The Great Re-Engagement

How AI Is Transforming Disengaged Workers into Passionate Contributors.

Work is a four-letter word, know what I mean?

But wouldn't it be great if work was meaningful, purposeful, and even joyful.

Wouldn’t it be great if it felt more like fulfilling play than drudgery?

We've heard a big productivity promise with every major new technology that's come along—from computers to the internet to smartphones.

"This will free you to do what you love!"

Yet here we are, and most people still dread Monday mornings.

In fact, we’ve experienced a longstanding plateau of disengagement with work.

For 25 years, Gallup has measured workplace engagement, and the reports have been consistently poor with about 70% of employees not engaged.

In the wealthiest era of human history, with unprecedented technological capabilities, seven out of ten workers still feel disengaged in their jobs.

And we spend more time working than anything else! This is a travesty of epic proportions.

Too much work feels meaningless— mindless tasks and administrative slog drains our motivation and purpose, with stressed out managers trying to squeeze every ounce of value out of us.

But today, we stand at a true turning point.

AI is humanity's greatest gift—a historic opportunity to actually transform work by helping anyone to automate low-value tasks so they can focus on their most meaningful contribution.

For the first time, we have tools that can genuinely liberate human creativity and purpose in the workplace.

But this transformation won't happen automatically.

Although 97% of executives are feeling urgency to implement AI, this is quite different than rolling out other technologies.

In most cases, AI implementation requires individual employee adoption and adaptation to be truly effective.

The key is to empower employees to customize AI to their individual workflows.

Managers should aim to support people in feeling confident about their future value, instead of anxious about being replaced or displaced.

Organizations that move first in empowering employees with AI will gain higher engagement, productivity, and loyalty while also becoming employers of choice for top talent.

This isn't just about competitive advantage; it's about creating workplaces where people can truly thrive.

If done right, the AI revolution can dramatically improve those sad employee engagement stats once and for all.

AI Adoption Is Already Happening

Employees aren't waiting for permission, or training, to utilize AI.

According to Microsoft's Work Trend Index, 75% of knowledge workers use AI at work today, yet 60% of executive leaders worry their organization lacks a plan and vision to implement AI.

This grassroots movement signals that employees intuitively understand AI's potential to improve their work experience, as 78% are signing in to their own AI tools at work.

Employees are seeking ways to reduce friction, automate tedious tasks, and create more time for the work that plays to their own strengths and interests.

Organizations that try to control or restrict AI use often find employees using it anyway, just without guidance or alignment.

The big question is whether leaders will actively empower employees to use AI in ways that benefit both workers and the business.

Those that embrace employee-led AI adoption can channel this enthusiasm toward strategic goals while simultaneously improving the employee experience.

Shifting Mindsets from Scarcity to Abundance

How we approach AI—with a mindset of abundance or scarcity—shapes its impact on our work experience.

A scarcity mindset sees AI as a replacement or privacy threat, creating resistance and anxiety that limits its effectiveness.

People who fear that AI will ultimately take their jobs are unlikely to embrace its potential to enhance their work.

The Slack Workforce Index survey of 17,000+ found that nearly half (48%) of all desk workers would be uncomfortable admitting to their manager that they used AI for common tasks.

The top reasons for this discomfort are feeling like using AI is "cheating", fear of being seen as less competent, and fear of being perceived as lazy.

These concerns reveal a profound misunderstanding of AI's true purpose and value.

Using AI isn't "cheating"—it's a valuable evolution in how we work, and the key for increased productivity and employee engagement.

Just as we don't consider using spreadsheets instead of paper ledgers "cheating," we need to normalize AI as an essential tool for modern work.

Leaders must actively encourage AI use across all appropriate tasks and celebrate the people who are using it effectively.

An abundance mindset recognizes AI as a work partner that will:

- Amplify human strengths and creativity

- Free us from tasks that don't align with our fulfilling purpose

- Create time for more meaningful and human contributions

Leaders who foster this mindset help employees see AI not as competition but as collaboration and the ultimate catalyst for doing the best work of our lives.

This mindset shift is essential for creating the psychological safety needed for true engagement with AI tools.

Companies that approach AI with intentionality—providing it as a gift to employees rather than just an efficiency measure—will see higher adoption rates and better results.

This isn't just idealism; it's a practical business strategy backed by data.

The Slack Workforce Index shows that AI users report significant engagement increases:

· 23% improvement in their ability to manage stress.

· 24% increase in their overall satisfaction with work.

· 29% more likely to say they feel highly passionate about their work.

“The data shows that employees using AI are having an all-around markedly better time on the job. They’re not just more productive; they’re experiencing greater excitement, fulfillment and pride in their work.”

-Christina Janzer, Head of the Slack Workforce Lab

Meet Employees Where They Are

The data is clear: employees are eager to get more AI training.

According to Gartner, a whopping 92% of employees want AI to help with administrative tasks like email, scheduling, and documentation.

Yet most organizations aren't providing the necessary support.

Slack’s Index reveals that only 7% of employees consider themselves expert AI users, and 61% have received less than five hours of AI training.

This gap represents a massive opportunity.

When employees use AI for repetitive tasks, they gain time and mental space for deeper, more creative work.

Purpose-built AI and custom GPTs tailored to each employee's role can also serve as coaches and thought partners, helping them better leverage their unique strengths and skills.

When people spend more time on work that uses their unique human capabilities—creativity, empathy, strategic thinking, collaboration—they naturally feel more engaged.

AI creates a virtuous cycle: as employees automate tedious work, they have more time for meaningful tasks, which increases engagement, which in turn drives higher productivity.

