As economic concerns and rising mass layoffs keep many employees “job hugging”—staying put in their position, regardless of engagement—employers would be smart to not rest on their laurels, a new report finds. In fact, one of their most valuable talent pools—AI-fluent employees—could be gearing up for a job move.
That’s according to a new report from the University of Phoenix, based on surveys of 5,000 employed Americans and 1,000 employers. The research found that—amid low turnover and near-daily headlines about AI-driven layoffs—employees are recognizing the key capability they need to survive in today’s job market: AI skills. With that, a majority are feeling more confident in their ability to leverage the tech—which is driving up concern among employers that, without the right opportunities, employees with newfound AI skills will take their skills elsewhere.
John Woods, provost and chief academic officer at University of Phoenix, says that, as workers embrace AI’s career growth potential, employers are faced with an “important moment” in which they need to “lead with AI clarity—because organizations that make AI part of a broader growth strategy for their people may be better positioned to support engagement, satisfaction and prevent a mass exodus.”
See also: The great AI skills paradox: When employee adoption outpaces organizational support
The potential for such an exodus is building, researchers write. Beneath the “seeming stability” of low turnover, “a new power dynamic is emerging: Workers are quietly preparing for their next move.”
AI is primed to be a key catalyst. University of Phoenix found that among employees who use AI, three-quarters say their confidence at work has increased, and more than 80% say the tech is helping guide their career progression. Among all survey respondents, about two-thirds feel positively about their job prospects—a figure that rises to three-quarters when employees are knowledgeable about AI.
Employers share that optimism: More than 70% of employers surveyed said AI-fluent employees are more likely to advance in their company than others. Yet, the research found, organizations aren’t necessarily owning the AI upskilling journey.
About half of workers are teaching themselves how to use the tech, and 60% want their employer to do more on that front. Majorities of workers also report that they “don’t know where to begin” when it comes to incorporating AI into their work and crave better products and processes to support their AI journey.
Importantly, job satisfaction rises when employers provide a clear plan for how AI can enable career growth. Employers seem to acknowledge this reality, and worry about gaps, as nearly half say they fear they won’t be able to retain AI-fluent talent.
“When workers can see how AI skills translate into advancement, they are far more likely to stay,” researchers say.
4 must-haves for AI skills-building as a retention lever
University of Phoenix researchers outlined four strategies HR can help leaders look to as they aim to build an AI-fluent workforce that stays:
1. Define AI career pathways: More than half of employees surveyed say AI is not mentioned in their job description, which reflects how few organizations have created formalized structures around how AI will impact career potential.
2. Assess skills: Workers are craving new skills, and want their employer to take the lead, which organizations concerned about retention should do, researchers say—especially given that more than three-quarters of employees say they would be more likely to stay at their organization if they could more easily apply new skills to their work. Any skills development and internal mobility strategies, they caution, should be informed by a comprehensive skills assessment.
3. Expand training and support: Even though employees are often willing to undertake their own AI education, they want support from their organizations. Yet, there is a perception gap, the report finds: Employees “report significantly less access to AI resources than employers believe they provide,” a divide that HR can help expose in order to make more meaningful progress with AI skills-building.
4. Empower managers: The research found a strong link between manager knowledge about AI and their direct reports’ job satisfaction: Nearly 80% of those with AI-fluent managers feel positively about their own careers—compared to 61% of employees whose managers aren’t as skilled around AI.
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