Employers question their relevance in a more automated workplace
New research from WTW finds employee’s fear becoming obsolete, as they question their relevance in a more automated workplace.
WTW’s 2026 Employee Experience (EX) Global Market Study points to a widening gap between the pace of technological change and employee readiness. While AI adoption is accelerating rapidly, many organisations are not yet equipped to support their workforce through the transition.
According to the study, 59 per cent of employers expect AI to fundamentally change how employee experience is messaged, managed and delivered within the next three years, rising to 89 per cent over the next decade. At the same time, the share of work handled through automation and digital tools is expected to more than double, from 14 per cent today to 31 per cent within three years.
WTW has identified the need for employers to shift from only measuring employee engagement, as an indicator of how people feel about their work and their willingness to give effort, to employee impact, as a measure of how effectively people execute and adapt to deliver results.
To achieve this, employers can design a deliberate High Impact Employee Experience (HIEX) which focuses on building trust, developing skills and providing clarity about how roles will evolve alongside technology.
The rewards for organisations that achieve High Impact Employee Experience are clear. The study shows that the 34% of employers who sustained EX as a priority over the past three years and continue to do so consistently outperformed their peers on productivity, profitability and workforce outcomes. WTW identifies these organisations as Employee Experience (EX) Leaders.
“Employers have a powerful opportunity to strengthen trust, protect employee wellbeing and help people thrive through change,” said Gaby Joyner, Europe Head of Employee Experience at WTW.
“Employees aren’t just watching AI reshape work, they’re feeling it, living it and questioning how they’ll fit in the future. Organisations that intentionally design an employee experience to address this anxiety can replace uncertainty with confidence and help people see a future where they still matter.”
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