The key takeaway is that employees don't need an AI strategy—they simply need to be empowered, enabled, and supported in customizing the right tools for their own workflows.

Companies that recognize this opportunity and invest in AI training will create workplaces where employees feel valued and prepared for the future.

The AI readiness gap isn't just a challenge—it's the most significant opportunity for workplace transformation that we’ve ever seen.

Reframing Productivity: Quality Over Quantity

How leaders communicate AI's benefits directly impacts adoption success.

Christina Janzer pulls another crucial insight from Slack’s surveys:

"Employees are worried that the time they save with AI will actually increase their workload – with leaders expecting them to do more work, at a faster pace. This presents an opportunity for leaders to redefine what they mean by 'productivity,' inspiring employees to improve the quality of their work – not just the quantity."

Forward-thinking organizations are shifting the conversation from "AI will help you do more" to "AI will help you do better."

The most effective approach emphasizes how AI creates space for deeper thinking, creativity, and meaningful collaboration—not just cramming more tasks into the workday.

When employees understand that AI is meant to elevate the quality and impact of their work, not just accelerate the hamster wheel, adoption and enthusiasm naturally increase.

The benefits extend beyond individual companies.

Early adopters become leaders in a movement transforming work from drudgery to meaningful contribution.

They help create a societal tipping point where work aligns with human purpose and potential.

Imagine workplaces where administrative burden vanishes, and employees are free to focus on meaningful work.

With AI we can harness technology that elevates rather than diminishes human contribution.

It’s not about doing more with less—it's about creating environments where people thrive and creativity flourishes.

Companies embracing this vision gain competitive advantage while building a more fulfilling future of work.

The Playbook: Five Steps to Empower Employees

Now that we understand the opportunity, mindset shift, and potential benefits, here's how to put these insights into action:

Step 1: Encourage AI Experimentation

Employees know their work best—give them freedom to find the most valuable AI use cases.

Provide access to AI tools and create a chat space for employees to share successes and learnings.

Encourage employees to build and share custom GPT’s and ‘act like’ prompts tailored to their unique challenges, strengths and workflows.

Small experiments with immediate impact build confidence and momentum.

Step 2: Offer AI Training & Subscriptions

Bring in external AI coaches (like Coachfully.AI) for high-impact workshops and appoint internal "AI champions" to provide ongoing support.

This hybrid approach aligns with employee preferences—Slack found 70% of workers want a mix of employee-led and employer-led AI training.

Also be sure to invest in paid LLM subscriptions for team members who are using AI on a daily basis.

Features like ChatGPT Plus's custom GPTs deliver outsized returns through both workplace productivity and personal development, boosting engagement and loyalty.

It’s best to start with low hanging fruit use cases that demonstrate tangible benefits, then gradually expand adoption across workflows and departments.

Step 3: Foster a Culture of AI Collaboration

Encourage teams to share AI applications and insights. Make AI part of regular workflow discussions, rather than an isolated "IT project."

Encourage employees to program AI with their values, purpose, development goals, and preferences, not just their tasks.

Host collaborative sessions where teams define how AI should approach different scenarios in line with company values and mission.

Cross-functional collaboration is particularly valuable, as different departments often discover unique applications for AI that can benefit others.

Regular knowledge-sharing sessions can accelerate adoption across the organization.

Step 4: Recognize & Reward AI Innovation

Celebrate employees who use AI creatively to improve productivity.

When employees find ways to use AI that enhance work quality or enable new possibilities, make these stories visible.

Highlight successful AI-powered projects to encourage adoption across the company.

Recognize innovation that connects AI use to meaningful work, not just efficiency gains.

Consider creating formal recognition programs or even financial incentives for AI innovations that deliver significant value.

All this signals to the organization that AI adoption is a strategic priority, and the genuine happiness and engagement of the AI users will become infectious.

Step 5: Connect AI Use to Higher Purpose

Help employees see how AI adoption connects to their personal growth as well as the organization's mission.

Create space for reflection on how AI is enhancing meaningful work and reducing friction and drudgery.

Measure and celebrate both productivity gains and purpose/meaning gains.

This could involve survey questions about how AI affects job satisfaction and engagement, not just efficiency metrics and outcomes.

Encourage employees to articulate how AI has changed their experience of work.

These narratives can be powerful tools for building a culture where technology serves human flourishing rather than the other way around.

First Movers Will Define the Future of Work

Companies empowering employees with AI gain four big advantages:

· Immediate productivity improvements.

· Higher employee engagement.

· Increased retention.

· A recruiting edge for top talent.

The biggest risk for businesses today isn't employees rejecting AI—it's losing employees to companies that empower them with it.

According to Slack’s extensive survey, 3 out of 4 desk workers say that a prospective employer’s ability to provide and enable their use of AI tools is a factor in their job search.

This trend is likely to accelerate, as people in their first job are almost twice more likely to say AI enablement is a “very important factor” in their job search.

Top performers who experience AI-enhanced workplaces won't return to environments where they waste time on tasks AI could handle.

They're voting with their feet, seeking employers who equip them with tools for higher-value work.

The Vision: Contributing to the Movement

AI adoption in the workplace drives us toward the age of abundance—where work transforms from drudgery to meaningful play, people focus on their unique talents, and AI becomes humanity's partner in creating new exciting possibilities.

When embraced correctly AI unlocks unprecedented potential, engagement, and satisfaction.

Leaders who empower employees aren't just building better companies—they're creating a better future of work.

By shifting from disengagement to purpose through AI empowerment, businesses become catalysts for profound change.

The opportunity is here. The tools are available. The benefits are proven.

Will your organization lead the way or get left behind in the age of AI-powered abundance?