Deloitte issued its Government Trends 2025 report discussing delivering on the jobs of the future. The report states that the “emergence of artificial intelligence signifies a transformative era for public service delivery.” The report notes that:

As rapid technological shifts create new roles while disrupting existing ones, the challenge of preparing workers for tomorrow’s economy is increasingly urgent. With AI and automation reshaping the employment landscape, it’s important to closely align workforce development with rapidly evolving market demands.

Many organizations are going to face skills gaps and need to develop strategies about how to address them. A global People Readiness Report 2025 issued by Kyndryl that is based on a survey of 1,100 leaders and senior decision makers explored whether organizations are ready for AI.  The report found that about 1/3 of organizations don’t understand the skills employees will need in the future nor do they know how to manage current skills gaps. Reskilling their current workforces to implement AI is planned by three quarters of leaders rather than hiring new employees. However, less than 40 percent of leaders are taking actions such as hosting reskilling programs, developing coaching programs or providing access to external AI certifications or training courses.

The use of AI may increase liability for employers. For example, Workday is being sued by a group of applicants who claim that their job applicant screening tool discriminates against older applicants in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. The plaintiffs claim they applied to hundreds of jobs and were rejected each time due to what they characterize in their lawsuit as a system that “disproportionately disqualifies individuals over the age of forty from securing gainful employment.” The case is in a preliminary stage and Workday believes that the case is without merit and is “confident that once Workday is permitted to defend itself with the facts, the Plaintiff’s claims will be dismissed.”

One certainty is that change is occurring in the workplace due to AI and whenever there is change, workers will become anxious, morale will decline, and employee engagement will suffer. Transparent, honest, and regular communication is crucial. The MissionSquare report concluded:

As employers move beyond their preliminary use cases into more sophisticated applications the need for training and review of the AI results will grow more acute. Likewise, the concerns that employees are already starting to voice about how their jobs might change drastically or even be eliminated will need to be addressed in an up-front manner so employers can maintain morale and ensure the training, development, and retention of staff.

Most organizations recognize that their employees are their most valuable asset. Governments need to ensure that their employees are treated with empathy and respect. If jobs are going to be impacted, develop a plan to minimize the disruption to employees.

It’s important that employees trust leadership to be transparent and honest with them about how AI will be implemented and its goals. Share positive results and acknowledge challenges. If possible, include employees in the implementation process. Identify skills gaps and develop a plan as to how they will be addressed. Develop a comprehensive communications strategy that ensures regular updates and encourage employee feedback. It’s hard to overcommunicate during a change process.