Overcoming resistance to change driven by AI

- When people start coming to terms with all the changes that AI will bring, I think you'll find one common theme: concern. This shouldn't be a surprise. For most people, change is very difficult. The change in the face of AI is particularly challenging for a few reasons. People fear for their jobs. Employees are concerned about not keeping up. Managers are concerned about losing their autonomy and having AI taking over their most strategic and creative work. This is very normal. It's natural to have resistance to change for both you and for the employees in your company. So the best thing you can do is adapt yourself and then help your employees overcome their resistance. As an HR professional, your role is to partner with leadership inside of your company and help everyone get across the AI chasm. Here are some strategies you can use. Listen and empathize. It's always important to meet people where they are, to help them feel understood. Then you'll have a better chance to bring them along with the change. Not only does this help people get their concerns on the table, it also gives you a finger on the pulse of what people are concerned about and what they're going through. As you get a handle on what people are worried about, you can begin to address their specific concerns. You and your leaders will need to draft policies on privacy. You'll certainly need to lay out plans to help people build their skills, and you'll have to help employees understand how their career progression changes in light of AI adoption. You and your leaders should set up a systematic structure to communicate. Host town halls to communicate the AI strategy and the implications for the company. Hold one-on-ones and small group meetings. Address people's concerns and help them see where they fit in. Discuss what will change and what won't change, and be upfront about what you don't know. As you communicate, you need to paint a vision for where the company is going. Let people know how you view AI transformation short term and long term. Don't just do this in broad, sweeping statements. Share some things going on right now and success stories. For example, on your marketing team, if AI has taken over some of the heavy lifting of looking at key demographics, the employees will then have more time to craft creative marketing campaigns and messages. Overcoming resistance to change will require sustained effort and commitment from the HR team and leadership. You, as HR, have a unique opportunity to really understand the elements of change resistance and help everyone feel more supported in adapting to AI-driven change.