Artificial intelligence is reshaping organisations at pace, but the responsibility for making the transition work is increasingly falling on HR teams. New research by The Coders Guild shows 95% of HR leaders are experiencing heavier workloads as organisations accelerate AI adoption, while only 24% have a documented AI workforce strategy in place.
The findings suggest many employers are investing in AI technology faster than they are preparing their workforce, leaving HR and learning teams to manage workforce planning, skills development and organisational change with limited support.
The report also echoes wider trends highlighted by Fair Play Talks, which has previously reported that organisations are advancing AI initiatives more quickly than they are preparing employees to work alongside the technology.
HR's role is expanding faster than its capacity
According to the research, HR professionals are taking on a growing list of responsibilities beyond their traditional remit.
The study found:
- 95% of HR leaders report rising workloads.
- 91% say their responsibilities have increased over the past year.
- 67% consider AI adoption a strategic business priority.
- Only 23% of HR departments have received AI-specific training.
Alongside recruitment, employee relations, compliance and wellbeing, HR teams are increasingly expected to:
- Redesign workforce skills programmes.
- Develop AI governance policies.
- Introduce AI into recruitment processes.
- Upskill employees.
- Improve organisational productivity.
- Lead organisational change.
- Prepare leaders for AI-enabled workplaces.
Despite these expanding responsibilities, fewer than one-third of HR professionals feel fully equipped to lead AI transformation, highlighting a growing capability gap.
Most organisations still lack an AI workforce strategy
The research identifies workforce planning as one of the biggest weaknesses in current AI adoption.
While 78% of HR leaders expect AI to significantly reshape workforce skills over the next three years, only 24% of organisations have a documented AI workforce strategy.
According to The Coders Guild, many employers continue to approach AI primarily as a technology initiative rather than a workforce transformation programme, leaving HR teams responsible for bridging the gap between technology adoption and people readiness.
The findings reinforce previous research cited by Fair Play Talks, which found HR leaders were the least confident members of the executive team about organisational readiness for AI.
AI is adding work before delivering productivity gains
Although AI is widely promoted as a productivity tool, the report suggests implementation is creating additional work for HR professionals rather than immediately reducing workloads.
Crispin Read, Founder of The Coders Guild, said HR teams are being asked to prepare organisations for one of the biggest workplace transformations in decades while continuing to manage recruitment, retention, compliance and day-to-day people operations.
He said many HR professionals delay developing AI skills because operational demands leave little time for learning, creating a cycle where capability gaps persist even as expectations increase.
Read also said leaders do not need to become AI engineers but should understand the technology well enough to make informed decisions, establish appropriate governance and help employees use AI responsibly.
Recruitment and skills expectations are changing
The report suggests AI is already influencing how organisations recruit and develop talent.
Key findings include:
- 71% of HR leaders expect AI to transform recruitment within two years.
- 55% of hiring managers do not know how to assess AI capability during recruitment.
- 68% of employers expect AI literacy to become a standard workplace skill within five years.
- 67% of AI-related vacancies require fewer than three years of experience.
- Employees with AI capability can command salaries 20% to 25% higher than colleagues without AI skills.
- HR professionals with AI expertise may earn up to 25% more than peers without those capabilities.
The findings suggest employers increasingly value practical AI skills alongside, or in some cases ahead of, traditional qualifications.
Training is becoming a competitive advantage
The research also points to AI capability as an emerging factor in attracting and retaining talent. According to the study:
- 64% of employees say AI training would make an employer more attractive.
- 47% believe AI skills will become essential for career progression within two years.
- Employees receiving AI training are 35% less likely to actively seek another job.
The report suggests organisations investing in workforce capability could strengthen both recruitment and employee retention.
Governance remains a major concern
Beyond skills development, the research highlights growing concern around responsible AI adoption.
The study found:
- 62% of HR professionals are concerned about AI governance and compliance risks.
- 54% of organisations have no formal policy governing employees' use of AI tools.
According to The Coders Guild, governance is becoming as important as technology deployment as organisations seek to balance innovation with accountability, transparency and employee trust.
Readiness varies across sectors and regions
The research also identified significant differences in AI preparedness across industries and regions.
Construction, manufacturing, hospitality and social care were among the least prepared sectors.
Notable findings include:
- Only 14% of construction businesses provide formal AI training.
- Fewer than 10% of social care organisations have structured AI workforce programmes.
- Only 17% of organisations in the North East provide structured AI training, with London, the South East and East of England leading adoption.
AI transformation will depend on people as much as technology
The Coders Guild concludes organisations should treat AI as a workforce transformation programme rather than solely a technology initiative.
The report recommends employers develop dedicated AI workforce strategies, strengthen HR capability, redesign roles alongside AI adoption, introduce clear governance policies and monitor workload and wellbeing among HR and learning teams.
As businesses continue investing heavily in artificial intelligence, the research suggests the long-term success of those investments will depend not only on technology adoption, but also on whether the people leading organisational change are equipped with the skills, resources and support needed to deliver it.