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- So Focused on AI, Companies Are Neglecting Their People
So Focused on AI, Companies Are Neglecting Their People
From Day One Editors
August 27, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
If there is anything that can unite the U.S. in these divided times, it’s the fear and loathing of AI. Concerns about its impact on jobs, the environment, and even our ability to think has been described as “America’s new consensus” and “the most bipartisan issue since beer.”
While AI affects everyone, workers feel particularly concerned–and employers need to respond to this darkening mood. In a new poll from Pew Research, 71% of adults think AI will lead to fewer jobs in the U.S. over the next two decades. Gallup’s 2026 State of the Global Workplace report includes some figures about emotions felt by workers today. They’re grim. It says that negative emotions—more specifically: stress, anger, sadness, and loneliness—are felt less frequently than they were in the thick of Covid, but more frequently than before 2020.
A primary cause, researchers say, is the seeming gap between corporate bullishness about AI vs. the advancement of their workers. U.S. companies have invested hundreds of billions of dollars into AI, and one would be hard-pressed to name a major company that hasn’t made a public commitment to using AI. For some, these moves are genuinely strategic, for others, a matter of keeping up with the Dow Joneses.
Yet for all its shiny, head-spinning advancements, organizations have little to show in the way of results (thus far). While it may help an individual do their job faster or more efficiently, even the Gallup report cites a survey by the National Bureau of Economic Research of executives in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Australia, which found that 89% of executives report that AI has had no meaningful impact on company productivity in the last three years.
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The great promise of AI is its ability to activate a company’s booster rockets, and executives have invested accordingly. Until those results are realized, AI is going to be a priority. But as companies race to operationalize AI and have something to show for their investment, have leaders become so focused on new technologies that they’ve forgotten the people in all of it?
The Danger of the Bottom-Line Mentality
American business has periodically gone through peak periods of bottom-line mentality–and the current AI boom is a prime example. Rebecca Greenbaum, professor of HR management at Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations, describes this mentality as a single, narrow goal being pursued to the exclusion of everything else. “It’s a cognitive mindset that people slip into when they’re under threat,” she told From Day One, which means that people are often unaware that they’ve fallen into the pattern. That threat, she says, is uncertainty.
In the case of the executives hyper fixated on AI, the uncertainty is whether their investment will provide a return, whether their competitors best them, or whether their boards of directors will lose patience.
Emotions are contagious, particularly ones like anxiety, so when leaders become anxious about where the company is headed, workers will do the same, and “it starts to feel less like a team and more like we’re all on our own,” Greenbaum said. Soon it becomes all about survival.
The best remedy for anxiety is openness and communication, but rather than admitting uncertainty, most leaders will simply clam up, giving up as little information as possible and opening ample room for nervous speculation. Candor is almost always a better solution. If you’re not sure whether promotions will be available or if there will be layoffs, say so. Then offer to heal the breach.
RECENT EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
“Most organizations are trying to solve the right problems,” said Courtney White, head of HR for the North American agricultural solutions arm of BASF. But they often start in the wrong place. Companies may focus on engagement and retention, but those are reactions to the employee experience. That’s where they should start. “People decide quickly if something works. So the experience has to show up early, in the reality of what people are living day to day.” | When Rebecca Liebman took the stage for a panel on well-being, she pointed out something the audience hadn’t noticed: unlike her fellow panelists, she had a handheld microphone instead of a clip-on. The reason was simple: clip-ons don’t attach well to dresses, and she’d asked for an alternative that worked for her. The moment captured the panel’s message: benefits were once built for a default worker, leaving everyone else to make do. But that has changed. |
“The cost of healthcare is expected to rise between 6-9% this year,” said Courtney Vinopal, senior reporter at HR Brew, during a virtual panel. Even with an increase in costs, employees expect benefits that support mental health, family needs, financial wellness, and more. Striking the right balance requires prioritization and clear communication so employees understand the value of what’s offered. Which benefits are the most innovative today? | Julia Johnson marked her second day on the job at Cognizant with a history lesson. As the company’s new SVP, global talent management leader, she reminded the room that IBM, which spent 115 years building one of the world’s most recognized brands, was once called Computing, Tabulating and Recording Company. The rebranding happened in 1924. The lesson? What we call things matters, and the names we give new technologies shape how we use them. |
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Upcoming Webinars
September 10
As AI becomes part of everyday work, the real question is not whether we use it, but how well we use it. In this session, Dr. Ken Matos will draw on HiBob’s AI skills research with 1,200 decision-makers to explore what really matters as AI becomes embedded in the modern workplace. The signal from the data is clear: organizations increasingly expect AI capability across the workforce, and they are already linking those skills to performance, advancement, and leadership readiness. We'll unpack the gap between performative oversight and meaningful oversight to show why the highest-value capabilities increasingly center on critical review, sound judgment, and trustworthy execution.
