Yet, research shows that 24% of employees feel ready to adopt new workplace technologies. This gap between introducing new technology and employee readiness is the silent killer of digital initiatives. It creates friction, anxiety, disengagement. That’s why digital dexterity, the ability to comfortably use, adapt to, and derive value from technology, must be a core competency, not a nice-to-have.

Unfortunately at work, change doesn’t stick without some structure. This means mapping out how the change will happen, not just what will change.

HR, IT, and internal communications teams must work together to:

• Identify skill gaps across all roles and levels, not just in digital or technical departments.
• Tailor messaging to specific personas (yeah remember those that you created a few years ago), this can help people see how AI impacts their tasks and how it can support their goals.
• Involve managers early as they are critical in reinforcing changes across their teams.

These teams need to help employees think differently about AI as an opportunity to offload repetitive tasks, focus on meaningful work, and learning new skills. Use simple, real-world examples that your employee can relate to.

Training must go beyond feature demos provided from the vendor’s website. Employees need to build AI literacy and digital problem-solving skills by experimenting. This potentially means offering microlearning modules aligned to real tasks and communities of practice where people can share tips and experiences from their own experiments.

HR should already have plans for how to link learning outcomes to performance reviews, career growth, and recognition programs. Digital dexterity is a business asset, treat it like one.

Internal communications teams can help develop clear narratives around AI’s role in the business strategy with employee stories on AI usage that show positive impact across the business.

Digital dexterity isn’t optional. Companies that fail to prepare their employees will face slower adoption, wasted investments, and a flight of top talent. However companies that invest in a structured approach for adoption will build a workforce that’s not just digitally literate, but digitally confident.

It’s not just about using AI. It’s about becoming an organization that thrives with it.

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Neil Morgan is a Switzerland-based consultant passionate about building valued digital employee experiences, with a level of curiosity that keeps him learning every day