27 Nov How to Motivate Workers in the Age of AI

The debate over artificial intelligence and the future of work is no longer theoretical—it’s showing up in people’s daily jobs, career decisions, and expectations of leadership. PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2025, based on nearly 50,000 workers across 48 economies, suggests a clear message: employees are more curious than afraid of AI—but motivation, trust, and security are fragile.

The survey paints a nuanced picture. AI is starting to reshape work, but not as fast or as evenly as many executives think. Meanwhile, workers’ motivation hinges on a mix of old fundamentals (pay, job security) and newer cultural factors (psychological safety, meaning, skill growth) that leaders cannot ignore.

Ai optimism is rising—but real use is still limited

Across all industries, 54% of workers say they’ve used AI for their jobs in the past year. Most of them already see tangible gains: roughly three-quarters report that AI improves their productivity and the quality of their work. Among daily generative AI users, nine in ten expect even more benefits ahead.

Emotionally, curiosity and excitement outweigh fear. Workers are about twice as likely to feel positive (curious or excited) about AI’s impact as they are to feel worried or confused.

Yet actual day-to-day usage remains modest. Only 14% of employees use generative AI tools daily at work, and just 6% say they use agentic AI—systems that can take autonomous actions or decisions. Use skews heavily toward office-based workers (19% daily GenAI use) versus manual workers (5%).

In other words: the hype is ahead of the habits. Many employees see AI’s potential, but haven’t yet woven it into their routine.

Uncertainty is highest for entry-level workers

Underneath the broad optimism is a sharper anxiety, especially among those at the start of their careers. Nearly a third of entry-level workers say they’re worried to a large or very large extent about AI’s impact on their future. At the same time, many are also curious (47%) and optimistic (38%) about its long-term societal effects—a mix of fear and excitement.

That tension is understandable. Research on AI-exposed roles shows a decline in some classic entry-level jobs (like software developers or customer service reps) and growth in roles that are augmented by AI rather than replaced. Managers in the survey are divided: some expect AI to reduce entry-level roles, others expect it to create new ones, and many think it will simply reshape how those jobs look.

The good news: nearly 70% of employees believe they have at least some control over how technology will affect their work over the next three years. Younger workers are especially confident that they can harness AI to serve their own career goals—if given the chance.

For leaders, the first step is to acknowledge uncertainty honestly, especially with students, graduates, and early-career talent. Being transparent about what you know—and what you don’t—helps reduce fear and invites people into the conversation instead of leaving them to guess.

Trust is the multiplier for motivation

One of the strongest findings in the survey is the link between trust and motivation. Workers who deeply trust their direct manager are 72% more motivated than those with low trust. Those with high trust in top leadership are 63% more motivated than those who don’t trust senior leaders.

Yet trust is far from universal. Only about half of employees say they trust top management. Slightly more—58%—say they trust their direct manager and can speak openly. Many are less sure that leaders do what they say they’ll do, care about employee well-being, or truly welcome honest feedback. Younger workers, in particular, are less comfortable speaking openly with managers than older colleagues.

As organizations integrate AI and reorganize work, this trust gap becomes dangerous. What leaders may see as “reallocating skills” often feels like “eliminating my job” to employees. Transparency about what AI will change, and how, is essential.

Vision and alignment drive energy

Employees are more motivated when they understand where the organization is going and believe those goals are credible. Workers who feel strongly aligned with leadership’s goals are 78% more motivated than those with weak alignment.

Some sectors, such as technology, are doing this well: over 70% of tech workers say they understand their organization’s goals. Across the wider sample, that drops to about 64%, and belief in leaders’ ability to deliver is even lower—especially among non-managers.

As AI pilots scale up, employees are often left with fragmented messages: a productivity story here, a cost-saving story there, and a vague “innovation” promise layered on top. The result is confusion. Leaders need to tie AI initiatives to a coherent narrative about the company’s future and explain how that future creates opportunity for employees, not just efficiency for shareholders.

Skills and learning are now core motivators

Skills are another powerful driver of motivation. Workers who believe their skills will stay relevant over the next three years are almost twice as motivated as those who think their skills will become obsolete. Those who feel well-supported to learn are 73% more motivated than those with little support.

But upskilling access is uneven. Tech workers report far more opportunity to learn new skills than the average employee. Senior executives feel much better supported than non-managers. Daily GenAI users are the most likely to say they have the resources they need—suggesting a growing divide between AI “insiders” and everyone else.

Leaders should be explicit about which skills matter most in an AI-enabled business, build visible learning pathways, and—crucially—give people chances to apply new skills on real work. Otherwise, training risks becoming a tick-box exercise rather than a driver of motivation and retention.

Psychological safety, meaning and energy

Motivation thrives where people feel safe to speak up, experiment, and fail without punishment. Employees with the highest sense of psychological safety are 72% more motivated than those with the lowest. Yet only about half of workers say it’s safe to try new approaches at work or that failures are treated as learning opportunities.

Meaning at work matters just as much. Employees who find their work highly meaningful are 91% more motivated than those who find little meaning in their jobs. Still, only about half of all workers say they’ve found a meaningful career—and non-managers lag far behind leaders on this score.

Layered onto this is emotional strain: more than half of workers report financial pressure, and many also report fatigue, boredom, or feeling overwhelmed. Those negative states correlate with a 30% drop in motivation.

Security and pay still matter—especially in a disruptive era

Finally, the basics still count. Workers who are optimistic about the future of their role are roughly twice as motivated as those who aren’t. Those confident in their job security are 51% more motivated than peers who feel vulnerable. Yet just under half received a pay rise in the last year, and 55% say they are under financial strain.

That financial insecurity undermines trust and openness—especially when leaders ask employees to embrace AI-driven change. Linking upskilling and AI initiatives to clear financial upside (e.g., wage premiums for AI skills, productivity-linked rewards, or better career paths) can create a more compelling reason for employees to engage.

The emerging message is clear: the leadership challenge isn’t just deploying AI—it’s keeping people motivated while the ground shifts under them. Motivation is highest when workers see a future for themselves, can build relevant skills, trust their leaders, feel safe to experiment, find meaning in their work, and feel financially secure. In the age of AI, those fundamentals are not optional—they’re the foundation for any successful reinvention.