As artificial intelligence moves from a buzzword to an everyday business tool, companies around the world are racing to implement AI systems that boost productivity, streamline operations and uncover new competitive advantages.
However, amid this rapid adoption, firms risk underestimating the impact such changes can have on employee trust.
While AI represents an exciting development for companies, for employees it can fuel fears that their roles will change significantly – or be eliminated altogether.
Earlier this year, a KPMG study surveying 48,000 people across 47 countries found that two in five believe AI will replace jobs.
The survey also revealed widespread concern that AI could negatively affect decision-making and innovation at work, as well as cybersecurity, privacy, and intellectual property, and lead to a loss of human connection.
Here, Hazel Burke, a recruiter at Cayman firm SteppingStones Recruitment, speaks to the Cayman Independent about what can happen when trust around AI is lacking – and how best to navigate that landscape.
She also addresses job seekers’ fears that their CVs aren’t read by humans anymore and whether it’s okay to use AI to write CVs and cover letters.
Why employee trust is so important
Burke recently spoke about trust and AI at an Enterprise Cayman discussion called ‘The Tech Perspective: Insights from the Inside’, which highlighted the realities, challenges, and opportunities shaping Cayman’s growing tech community.
“One of the examples I brought up, when it comes to a lack of trust surrounding AI, was the writers’ and actors’ strikes in the US in 2023,” she says.
The two strikes, which lasted for months, centred on several issues, but both called for greater regulation of AI amid fears that workers’ jobs – and, in the case of actors, their likenesses – could be exploited.
“The strikes had a major economic impact on the film and TV industry, with a huge number of projects having to be postponed or cancelled,” Burke adds.
Although this might be an extreme example, distrust over AI in any workplace can have a detrimental effect on a business, she says.
“For a business to succeed, your employees need to be on board. Often companies get so swept up in the newest technology and trying to be ahead of the curve that they forget to communicate what’s happening with their staff and find out how it’s impacting them.
“This can then spread fear and misunderstanding, causing low morale among employees, which in turn can impact productivity.”
Firms can also be too quick to start redundancies, she says, focusing on short-term cost savings without considering how job cuts will impact the morale of remaining staff and the potential reputational damage to the business.
How to build trust
Transparent communication is key to building trust when implementing AI or any new tech, says Burke, and it should be there from the start.
“Before implementation, say something like, ‘We plan to bring this solution onboard and this is what we hope it’s going to do. How do you feel about it?’
“Give employees the opportunity to raise any concerns about how it will impact their work or workload. Maybe they know a different solution that another company has leveraged that they think would be better.
“Bring them on the journey with you – don’t just dictate what’s happening.”
Clear leadership is also important, says Burke.
“Leadership should be visible and available, with an open line of communication between staff and those higher up implementing the changes,” she explains.
“And this should be ongoing, not just at the beginning of implementation.”
Naturally, business needs must also be considered, says Burke, but if employees feel heard they’re more likely to come on board with changes, which benefits everyone.
“If they’re not on board, you’re likely to get a lower return on investment because they may feel uncomfortable using the solution the way it’s designed to be used,” she adds.
Job seekers’ fears over AI and recruitment
Burke acknowledges there’s a growing fear that recruitment is now carried out by AI and that a person’s CV and cover letter aren’t being read by actual humans.
“Maybe in big cities, like London for example, there’s a higher chance that your CV goes through a bot initially due to the volume of applicants and it’s difficult for a recruiter to get through so many,” she says.
“However, from my understanding, that’s not something candidates should be concerned about here because it’s a much smaller market. We have time to go through CVs and take a human-centric approach.
“And I hope that persists. It’s a nice differentiating factor for the recruitment space here. I think people really get to know their recruiters in Cayman, which I don’t think happens much in big cities.”
Using AI to write CVs and cover letters
A UK survey this year by Prospect Luminate found that 43% of people use AI to help them formulate CVs and cover letters.
Asked how she feels about job seekers using AI to write CVs and cover letters, Burke says it is acceptable to a certain extent.
“We’ve started seeing cover letters where it feels like someone has had AI write one cover letter and then sent the same one out to multiple places, which is a bit of a red flag,” she says.
“Sometimes it will even say ‘Dear (insert name here)’. If you’re going to use AI, make sure to tailor each cover letter and CV to the employer or recruiter you’re sending it to, and always double-check them before submitting.
“Using AI when applying for jobs can actually show an employer you’re skilled in this area – just make sure you use some critical thinking when doing it.”
