UK employers must support staff to get most from AI

UK employers are using a cooling jobs market, and the introduction of AI, to discipline workers into asking for less. Three years on from the so-called ‘Great Resignation’, the number of staff considering a new role in the coming 12 months has declined by 14%, even as six-in-ten report an increased workload, and only 11% see adequate training opportunities.

Following the pandemic, a brief period where employees were keen to have the essential nature of their work reflected in their pay and conditions saw swathes of staff move between jobs – in what was termed the ‘Great Resignation’. Since then, a stagnant economy, rampant inflation, tumultuous trade decisions, and the threat of AI ‘taking jobs’ have all been used to discipline the workforce in the wake of that.

A new study from EY suggests this has increasingly pushed employees into putting up with their current lot. While ‘quit intent’ ballooned from 7% in 2021 to 43% in 2022, the Big Four firm found that only 29% of staff in 2025 had the same inclination for the coming period.

One mechanism which employers seem to be deploying to maintain this depressed state among staff, is withholding training on key challenges. According to EY’s study, individuals well trained in relevant topics are 59% more likely to move on from their current employer, as skilled professionals – especially in the field of AI use – are highly sought after, with external job offers outpacing internal promotion opportunities. As a result, the survey found that only 11% of employees were currently receiving adequate AI training.

This approach has helped to artificially depress wages, and boost retention, as workers find it harder to move on in these conditions. Bosses have pushed this advantage to add to their staff’s responsibilities over the last year. The survey found that 62% of employees have experienced an increased workload over the past year.

However, this is a double-edged sword. UK employees who receive more than 81 hours of AI training each year experience an average productivity boost of 14 hours a week, significantly above the median of eight hours – so workers could be performing those additional responsibilities better, with improved productivity, if they were trusted with the proper training.

At the same time, the survey revealed that investing in AI technology alone does not deliver substantial improvements in productivity. It must be combined with strong talent foundations. Organisations with weak talent strategies – such as ineffective training, weak company culture and misaligned rewards – saw AI productivity gains lag by over 40%.

The survey revealed that investing in AI technology alone does not deliver substantial improvements in productivity – it must be combined with strong talent foundations. Organisations with weak talent strategies – such as ineffective training, weak company culture and misaligned rewards – saw AI productivity gains lag by over 40%.

Employers could improve their chances if they adopted a less combative stance, then. Organisations that successfully combine a supportive workplace culture, learning opportunities and robust rewards system into an integrated talent strategy will gain more value – while EY found that only 37% of UK employers are currently on course to realise this.

Josie Cluer, leader for humans x AI at EY, commented, “These findings highlight the imperative for employers to rethink their approach to talent strategy and AI adoption. Too often, AI is limited to basic tasks, and concerns about skills erosion and job security remain widespread. To unlock the full potential of AI, businesses must invest in comprehensive training, foster a supportive workplace culture, and ensure that reward systems are aligned to encourage innovation and responsible AI use. Only by creating an environment where talent and technology work hand in hand, can organisations achieve a true ‘Talent Advantage’ and future-proof their workforce.”