Building High-Trust Cultures for Successful AI Integration in the Workplace

Working with, Not Against, AI in the Workplace

Paulo Preciado, executive adviser partner for the Caribbean and Central America at Great Place to Work, recently spoke at the Society for Human Resource Management–Puerto Rico Chapter’s 2025 conference. His message was clear: to prepare organizations and employees for artificial intelligence (AI), employers must foster a high-trust culture, engage their teams early, and keep human priorities front and center.

Building a High-Trust Culture

A high-trust culture creates an environment where employees feel safe, respected, and supported. This kind of culture is built on credibility, fairness, and respect. Companies that achieve this see better financial performance, faster innovation, and lower employee turnover.

Preciado emphasizes involving employees from the start when introducing AI. Instead of announcing AI plans after decisions are made, engage your team during the planning phase. This approach helps address fears and questions upfront, which is crucial since AI can stir concerns about job security.

Clear communication about why AI is being adopted helps ease anxiety. When employees understand the purpose and benefits of AI, they’re more likely to trust the process and contribute positively. Some may still decide to leave, but transparency helps reduce uncertainty and resistance.

Understanding Employee Sentiment Around AI

McKinsey & Company identifies four common employee attitudes toward AI:

• Doomer (4%): Believes AI will never align with human values.
• Gloomer (37%): Thinks AI must be tightly controlled and monitored.
• Bloomer (39%): Supports iterative development of AI with diverse input.
• Zoomer (20%): Prefers fast AI development led by developers.

Addressing fears means reminding employees that AI itself is not the threat—rather, it's those who know how to use AI effectively who will lead. Companies recognized as great workplaces prioritize their people’s experience and loyalty, which AI cannot replace.

Organizations should focus on helping employees grow alongside AI. Some roles will evolve, others may disappear, but creating new career paths that integrate AI skills is essential. This approach ensures employees remain valuable and engaged.

Adopting AI as a business strategy must avoid harming people. Instead, AI should help employees maximize their potential. Businesses that bet on their people tend to see better outcomes. Replacing humans with AI risks damaging a company's credibility and reputation.

Empowering Subject Matter Experts and Adjusting Career Paths

Employers should identify subject matter experts (SMEs) and empower them to use AI tools to strengthen the business. If AI systems become so efficient that SMEs are no longer needed in their current roles, reskilling those experts for new positions is critical. This ongoing adaptation keeps employees valuable and engaged.

Business plans need constant updating to reflect shifting job landscapes and technology changes. Continuous upskilling and reskilling are key to keeping your workforce ready.

The Puerto Rico Challenge

Puerto Rico faces unique challenges in employee retention. Its workforce is bilingual, well-educated, and, as U.S. citizens, can easily relocate to the mainland for better opportunities. This creates competition both locally and from the states.

Retention strategies in Puerto Rico should tap into cultural values like “orgullo” Boricua (Puerto Rican pride), which can motivate employees to stay or return. Combining this with a high-trust culture and thoughtful AI implementation helps maintain talent in a competitive environment.

Final Thoughts

Tools like AI have great potential but must be used responsibly. As Preciado puts it, “You can have a hammer in your hand and build a beautiful house, or you can break someone’s head.” The choice lies in how we apply technology in the workplace.

For HR professionals, the key takeaway is clear: build trust, communicate openly, involve employees early, and prioritize human development alongside AI adoption. This approach creates workplaces where technology and people thrive together.

Learn more about AI courses and training opportunities to prepare your workforce at Complete AI Training.