Almost two-thirds of workers across the UK use artificial intelligence tools at least once a week in their jobs, but when asked about the impact of AI at work, the common response is not one of optimism or fear, but rather they say, "I don't know." The paradox, revealed in new research by hiring and matching platform Indeed, highlights a disconnect in our relationship with AI. Civil Service World spoke with Matt Burney, senior strategic advisor at Indeed, to understand what workforce sentiment data reveals about the reality facing those expected to deliver digital transformation in government.
The research was conducted by YouGov in April and surveyed 1,944 employees, 898 senior managers, and 569 HR decision-makers across the public and private sectors. It found two critical divides: confidence that organisations are looking after employees' interests, and basic knowledge about AI use within their workplaces.
The trust and knowledge gap
The data reveals that only 42% of employees trust their employer to act in their best interests, compared to two-thirds of senior managers who believe their organisations are acting in workers' best interests. This 25-percentage-point gap highlights a fundamental disconnect between how leadership perceives their actions and how employees experience them.
“There's this really big problem,” Burney says. “What this report really highlights is that leadership are doing one thing, and employees are saying, ‘Oh, that's quite concerning, and I don't really understand what's going on here’."
The disconnect takes on particular significance in the public sector AI adoption, where even the Prime Minister speaks confidently about AI “releasing individuals to be more human” while civil servants remain fundamentally uncertain about what the shift to AI means for their roles.
Data also shows 14% of employees aren't sure if their organisation uses AI – almost five times the number of senior managers who express uncertainty on this front. This knowledge gap reveals fundamental communication failures within organisations embracing digital transformation.
“A lot of people in talent acquisition and HR have sort of said they've communicated the changes, and they've been trusted that they understand it, but they've not understood the bigger picture,” Burney observes, noting departments are implementing AI for recruitment, case management and citizen services but failing to explain what this means for civil servants on the front line.
Workplace sentiment: From burnout to rust out
Perhaps most surprisingly, data shows that while people worry about job losses from AI, workload and work-life balance dominate concerns across the UK workforce.
“We say burnout to talk about this, but that’s the wrong word for it,” Burney tells CSW. “I think the sentiment is much better described as 'rust out': the slow erosion of energy, creativity and loyalty.”
Unlike burnout, characterised by dramatic collapse, rust out represents a gradual wearing of engagement. “That slow erosion of trust and respect winds up with people who are very, very disengaged,” Burney explains. For the civil service, this 'rust out' phenomenon poses challenges for service delivery and policy continuity, as the institutional memory essential for effective government could begin to erode.
The skills dilemma
While digital literacy ranks as the skill workers believe will be most crucial over the next decade, 47% believe AI will deskill rather than upskill them. This contradiction reveals deep anxieties about technological change in the workplace. “The deskilling fear is not really an irrational response,” Burney says. “The worry being that jobs aren't being enriched by AI, but rather they're being streamlined a bit out of existence.”
For the public sector, this concern carries particular weight. Former government non-executive director Michael Jary recently acknowledged the future will require “not only a smaller civil-service headcount but also a very different skillset.” When departments already struggle with skills shortages, from digital specialists to policy analysts, employee fears about automation represent a critical warning. If civil servants believe their expertise is being diminished rather than enhanced, their willingness to invest in new capabilities can naturally diminish.
The research explains this reluctance. Almost two-thirds of employees believe AI adoption will result in job losses, while a quarter cite job security as their primary workplace concern. “People don't just resist change,” Burney notes. “They resist being changed without context behind it.”
This uncertainty breeds exactly the resistance that can derail transformation programmes, creating potential headwinds for government's AI agenda from its own workforce.
Bridging the divide
Rather than slowing AI adoption, Burney advocates for more strategic implementation with clearer communication strategies. His recommendations focus on three key areas.
First, radical transparency about skills and roles. “We need to be clearer about what skills we've got in our organisations already, and how we know what skills we need,” he explains. This requires honest conversations about which positions might change or disappear, coupled with genuine investment in reskilling programmes.
Second, reframing automation as an opportunity rather than a threat. Government data shows 10.5 hours per week across every industry are wasted on manual tasks that should be automated. Rather than eliminating jobs, this could free civil servants for higher-value policy work and citizen engagement – work that genuinely requires human judgement and creativity.
Third, ensuring transformation happens with consent rather than imposition. “I genuinely believe that's what government leaders want to do,” says Burney. I just don't think they're telling people that in a clear enough way.”
This approach requires moving beyond "town halls" and emails to ensure employees understand not just what changes are happening, but what they mean for individual roles and career development.
Burney believes the public sector possesses a unique advantage here: the opportunity to connect civil servants with a deeper sense of purpose that extends far beyond commercial profit.
For many who choose public service, the motivation lies in contributing to the greater good: improving citizens' lives and strengthening communities across the UK. AI-enhanced benefits processing could deliver faster support for vulnerable citizens. More efficient planning systems could accelerate housebuilding for those who need it most. Improved policy analysis could create tangible benefits for communities from Cornwall to the Highlands. However, this compelling narrative requires the intentional and honest communication that the research suggests is currently lacking.
As ministers champion AI's transformative potential, the evidence shows civil servants aren't demanding perfection, but rather clarity, purpose, and inclusion in decisions that affect their professional futures.
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The information in this article is provided as a courtesy and for informational purposes only. Indeed is not a legal advisor.