As a CEO, I understand the considerable pressures leaders are currently facing.
We find ourselves in a race to equip our teams with the appropriate AI tools to foster organizational growth.
In discussions with my fellow CEOs, many emphasize the strength of their technological infrastructure and the rollout of training initiatives. They confidently state that all IT requirements have been met. Yet, despite these efforts, the pace of adoption remains sluggish. The investment isn’t yielding the anticipated returns. Frustration and apprehension abound.
These leaders attribute the slow adoption to employee readiness. They pose the question: How can I gain the support of my people?
What often escapes their notice is this: Change within the workforce is contingent upon a transformation in leadership.
We aspire for our teams to embody agility, innovation, and readiness to "meet the moment." However, while we scrutinize their actions, they are looking to us for clarity, confidence, guidance, and compassion.
This disconnect is a significant barrier to success. If we observe sluggish adoption, it is not an issue tied to AI technology itself; it is fundamentally a lesson in leadership. The success of AI is not solely a measure of technological prowess but also a reflection of effective leadership.
Our Great Place To Work ® 2025 global workforce study, encompassing nearly 10,000 employees across 25 countries, reveals that 85% of the global workforce has access to AI technology. However, only 44% express excitement about utilizing it or trust their employer to implement it responsibly.
It is not a lack of tools that employees face, but rather a deficiency of trust, clarity, and support. Our research indicates that employees who have not received AI training exhibit enthusiasm for AI, provided they believe their leaders will facilitate the training appropriately and timely. This emphasizes that trust, rather than training alone, is paramount. Employees who lack confidence in their leaders often experience anxiety, feel unprepared, or sense exclusion from decisions that affect them. Concerns about job security in the face of AI developments are widespread. These feelings cannot be alleviated simply through software solutions; they require the establishment of trust and psychological safety.
This explains why numerous organizations struggle to scale beyond initial pilot projects. They find themselves stalled, seeking external solutions — additional expenditures and new tools — rather than introspecting on their leadership approaches.
When CEOs inquire, “Why isn't AI utilization translating into tangible business impact?” I respond with a series of probing questions:
- Do your team members trust you?
- Are you confronting their fears directly?
- Do employees grasp how AI benefits their career development?
- Are there concerns regarding job loss?
- Do they feel secure in experimenting and gaining new skills?
These are not questions I need to pose to the leaders at the 2026 Fortune 100 Best Companies To Work For®, as I am already aware of the positive experiences their employees report. These companies consistently excel in employee experience metrics — from agility and innovation to effective leadership behaviors.
At the 100 Best Companies, 81% of employees report feeling psychologically safe in their workplaces, in stark contrast to the 56% at average organizations. When employees sense psychological safety, they are 44% more likely to exhibit confidence in their leaders and over double the likelihood of remaining with the organization.
Leaders who cultivate a high-trust environment do not merely distribute AI tools and hope for favorable outcomes. They actively lead. They engage with AI, discussing its implications and motivations. They confront fears openly. This approach does not entail guaranteeing the absence of layoffs, as doing so risks credibility. While layoffs are a facet of business, they should be a last resort rather than a premeditated strategy.
If the narrative is framed solely around cost-cutting, the focus is misplaced. The optimal safeguard against layoffs is sustainable growth, and AI should be leveraged to facilitate that.
Our objective is to enhance the capabilities of our current workforce to foster business growth. Discussions should center on how AI enhances revenue per employee, rather than concentrating solely on cost reductions.
The leaders of the 100 Best Companies prioritize effectiveness over mere efficiency, focusing on outcomes rather than just utilization. They emphasize growth, not downsizing. They advocate for safety, not fear. They promote greater humanity in the workplace, not less. AI is employed to enhance work experiences for all employees, not to instill apprehension.
When leaders establish this nurturing environment for every employee, resistance diminishes. Team members come to believe that AI will enhance their work, jobs, and career trajectories. Trust is fostered, and business performance improves accordingly.
Our research demonstrates that AI adoption is 2.5 times more likely when leaders promote open discussions about AI and encourage its implementation; it is 2.1 times more likely when leaders elucidate how AI aids employees’ career advancement. Employees who engage with AI at least monthly tend to be more adaptable, more committed, and willing to exert extra effort.
At Synchrony, ranked No. 1 on the list, employees are nine times more likely to embrace AI when leaders relate it to growth discussions, and four times more likely when they comprehend how AI generates new growth opportunities for the organization. Through robust communication and training, Synchrony employees report 70% higher rates of innovation.
This principle remains unfaltering: Leaders dictate the employee experience, and that experience directly influences business performance. It embodies The Great Place To Work Effect.
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