About 71% of organizations do not provide guidance on when, where or how to use AI tools in the workplace. according to a February 8 report by Gallagher.
Additionally, 13% of communicators were unsure if their organization even used AI, and half were skeptical about AI’s impact.
“For many organizations, it’s the Wild West in terms of how they’re adopting and implementing AI,” Ben Reynolds, global managing director of Gallagher’s communications consulting practice, said in a statement.
“That said, with an AI plan in place, technologies can help communicators overcome what they’ve identified as two of the top three barriers in 2024, which are lack of time and lack of financial resources,” he said.
In a survey of more than 2,300 communications and HR leaders from 56 countries, communicators using AI are three times more likely to believe the technology will reduce workloads. AI users were also 20% more likely to believe that it will improve the quality of communications.
While adopting AI, organizations should focus on the basics, training opportunities and feedback mechanisms to measure ROI, the report said.
At the same time, new AI tools have not replaced the importance of human connection. About 84% of communicators said they rely on managers for communication to some extent, particularly around strategy, vision and purpose; values, behaviors and culture; and the integration of organizational change.
Still, 3 in 5 respondents said communication with managers fell short of expectations, and 18% said “poor communication skills of people managers” was a major barrier to to success by 2024. Companies are trying to improve results through on-demand learning (82%), written or downloadable resources (74%), a manager-only forum or communication channel (67%) and mentoring or individualized mentoring in communication skills (63%).
“Managers who were evaluated for their communication skills were twice as likely to meet/exceed expectations as those who were not evaluated,” Reynolds said. “And those who were not assessed/accountable were more likely to receive tools, training and resources.”
Despite the importance of internal communication and its role in company culture, only about half of employers tell their employees understand the company’s strategy, vision and purpose, according to an earlier report by Gallagher. This lack of clarity can lead to lapses in engagement.
In particular, many front-line employees can feel communication with managers missing, according to a SafetyCulture survey. About 40% of workers said management communications were “discreet” and 30% said internal communications prevented them from doing their jobs.
Also, managers may think they are better at their jobs than they are, according to a Checkr.com report, especially when it comes to dealing with their direct reports and employee well-being. More than 70% of managers said they have good relationships and open communication with workers, but only 58% of employees agree.
