- Workers aren’t happy with a lack of empathy and transparency from leaders
- AI tools are giving them greater autonomy and more free time, HP study finds
- Younger workers also want more flexibility
The 2025 edition of HP’s Work Relationship Index has highlighted widespread worker distrust in leadership – finding only 14% of the 1,300 UK employees surveyed trust their senior leaders to make the right decisions (down 12 percentage points compared with last year).
Workers noted a lack of empathy (86%) and transparent communication (86%), with two in five (41%) feeling their company prioritizes profit over people.
On the flip side, technologies like AI are actually helping employees at work, plugging gaps left by lacking leadership and giving them more control over how they get the job done.
Workers aren’t getting enough support at work
Three-quarters (76%) of UK employees now use AI at work to help them across productivity, content creation and data analysis, but it goes deeper than that. Two in five of the workers who say they’re happy at work use company-provided AI tools daily, showing that proper tool provision makes a significant difference in worker satisfaction.
“Businesses that democratise access to AI, provide training, and embed tech into daily workflows are already seeing higher levels of fulfilment and loyalty,” HP Northern Europe MD Neil Sawyer explained.
Three in four (76%) say that technology has enhanced their work-life balance, which is proof that productivity tools[1] are truly freeing up worker time from repetitive and administrative tasks.
It’s not just technology that workers are after, but also greater flexibility. Four in five Gen Z workers would voluntarily sacrifice some pay in favor of more flexibility and autonomy.
Looking ahead, HP urges employers to focus on three key areas: lead with empathy and transparency to promote open communication; invest in tools and skills to equip workers with the resources they need; and enable hybrid work and autonomy to provide workers with greater flexibility.
“Businesses that democratise access to AI, provide training, and embed tech into daily workflows are already seeing higher levels of fulfilment and loyalty,” Sawyer concluded.
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