From resistance to acceptance
How corporate culture promotes AI integration and changes employee behavior
by Prof. Dr. Beate Gleitsmann
AI offers huge opportunities to increase productivity and alleviate the shortage of skilled workers. By automating routine tasks, making processes more efficient and giving employees more freedom for strategic and creative tasks, AI can save up to 20% of working time on average. Despite numerous benefits, employee acceptance of AI remains a key challenge. The successful implementation of AI requires active management.
According to studies, the success of AI implementation depends largely on how willing employees are to integrate these new technologies into their day-to-day work. By nature, people are more critical of innovations and tend to maintain existing, well-known and proven work processes. People are often reluctant when it comes to existing Work processes to change or introduce new technologies. They often approach innovations with skepticism, especially when they change their usual work processes. The greater the uncertainty and ignorance, the greater the resistance to change. Active Management is necessary to minimize uncertainty and promote acceptance. This is the only way to successfully introduce AI.
As part of practice-oriented research, numerous empirical studies, workshops and interviews were carried out to promote transformative behavior in organizations. The central question is: How can company members not only passively accept changes, but also actively shape them in order to sustainably develop the company? Particular emphasis is placed on the transformative behavior of each individual, which focuses on the active role of employees in the development of the organization.
Determinants of AI implementation
Four factors were filtered out that significantly influence the success of AI implementation: personal qualification, individual motivation, provision of resources and social desirability of using AI.
Die Personal AI qualification Includes the necessary skills and competencies to use AI effectively, such as professional, methodological and social skills. Professional expertise means knowing how to use AI tools. Methodological competence describes the use of suitable methods to solve problems. Social skills are required to promote collaboration and communication, particularly when communicating AI results within a team. This qualification can be promoted in the company through regular training, training and continuing education measures.
Die Individual AI motivation Describes the will to use AI in daily work, based on the perception of usefulness and expected benefits. It can be increased through tangible (monetary rewards, salary increases, bonuses) and intangible incentives (praise, recognition, ceremonial award).
Die Deploying AI resources Includes all technical, time and personnel resources so that employees can engage with AI. This includes licenses, API access and information on data protection-compliant use. Companies must ensure that their employees have access to AI tools that comply with the requirements of the AI Act and the GDPR. It is also important to continuously inform employees about developments and opportunities in AI.
This reduces fears of contact and promotes acceptance.
Die Social desirability of using AI Is shaped by laws, regulations and management principles. The role model of managers is closely linked to this: They should set an example of the use of AI technologies and show how AI tools can be used sensibly in everyday working life to complete tasks more efficiently. This reduces fears of contact and promotes acceptance. Managers must clearly signal that the use of AI is welcome and brings positive results for the entire company. The role model function plays a decisive role here, as employees often assume the willingness to use AI from management level. This role model makes employees feel more confident in using new technologies, and acceptance is further promoted.
These four factors influence each other. If a person has a high level of AI qualification, they will independently strive to remove obstacles and expand their decision-making powers. If a person is aware that AI is wanted in the company, their motivation to use AI increases. The AI qualification influences motivation, as knowledge and skills create security and self-confidence. Motivation in turn means that the person is interested in acquiring the necessary skills to use AI. A person who automates repetitive tasks through AI and can therefore work more efficiently is motivated because they are convinced that the effort will lead to positive results such as recognition or rewards. Therefore, using a single instrument in isolation is not enough. All four factors must be addressed in an integrative manner so that the implementation of AI-oriented behaviors in the company is successful.
The Role of Corporate Culture in Implementing AI
Implementing AI is not an end in itself. The transformative behavior of employees should be reflected in customer centricity. Corporate culture plays a central role so that the potential of AI can be fully exploited. Studies show that implementation measures do not directly influence employee behavior, but have an effect on corporate culture. A direct influence on behavior is therefore not possible. Instead, all measures are reflected in front of existing and accepted values and standards in the company. Corporate culture is therefore a mediator of impact relationships.
Against this background, it must be considered that the transformative power of AI does not find its way into a “culturally empty space.” In every company, there are already values, standards and artifacts shared and accepted by members that are particularly relevant to the success of AI implementation. This can make it more difficult to implement AI, particularly in companies that rely heavily on tradition, proven routines and established hierarchies. Values and norms such as resistance to change, distrust of technology, hierarchical thinking, lack of error culture, lack of continuing education and a focus on short-term results act as a hindrance. Successful implementation of AI, on the other hand, is promoted by framework conditions that emphasize innovation, openness, a positive error culture, pilot projects and success stories.
If the implementation measures are geared towards innovations, as described in the determinants of AI implementation, an AI-adaptive corporate culture can be created through the combined use of all measures, making the use of AI in the company a matter of course. This requires an AI-oriented orientation of all implementation tools. Only the indirect effect of an AI-oriented corporate culture has a positive influence on employee behavior. This indirect effect on employee behavior makes it clear that this is a continuous task that must be actively pursued by management. This is the only way to implement AI-oriented content and develop an appropriate corporate culture.
Employees should be encouraged to try out AI.
Exemple the courage to change
Promoting an innovative corporate culture in which change is a matter of course and mistakes are seen as part of the learning process is crucial for the successful use of AI. Employees should be encouraged to try out AI by providing them with the necessary tools and opportunities to communicate their experiences. Mistakes must be recognized as learning opportunities in order to promote creative thinking and reduce fears of contact when using AI — management plays a central role here. When ordinary meetings turn into hackathons and eventually promptathons, it's a sign that everything is heading in the right direction. Management must set an example of a culture in which change is viewed positively and encourages employees to be creative and experiment with AI.
The immense potential of AI can only be tapped together, and barriers to using this technology can only be overcome through an AI-oriented corporate culture. In view of rapid technological development, it is crucial that employees continuously expand their AI skills and learn new things. Companies that overcome these challenges can not only increase their efficiency and competitiveness, but also embark on new ways of creating value. <
This article was first published in our magazine data! Issue 02/24. Read it now for free!
