- New data reveals that most workers fear AI’s potential impact on their jobs
- Employees who feel secure in their roles are more productive and engaged
- Employers must prioritize communication and invest in education and upskilling
New data from ADP’s People at Work 2026 report, covering more than 39,000 working adults from 36 markets, confirms that most workers are still very concerned about AI’s impact on their jobs, even if today’s tangible impacts are relatively minimal.
Only one in four UK workers strongly agree that their jobs are safe from being replaced, and this falls to around one in five (21%) in Europe as a whole and 22% globally.
ADP’s report highlights a large disconnect between employment numbers, which are generally quite strong, and employees’ personal expectations for the future of their roles.
Poor AI communication creates a trust gap
“The world of work is changing rapidly and our findings reveal a gap between what the labor market is telling us and what employees are feeling,” said ADP UK&NI SVP and GM Jeff Phipps, noting that “employment is strong.”
The report, which is one of the most comprehensive of its kind, shows that confidence actually varies greatly depending on the nature of an employee’s role, with knowledge workers feeling more confident. Around one in three (34%) UK knowledge workers agree that their jobs are secure, but only 19% of UK workers in repetitive roles feel secure.
But a sense of job security doesn’t just play into a worker’s satisfaction—it can also affect how they work and the productivity an employer sees. Workers who feel their job is secure are 6 times more likely to be fully engaged at work and about 3 times more likely to report high productivity.
Workers who feel secure are also about twice as likely to say they have no intention of leaving their employer.
More job security creates better performance
It appears that greater confidence in the future can enable employees to concentrate more on their work and increase their contribution, indicating a clear need for positive communication from management.
ADP advises employers to be transparent about any organizational and technological changes and to explain how employees’ roles may be affected so they don’t immediately assume their jobs may be at risk. The report also puts the responsibility for education and upskilling on the employers.
“People want to know that there is a place for them as their organization evolves and that they will be supported to get there,” Phipps added.
The report also reveals that the larger the company, the less confidence an employee is likely to feel. Large companies see a confidence level of 22%, compared to 36% for medium-sized companies. In Europe, the reverse is true, proving that the world is still struggling to get a handle on AI communication and training, regardless of geography or company size.
“The companies that treat this seriously — investing in skills and being honest about change — are the ones that see the payoff in how people perform and whether they stay,” Phipps said, urging companies to include much more than just technology implementation in their AI strategies as they risk losing workers.
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