PwC research: under pressure UK workers look more favourably on GenAI as workloads increase

UK workers are optimistic about new opportunities and ways of working, but the pace and magnitude of change is overwhelming, according to PwC's Hopes and Fears Survey.

The survey of over 56,600 workers in 50 countries, including 2,000 in the UK, finds that workers recognise the potential of GenAI to improve their efficiency and workload, creating opportunities for employers to drive innovation, with three times as many (57%) workers this year saying that GenAI could help them to be more efficient compared to last year (19%).

In the UK, 41% of workers are facing a significant increase in their workload and 37% believe they need to learn how to use new tools and technology to do their job. 45% feel too much change is happening at once, and 40% don't understand the need for some changes. 

Surprisingly, these concerns are more than matched by workers’ optimism for the future. Three out of four workers say they are ready to adapt to new ways of working, whilst 65% are excited about new opportunities.

Indeed, 68% of workers are confident that GenAI will create opportunities to learn new skills, whilst many think it will make them more creative at work and improve the quality of their work (64% and 62% respectively.)

Sarah Moore, Head of Workforce, at PwC UK, says: “Workers are telling us they’re motivated and ready to adapt to AI and other changes, but they’re also overwhelmed by nonstop disruption.”

“Even positive change can be stressful when it’s coming from all angles. With a clear strategy, employers can help by equipping their workforce with the knowledge and skills to adapt.”

Employees’ perception of GenAI is more positive than negative, with 57% predicting it will improve their efficiency and nearly half (46%) believing it will help them to manage their workload.

This is a significant jump on last year when only 19% of workers thought GenAI could make them more efficient and productive. 

But positive attitudes are not translating into regular usage. Less than half of UK workers (47%) have used GenAI at work in the past year compared to 61% globally. And 18%) use it daily or weekly for work purposes compared to 28% globally.

Reasons for workers' reluctance to take up GenAI tools range from lacking opportunity to use it in their work (33%), employers not providing access (25%) and not knowing how to use it (23%). 

Despite positivity about the potential of GenAI, workers expressed concerns that it will increase bias within their organisation (45%) and provide misleading information (47%), reinforcing the need for clear articulation from employers of where, when and how GenAI should be used. 

Alastair Woods, Workforce Transformation Partner at PwC UK, says: “GenAI holds immense potential, but this will only be realised if employers equip people to use it and allow for experimentation.”

“The research tells us that as AI changes how businesses operate, skills must change too. Employers must engage employees in the transformation ahead and map out the new skills needed in key parts of the workforce.”

Workers' confidence that their skillset won’t need to change in the near future varies by generation.

This sentiment is particularly strong among older generations, with only 19% of Gen X and baby boomers anticipating a substantial shift in the skills required within the next five years, compared to 31% of Millennials and Gen Z.  

This is in contrast to the views of leaders in PwC’s CEO Survey, where 78% of UK CEOs reported some extent of skills shortage within their organisation, and 68% specified a lack of tech capabilities in inhibiting their ability to transform.

A shift in skills requirements is already being reflected in the job market with posts for specialist AI jobs (those requiring technical skills, such as machine learning) in the UK growing 3.6 times faster than for all jobs over the last decade, according to PwC’s 2024 AI Jobs Barometer.

Around three-quarters of workers trust their leaders to guide them through critical change and say they believe in their organisation’s goals and long term strategy (77% and 74% respectively).

There’s also a strong degree of trust in senior leadership, with 65% acknowledging their senior leaders as competent, 66% perceiving them as transparent and fair, and 63% believing they genuinely care.