September 15
As AI reshapes recruiting and candidate fraud becomes more sophisticated, trust is emerging as one of the most valuable currencies in hiring. What are candidates most concerned about when it comes to AI in the hiring process, and how can employers respond? How has the rise of AI-generated resumes, assessments, and interview responses changed how employers evaluate talent? What practices ensure hiring remains fair and human-centered as automation expands? In this session, executive panelists will discuss how they are contributing to more transparent and credible hiring experiences, while ensuring confidence in candidate authenticity.
September 17
AI has fundamentally changed hiring for both candidates and recruiters, making the process faster but also more complex. As technology accelerates decision-making, organizations must focus on being truly prepared for AI, not just adopting it. Join our panel of HR and talent experts to learn how to navigate this shift. You’ll discover what AI readiness means and why it’s critical for success, how organizations are combining technology, skills data, and people science to make smarter decisions, the new capabilities talent acquisition teams need to hire and lead in an AI-enabled world, and strategies for building trust and transparency throughout the hiring process.
September 22
The workforce has changed—an email shoutout, or an annual bonus isn't cutting it anymore. For employers navigating tight HR budgets, rising attrition, and the quiet epidemic of disengagement, always-on recognition isn't a luxury, it’s a retention strategy. This session dives into how gift card-based reward programs are uniquely positioned to meet both newer and tenured employees where they are, whether they’re in the office, at home, or somewhere in between, delivering meaningful, flexible recognition that drives behavior and builds loyalty. Special attention will be given to self-insured employer models, where workforce engagement has a direct line to health outcomes and cost containment. It's time to rethink how we recognize.
Late September & Beyond:
Sponsor Spotlight: Wisq
Dina Siclovan’s HR team was spending far too much time on emails. As the director of team member experience at Breeze Airways, she knew that while the company would keep growing, the size of her team would not. “We spent a lot of time just answering repetitive questions, even though the information already exists on our intranet. There are hundreds of policies, and many answers depend on the context,” she said during a From Day One webinar. “So we saw a need.” For many helming an HR department today, “the strategic work is often done in the leftover hours,” said Jim Barnett, CEO and co-founder of HR tech platform Wisq. AI can now handle the repetitive tasks that gobble up valuable hours, but Barnett believes it can do even more. Read the full story here.
Sponsor Spotlight: Nutrium
GLP-1 use continues to grow as more people explore these medications for weight management, raising questions about effectiveness, long-term outcomes, and cost. While some employer approaches have fallen short, others are finding more sustainable ways to provide access and support. How can companies develop a thoughtful GLP-1 strategy that delivers meaningful value for both employees and the organization? Yasmine Meneses, manager of consultant relations and registered dietitian at Nutrium, provided insight into this topic during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s June virtual conference. Among benefits teams and leaders, Meneses says, GLP-1 medications are “one of the most discussed line items in pharmacy spend right now.” Read the full story here.
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Today’s employees are juggling caregiving, financial stress, and the daily challenge of staying mentally and physically well. How can employers tailor benefits to meet the distinct needs of multiple generations in the workforce while maximizing engagement and ROI? What are the most effective and forward-thinking benefits, from financial wellness and mental health resources to reproductive care and family support? How can companies evaluate the impact of their offerings on retention, engagement, and workplace culture?
Even with tighter budgets and leaner teams, employees are expected to continually deliver. Employers need smart tools and strategies that boost productivity while supporting performance and checking in on employees in ways that feel helpful rather than overbearing. What tools and technologies are proven to help employees work smarter, not harder? How can AI help workers save time on routine tasks so they can focus on what really matters? How can leaders measure productivity in ways that capture quality, creativity, and collaboration, not just hours worked?
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