UK workers have accepted AI – now employers need to help them make the most of it, SD Worx finds

The conversation around artificial intelligence in the workplace is changing. Rather than fearing AI will replace them, UK employees increasingly expect it to become part of their everyday working lives. The challenge for employers is no longer convincing people to embrace AI; it's ensuring they have the skills, confidence, and support to use it effectively.

That's according to new research from , the leading European partner for HR, Pay and Time solutions, which suggests UK employees are moving beyond the question of whether AI belongs at work and are instead focusing on how it will shape the way they work in the years ahead.

The findings point to a significant shift in employee attitudes. Almost half (46%) of UK employees expect AI to support them by sharing tasks as part of their role, while a further 46% expect to continue carrying out most of their work themselves, with only limited AI involvement. Just 8% believe AI will perform the majority of their role, suggesting employees largely see AI as a colleague rather than a replacement.

While employees increasingly expect AI to become a permanent part of working life, many feel they are not receiving the support needed to navigate the transition.

Less than three in ten (28%) employees say they have attended AI-related training provided by their employer during the past year. Only 30% believe their organisation is helping them build the skills they'll need in an AI-enabled workplace, while just 31% say their employer is actively guiding employees through the transition to more AI-driven ways of working.

The findings suggest that many organisations have focused on implementing AI technologies, but less attention has been given to preparing employees to use them confidently and effectively.

For HR leaders, this marks an important shift. As AI becomes embedded across organisations, competitive advantage is likely to depend less on access to technology and more on how successfully organisations enable their people to work alongside it.

Trust is becoming as important as technology

The research also highlights that successful AI adoption depends on employee confidence as much as technological capability.

71% UK employees believe AI systems should be transparent in how they make decisions, while just over half (54%) trust their organisation to use AI fairly and ethically.

At the same time, employees remain broadly optimistic about their own future in an AI-enabled workplace. Nearly three-quarters (72%) believe their uniquely human capabilities cannot be replaced by AI, while six in ten (62%) say they feel secure in their role despite increasing automation. Although almost three in ten (30%) remain concerned that AI could make a significant part of their role redundant, the findings suggest employees are approaching AI with pragmatism rather than fear.

The next phase of AI is a people challenge

The findings suggest the next stage of workplace AI will be defined less by technology adoption and more by workforce readiness.

As AI moves from experimentation to everyday use, HR leaders have an opportunity to shift the conversation from implementation to enablement—ensuring employees understand where AI adds value, where human judgement remains essential, and how new technologies can support rather than replace their work.

About the international employee survey

SD Worx, the leading European partner for HR, Pay and Time solutions, supports organisations of all sizes with their HR and payroll challenges. To stay closely connected to both employers and employees, SD Worx regularly conducts in-depth surveys across Europe. The latest “HR & Payroll Pulse” study provides organizations with valuable insights to refine their HR and payroll strategies and prepare for the future.

The survey was conducted between January 27 and February 20, 2026, across 16 European countries: Belgium, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom and Sweden, by the SD Worx Research Institute. In total, 5,936 HR decision-makers and 16,500 employees were surveyed. The results provide a representative view of the labour market in each country.