AI has entered many workplaces in some form or another, and European employees know it.
A new survey of 37,500 people in 30 countries, most of them European, by human resources firm Adecco shows that 55% of them expect their employers to integrate AI agents into their workflows within a year.
However, most companies have yet to involve employees in designing AI-integrated processes. The global average of people who say they are consulted about how to work with AI is 30%.
China and Europe lag slightly behind with employee engagement rates at 23% and 29%, respectively, compared to 37% in the US and 50% in Canada.
Focusing specifically on European countries, Germany, France and the Netherlands have a rate of 36%, which is higher than the global average, with Switzerland and Slovenia leading the continent (41%).
Workers who are “prepared for the future” are also born and raised. where are they?
Research also shows that prepared for the future Employees are much more likely to be involved in AI-related decisions at work, jumping to 41%.
According to Adecco, forward-thinking employees are those who are already actively experimenting with the use of AI in the workplace and are interested in learning new skills, even outside of working hours.
Spain has the highest percentage of future-ready workers in Europe, third in the world (7%), on par with India.
“They are open to new technology and have a diverse set of skills,” the HR firm said, adding that they are more likely to respond positively to questions such as “AI has increased my productivity.”
Importantly, Adecco added that these types of workers are not “simply found”, but “supported by employers to become great talent”.
“As AI continues to rapidly reshape the workforce, if they don’t understand how and where they fit, they won’t be able to wait,” the company said.
In this regard, it is becoming increasingly important for workers to prepare for the future and grow professionally.
The proportion of respondents who say they would stay with their employer for the next 12 months in exchange for career advancement is now 33%, up 11 percentage points from 2024.
How optimistic are employees about the future impact of AI?
Most of the workers interviewed seem not to be afraid of AI. About 76% believe AI has the potential to create more jobs, but only 23% expect layoffs due to AI.
Germany seems to be the most positive country, not just in Europe but all over the world. 93% say they believe AI has the potential to create more job opportunities than it takes away.
In fact, 77% of workers around the world say AI has enabled them to perform tasks they couldn’t do before.
This means more time to carry out tasks such as strategic thinking and checking the quality and accuracy of work, as well as improving skills and increasing creativity.
Finally, three-quarters of workers say their jobs have already changed or will change due to AI, including changing the activities performed in the workplace and changing the skills required for the role.
Adecco recommends that employers guide their employees to acquire “new value-added competencies through targeted upskilling and career development.”
“We position AI as a tool that complements, enhances, and augments human efforts, thereby empowering our workforce,” the company said in a statement.
