Are Your Managers Hindering AI Integration, Employee Experience?

Recent research from consulting firm WTW found employers risk transforming mid-level managers into a workforce evolution bottleneck unless they rapidly equip them to guide staff through artificial intelligence (AI) integration. As highlighted in the 2026 Employee Experience (EX) Global Market Study report, technology deployment is currently outpacing employee confidence, capability and trust.

The WTW report was built from the survey responses of:

549 employer organizations representing more than 5.6 million employees globally; and,
7,000 workers across the U.S., United Kingdom, Japan, France and Saudi Arabia.

The research explored:

How technology, career and work model shifts are reshaping EX;
The link between EX and business performance;
The limits of engagement as a standalone measure; and,
Why organizations have struggled to sustain progress.

The EX Execution Gap

A key finding from the study was that organizational focus on EX has stalled at a time when businesses need maximum adaptability and sustained performance.

While a staggering 92% of employers interviewed by WTW in 2021 planned to prioritize EX, only 34% sustained that commitment over the past three years. The firm classified this resilient 34% as “EX leaders.” Compared to their peers, these organizations consistently report:

Significantly stronger productivity;
Superior financial performance;
Higher retention of key talent; and,
Lower overall employee turnover.

AI Exposure and Employee Friction

The rapid acceleration of AI adoption is exposing massive execution gaps within organizations. Employees are struggling to keep up with the pace of technological change:

Only 52% of employees report AI helps them be more productive at work.
Only 54% believe AI-related changes are being managed effectively by their organizations.

The Burden on Managers

Perhaps most importantly, the study highlighted that managers are being crushed under competing priorities without the infrastructure required to succeed.

“The issue is not whether managers matter; it is whether organizations have designed the conditions for managers to succeed,” said Jill Havely, WTW’s senior managing director for employee experience. “Managers are being asked to coach through AI adoption, manage workload pressure, reinforce well-being, interpret changing skills needs and maintain team connection. But without clear priorities, practical tools and accountability, strategy may be clear at the top while managers and teams remain unclear on what these changes mean for the work they do every day.”

Four Pillars of Employee Impact

To overcome these challenges and bridge the AI adoption gap, the WTW research pointed to four pillars that can help organizations increase their likelihood of successful workforce transformation:

Clarity (helping employees explicitly understand what matters and why changes are occurring);
Confidence (building solid organizational trust so employees know decisions make sense and support is readily available);
Capability (ensuring employees possess the specific skills, tools and training necessary to use AI effectively); and,
Connection (maintaining cohesive team bonds and alignment with the broader company culture during periods of technological disruption).

Perhaps not surprisingly, managers sit at the center of those conditions. According to the study, just 71% of workers believe their immediate supervisor manages people well, while the current AI transition is increasing the pressure on managers to:

Translate enterprise strategy into team priorities;
Explain changing expectations; and,
Help employees build confidence in new ways of working.

Where EX Leaders Excel

When compared to their peers, organizations defined as EX leaders were more likely to:

Strengthen internal communication with employees and managers;
Build manager capability for new work styles; and,
Prepare managers to integrate AI and new technologies into the workforce model.

They also were more likely to take actions that support the four conditions through:

Effective listening strategies;
Leadership accountability;
Skills alignment; and,
Benefits and well-being redesign.

“Engagement remains important, but it is no longer enough to know whether employees are committed or willing to give effort,” Havely said. “Organizations need to know whether employees can deliver through pressure and change. That requires managers who can translate strategy into clear priorities, communicate how AI will change work, identify where skills are becoming outdated and connect people to the support that helps them feel secure through change.”

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