs allow employers to ensure that employees receive the right level of support and education. To get holistic results, consider segmenting responses by job function and seniority level to uncover viewpoints from various demographics such as age and income.

Focus Groups and One-on-One Interviews: Open conversations about AI’s role in employees’ work keep staff members engaged and provide greater insight into expectations and potential barriers to adoption. Additionally, these conversations may also reveal concerns that survey data might not capture, especially among workers who may not yet interact with AI in their day-to-day tasks.  

AI Assessments: Department-specific AI proficiency tests can identify which employees or departments are already comfortable using AI on the job. Results allow leadership to pinpoint which employees need basic AI education and which departments may be strong candidates for pilot programs.  

Pilot Program Feedback: Before rolling out full-scale AI implementation, consider testing AI tools with small groups across departments. Gathering initial feedback allows leadership to understand how employees with various roles and tenures interact with AI and identify barriers to wide-scale adoption. Partnering with HR to collect feedback can lead to a better executed, more inclusive AI strategy.

3 Approaches to Personalized AI Adoption 

The best approach to tailoring your AI adoption strategy depends on your company’s unique workforce and their needs. Based on sentiment analysis, consider segmenting employees by their experience with AI, industry-specific requirements, workforce skills and demographics, or a combination of these factors.

Tailor Your Strategy to Employees’ AI Experience  

Successfully integrating AI into the workplace requires practical steps tailored to employees’ experience levels.  

High-adoption employees — often those in tech or data-driven roles — want AI to enhance their work without undermining their expertise. Provide advanced AI training, continuous learning programs, and access to cutting-edge tech to keep these employees engaged. For AI newcomers, pilot projects with opportunities for feedback help them better understand the daily use cases and practical benefits of AI. These types of programs are well suited for operations and customer service teams. For AI skeptics — such as young, inexperienced employees or those in low-tech roles — hosting interactive training sessions demonstrates how AI can streamline tasks while highlighting its limitations and the need for human oversight. This approach, along with forums where employees can voice concerns and receive answers to ease hesitation, helps provide skeptics with reassurance about their job security.

Take an Industry-Specific Approach

In high-AI industries such as finance, health care, and technology, AI is likely already integrated into workflows. When introducing new AI tools, the key focus should remain on responsible use through governance and ethics training. Companies should offer specialized training to upskill employees, support career growth, and equip them to effectively manage AI-driven processes.

In industries moderately familiar with AI, employees may be less comfortable with the inner workings of the technology and may harbor uncertain feelings about its long-term impact. To ease concerns, run pilot projects before scaling solutions companywide and provide clear implementation road maps to build employee confidence.  

In low-AI industries such as hospitality, traditional trades, and small businesses, adoption often lags due to cost barriers, lack of familiarity, and job security concerns. To encourage adoption, businesses should start with simple applications like scheduling tools, chatbots, and automation for repetitive tasks. Offering training programs and incentives can support gradual integration while reinforcing that AI is designed to reduce workloads — not eliminate jobs.

Refine Strategies to Fit Workforce Skill Levels

Companies must ensure that AI adoption aligns with workforce education and skill levels to maintain employee engagement and trust. In high-income, highly educated workforces, AI should be positioned as a competitive advantage, with leadership prioritizing ethics training, responsible use policies, and data security training. This approach prevents security risks like “shadow AI” use in which employees turn to unauthorized AI tools due to a lack of clear guidelines or training. This approach not only keeps your workers compliant but also empowers them to augment their abilities and streamline workflows with AI.

For low-income workers or those lacking higher education degrees, AI adoption may require greater integration efforts. Employees with limited digital literacy and career mobility may see AI as a threat. To address this, leadership should focus on demystifying AI through education, highlighting career growth opportunities, and providing upskilling pathways to secure tenure. Introducing user-friendly AI tools and structured training can transform worker perceptions of AI from a possible risk to a valuable resource, fostering a more positive and productive workplace mindset.

Thoughtful AI Adoption Is Successful Adoption

AI is no longer a future possibility — it’s an evolving workplace reality. However, its success depends on more than just technological advancement; it requires a strategic, employee-centered approach. Organizations that thoughtfully integrate AI by assessing workforce sentiment, addressing hesitations, and providing upskilling opportunities will not only enhance productivity, but also foster long-term engagement and trust.

Tailoring an AI adoption strategy to employees ensures that all workers — regardless of income, education, or role — have the support they need to navigate this transformation.

The most successful organizations will be those that view AI not as a one-size-fits-all solution, but as a tool that, when implemented inclusively and responsibly, enhances both business outcomes and workforce well-being.