Prioritising the human connection in an AI-driven world

“WE ARE hardwired to connect with others; it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.” These are the words of Casandra Brene Brown, University of Houston social work research professor, author and podcast host.

In the corporate landscape, the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) has become a focal point – our research at EngageRocket ranks this among the top 10 priorities for human resources (HR) in 2024.

This doesn’t surprise me either; a Forbes Advisor survey from April 2023 reported that up to 64 per cent of businesses believe that AI will help increase their overall productivity. As a nation, the march towards AI adoption is also evident by the ambitious second National AI Strategy (NAIS 2.0).

The allure of enhancing performance and efficiency with AI interventions is undeniably compelling. A relentless pursuit of this poses a real risk, however, of losing sight of the essence – the very soul – of our collective experience: the human connection.

As we step into an era marked by the pervasive influence of AI in our workplaces, it is not merely a matter of choice, but a necessity to place human connections at the forefront of our priorities.

Constant digital interactions can lead to disconnection

In a world dominated by screens and algorithms, there is a risk of losing the authenticity and depth that define meaningful relationships.

The global shift towards remote work, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, has further normalised digital interactions as the main interaction. Over half of Singapore’s working population operates from home for at least half of their work time. Constant digital interaction can ironically lead to disconnection, as the nuances of face-to-face communication are overshadowed by the efficiency of virtual exchanges.

Amid the whirlwind of technological advancement, the intrinsic value of human connections becomes more evident than ever. Studies consistently highlight the importance of social bonds for mental health and overall well-being. The warmth of genuine human interaction, empathy and emotional support cannot be replicated by even the most sophisticated AI algorithm.

And people aren’t so certain about change, much less AI

As AI is being rolled out in greater measures in the workplace, we also see mixed employee sentiment towards it.

EY reports that only one in three employees sees potential benefits from generative AI in terms of productivity and new ways of working. EngageRocket’s studies also find that while seven out of 10 employees supported change initiatives in 2016, that number has dwindled to just about three in 10 today.

This shift in sentiment can be attributed, in part, to what seems to be a collective weariness towards change.

Gartner reported that almost 80 per cent of HR leaders acknowledge the existence of change fatigue among employees. Our own findings also show that almost 40 per cent of employees feel that their team members are neither sufficiently innovative nor have the right processes to support change effectively, leading to frustration on the ground.

Moreover, the introduction of AI represents not just a technological shift but a departure from traditional workflows that employees have grown familiar with over time.

Uncertainty surrounding the extent of AI’s impact adds to the apprehension. This resistance and the ensuing trust-gap, if not promptly addressed, pose substantial risk to the quality of employee experience in this era.

The critical ingredient to see through successful transformation

A group of researchers in leadership and management writes in the Harvard Business Review that the one critical factor that drives meaningful and successful transformation is for leaders to acknowledge and embrace the emotional journey of employees, especially because change can be stressful.

What this means is that leaders can engage in more honest, and maybe even uncomfortable, conversations to openly acknowledge the gap between the current state of the organisation and where it needs to be. They can also showcase their commitment to their own personal growth within the transformation process, setting an example for the rest of the company.

Building trust is also paramount in this context. By creating an environment of psychological safety, employees will be more likely to voice concerns, particularly about areas of ineffectiveness within the transformation process, and potentially save significant resources that may otherwise be wasted. What is great is that employees who feel secure are also more likely to innovate, and this can support the success of any transformation project.

Building up good employee engagement begets stronger performance

Beyond the success of any organisational transformation, employee engagement and performance remain critical outcomes desired by all organisations, whether big or small.

When employees are strongly engaged, they are emotionally committed to the mission and goals of the organisation. Strong engagement drives not only employee retention but also performance, resulting in heightened creativity, innovation, customer-service levels, quality standards and financial bottom lines.

What does strong employee engagement look like? It’s when an employee has

• great relationships at work, 
• a strong alignment with the organisation’s mission, 
• a good manager who cares about the staff and their development, and 
• the opportunity and the flexibility at work to perform at his or her best.

The points above underscore the importance of fostering human connections at work to create an environment where employees feel valued, understood and connected to a larger purpose. 

Advancement in AI has introduced innovations ranging from generative AI writing unbiased and comprehensive performance reviews to setting well-constructed goals by AI assistants. But the reality is that AI alone is not effective in inspiring actual performance improvement. According to Gallup, a mere 14 per cent of employees agree that reviews motivate them to enhance their performance.

Before introducing AI, secure these three Cs first

AI is meant to augment our human capabilities, allowing us to focus more on higher-value tasks that require creativity, critical thinking and emotional intelligence that are hard to replace. Our research has led us to a human-led solution to this challenge, encapsulated by three Cs – connection, conversations and coaching.

There are two aspects to connection:

• the relationship between managers and employees, and
• the alignment between an individual’s goals and the overarching outcomes sought by the organisation.

It is not enough to have managers who are skilled at engaging employees. The greatest value arises from an ability to connect these conversations to the individual’s goals and show employees how they contribute to the organisation’s success in a meaningful way.

In addition to establishing connection, one-on-one conversations, ideally had in person, have been proven to uplift both individual performance and organisational outcomes consistently. Notable examples include Adobe, which achieved a remarkable 30 per cent reduction in voluntary turnover, and General Electric, reporting an increase of five times in productivity simply by introducing regular one-on-one sessions.

Coaching is the final piece, and has rightly become more popular today because it shifts performance management from a compliance task to a genuinely employee-centric activity. It also builds on the benefits of connection. While AI revolutionises performance-management tools, it is the human touch that remains the cornerstone of effective performance enhancement.

Prioritising what we are all hardwired to do

As research from Stanford and other institutions shows, we are yet to reach “peak AI”. This makes now the optimal time to put in place data and strategies that prioritise human connections as an enabler and prerequisite for AI-led organisational success.

As we push into an AI-driven world, let us not forget that the essence of our collective experience lies in the richness of human connections. Balancing technological progress with the preservation of what makes us truly human ensures that the pursuit of AI becomes a force for good – enhancing, rather than replacing, the profound tapestry of human connections.

The writer is co-founder and CEO of human resources tech startup EngageRocket