The research conducted in partnership with YouGov, surveyed more than 3,400 employees, senior leaders, and HR decision makers in the UK, and found that senior leaders are outpacing their employees in AI usage, belief in the technology’s value and expectations around its role in the future of work.

According to the findings, 57% of senior managers are already using AI in their work, compared to half (50%) of HR decision makers and just 45% of employees. Usage is also more frequent among senior managers, with 22% using AI daily and more than three quarters (77%) using it at least weekly. This is in comparison to 63% of employees and 56% of HR decision makers using AI at least weekly.

AI seen as a solution, but not without trade-offs

Despite concerns about its impact, 48% of senior managers, 41% of HR leaders and 35% of employees believe AI will generate more solutions than problems in their organisations.

The findings point to an interesting divide in perceptions around quality of work produced with the support of AI: 45% of senior managers say AI leads to better outputs, vs 18% who disagree. Whereas employees are more divided, with only 29% of employees agreeing, 26% disagreeing, and 45% saying they don’t know.

And while many see AI's potential in the workplace, there is greater concern about it leading to deskilling rather than upskilling. Employees are most likely to feel this way, with 47% believing it will result in deskilling vs 24% upskilling, while senior leaders are more divided (38% vs 37% respectively).

AI and digital literacy to shape future workforce

Looking ahead, senior leaders foresee a greater integration of AI (63%) and increased demand for tech skills (60%) as the two major trends shaping the job market over the next decade. The findings point to much greater emphasis on technology than areas like more support for mental health and wellbeing (33%) and a stronger push for return to office (31%).

In line with this, digital literacy is seen as the most important future skill across the board, cited by 69% of HR decision makers and 62% of both senior managers and employees. AI proficiency follows closely, with over half of all groups listing it as a top skill for the coming decade.

AI in recruitment: a work in progress

Despite some recognition of AI’s value in the workplace, only 18% of HR decision makers and 39% of senior managers report using AI in hiring processes. Among those HR decision makers who do, the top uses are data-driven decision making (54%), chatbots for candidate screening (47%), job description optimisation (45%), and CV screening (42%).

Although Indeed’s research points to some way to go for AI integration into the hiring process, 52% of senior managers and 50% of HR leaders believe AI will positively impact recruitment efficiency. While 96% of HR decision makers already using AI say it is beneficial to their hiring processes.

Employee wellbeing a key concern as digital transformation accelerates

As AI advancements shift the demands of the modern workplace, senior managers feel the most positive about their current roles (71%), compared to 64% of HR leaders and just 54% of employees. A similar gap appears in outlook: only 42% of employees feel positive about their future job prospects vs 60% of senior managers.

Trust in employers is a mixed picture. While more than half (55%) of employees trust their organisation to support them, only two in five (42%) believe their company makes decisions in their best interests. Meanwhile, burnout, workload and work-life balance top the list of concerns across all groups, with one in three (34%) employees saying they don’t feel prepared to manage their mental wellbeing at work.

Matt Burney, Senior Strategic Advisor at Indeed, commented: “As businesses move quickly to adopt AI and boost productivity, our findings are a timely reminder: progress should be matched by meaningful investment in trust, transparency, and employee wellbeing. At a time when trust is faltering and wellbeing concerns are rising, it’s essential that AI adoption doesn’t widen the gap between leaders and teams. With more UK businesses integrating AI into hiring and broader workflows, leaders have a responsibility to build people-first strategies that prioritise clear communication and long-term support. The goal isn’t just efficiency, it’s empowerment.”