When Indeed asked nearly 3,400 UK workers, including civil servants across all grades, about their biggest concerns in 2025, AI was barely mentioned. Instead, workload pressures and work-life balance dominated responses across every age group and sector. In government, technology is key to achieving the ambitious 2% annual productivity gain target across all departments, and with projections suggesting AI could unlock up to £45bn in efficiency savings, the pressure is on to deliver.
Indeed’s research identified key challenges in workforce planning in the age of AI, but the findings show how government is uniquely positioned to lead the way with a thoughtful, human-centred approach. Here are five insights that could change government's AI journey from a top-down mandate into a bottom-up, collaborative transformation.
1. Trust is transformation's secret weapon: The research reveals an opportunity with untapped potential: only 42% of employees trust their employers to act in their best interests, while about two-thirds of senior managers believe they are already trusted. This disconnect highlights an area where organisations can focus their efforts to build trust and drive meaningful change.
The civil service has something private companies often lack: a shared mission that transcends profit. By connecting AI transformation to public service values, like providing faster assistance to vulnerable citizens, achieving better policy outcomes, or enhancing services, leaders can bridge the trust gap identified earlier. This approach not only taps into the motivations that draw people to government but also strengthens the bond between employees and their mission.
Realising this opportunity requires an honest, open dialogue about the journey ahead. Civil servants are remarkably adaptable when they understand the 'why' behind change.
2. Combat 'rust out' by rekindling purpose: ‘Rust out’ or the gradual erosion of energy and engagement, is a real threat to the workforce; more subtle than burnout but equally important to address. Government research has found that staff spend significant time on administrative tasks that could be automated. That's time that could be redirected to the meaningful work that drew them to public service: developing better policies, helping citizens, and solving complex challenges across communities.
Technology, automation, and AI could be the solution if implemented thoughtfully. Rather than AI “streamlining roles out of existence”, as some fear, it could streamline the dull work out of roles, leaving only the fulfilling parts, so that civil servants would spend less time on admin and more time actually helping people.
The opportunity here is to frame AI as a tool for amplifying human impact, not replacing it. When civil servants view technology as a means to do more of what matters, engagement naturally follows. This is a win-win approach, supporting government's productivity targets and reconnecting the workforce with what matters to them most.
3. Human connection beats digital confusion: The research found that 14% of employees aren't sure if their organisation uses AI. This data might seem concerning, but it really is an opportunity for improvement. Many organisations have discovered that using AI to communicate about AI creates confusion. As highlighted in the previous point, human connection matters, especially when discussing change that is driven by technology.
The way forward is all about people: real conversations between real people about what is changing and why. Civil servants do not need complicated details or emails full of technical terms, but open talks about how their jobs will change, what help they can get, and how everyone will be part of the future. This is a chance to show the skills that AI cannot copy: caring, understanding, and inspiring others.
4. Generational diversity as competitive advantage: The research shows only 29% of workers over 50 feel optimistic about AI, compared to 61% of those under 35. Rather than a problem to solve, this generational diversity is one of government's greatest assets because diverse perspectives, when combined, create more thoughtful implementation of new technologies. On one hand, younger workers bring digital fluency and adaptability. They embrace new tools naturally and help organisations stay current. On the other hand, experienced workers bring a questioning instinct that ensures technology serves the right purposes.
In government, where accountability is very important, these different strengths work well together. This is a powerful combination that allows reverse mentoring programmes where younger staff share technical skills and learn institutional wisdom from experienced colleagues. At its heart, this is about working together inside the organisation so everyone can do their best.
5. Measure progress: The private sector may have rushed into AI adoption, sometimes creating uncertainty in its wake, but government's traditionally measured approach could be the key to success. Government can learn from private sector experiences, adopting what works and learning from the mistakes of others.
When departments push for productivity, they're not chasing shareholder returns but delivering citizen benefits. But success requires measuring what truly matters. So, alongside traditional metrics, tracking engagement levels, skills development, and employee confidence is key. Only with these human indicators can signal whether transformation is genuinely working.
With trust as its foundation, purpose as its fuel, and human connection as its method, government could achieve something remarkable: a civil service renewed, reinvigorated, and ready to tackle tomorrow's challenges, embracing both technology and public service values.
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