In lieu of other support, many people managers are turning to public artificial intelligence tools to prepare for difficult conversations, according to survey results released Tuesday by The Predictive Index.
PI surveyed 399 managers and 208 CEOs and business leaders across various industries.
Close to 3 in 4 managers surveyed (72%) said public AI tools are useful for such purposes, with 44% saying they had entered employee names and performance details into those tools. Additionally, only 45% of organizations surveyed said they have a formal written policy regarding AI use in performance management, despite reported concern about employee information being put into public platforms.
Regardless of policy, managers openly seek guidance for hard conversations. Only 1 in 5 managers surveyed said they preferred to prepare for such on their own rather than with a framework, some sort of coaching guide or input from HR.
While leaders surveyed told PI that they trust their managers, “what our research shows is that trusting a manager and knowing they’re set up for a specific hard conversation are two different things,” Anthony Belluccia, I/O psychologist at PI, said in a statement. “Managers are more aware of where they need support than their leaders are, and addressing those needs starts with understanding what’s driving them.”
Managers said they struggle most with delivering constructive criticism, anticipating an employee’s reaction and staying objective during the process, per PI.
Managers tend to be both a key part of the performance review process and also one of its weaker links. Only 1 in 5 organizations surveyed for a report released by WTW last year said that their managers effectively provide feedback.
In response, more organizations are turning to AI tools to assist with the process. Many employers direct managers to use the tools in gathering information about workers and drafting initial reports — but experts have cautioned employers to be aware of the biases AI could amplify and of the legal ramifications of using such technology.