It’s often said that AI will not replace people, but people who know how to use AI will replace people who don’t. In this sense, AI is surprisingly like the tractor. The tractor did not replace farmers, but farmers who knew how to use the tractor replaced those who did not.
Many such examples abound throughout the history of technology. Computers did not replace animators, but animators who knew how to use computers replaced those who did not.
This brings us to an important realisation: It’s in this age of AI that people matter more than ever.
Is your organisation or startup making its people feel valued, so that they will stay, be motivated, and help you succeed? Or are you treating them as interchangeable cogs in a wheel?
What are some of the things a leader can do to ensure that the people in their organisation are valued?
Create emotional safety
Ensuring a nurturing work culture is not a matter of having bean bags and foosball tables around. It is about creating emotional safety. This requires an environment where all perspectives can be floated without fear of career or interpersonal repercussions. Even something blasphemous like “I don’t think we should spend so much on AI” should be acceptable.
“This is the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.”
If you’ve ever said this, or a variant of this, around a meeting table, you have landed a blow to the psychological safety of your teammates. They will never again feel safe enough to express their true opinions on something. Groupthink will soon pervade your organisation. Everyone will consolidate in the direction of the wrong goals like the proverbial lemmings. And your organisation will soon join the ranks of many that failed and entered the ash heap of history.
Also Read: Startup investment in SEA sees modest uptick from May, but still trails 2024
I once worked with a highly resourceful junior employee who was full of great ideas. But she soon lost interest in coming up with those ideas, because she found that the leaders of the company were regularly ridiculing her ideas and not even considering them worth exploring. Soon, she left the company. While this is anecdotal, this is a scenario that will sound sadly familiar to many readers.
Having free kombuchas in your pantry will not provide the psychological safety your employees seek. Having secure leaders who invite diverse opinions will.
Reward results, not the clock
It’s true that organisations, particularly in their startup phase, often require long hours. The world ain’t gonna change itself, after all. But let the work dictate the hours, not the other way round where work expands to fill the time.
Do not fall into the old bureaucratic trap of watching the clock and penalising those occasions when someone is genuinely unavailable. Stop calling it a half-day when your employees leave at 6pm. Better still, let them bounce at 4pm when they have to, such as for their kid’s school game or to take their pet to the vet.
In short, don’t be one of the stuffy bureaucrats we hear about in dystopian science fiction. Let each employee’s results dictate how they are rewarded (or not).This is particularly important at a time when more teams are remote, and more organisations tap into fractional and freelance talent.
According to Singapore’s Business Times, a third of employers are increasing their reliance on contract and flexi-work hires. This makes it increasingly vital for employers to trust their fractional and freelance workers to deliver results without micro-management.
Adding a further layer of complexity is that these collaborations are often across geographical boundaries. Considering vast time differences, leaders should get used to an asynchronous way of working, where some workers will do their part when other workers are fast asleep.
Also Read: How blockchain can help combat ongoing fraud in the Halal food industry in SEA
Enable training opportunities
With AI looming large, your employees are not going to acquire the necessary skills by telepathy or osmosis. Help them find training opportunities to equip themselves for AI, Web3 and other emerging spaces.
Just as an example, sponsor courses for them, and get them paid plans for AI tools such as Midjourney and Dall-E. Invite guest speakers. Organise networking events for professionals with relevant skills.
In South East Asia, governments are making it easier to find AI training opportunities. Vietnam launched its “AI for All” initiative in April 2025 to train not just students but also working professionals and even senior citizens in AI.
Singapore announced in May 2025 that it will make 800 training opportunities and 500 new projects available to train AI professionals. Thailand’s National AI Committee announced in May 2025 that it is aiming for AI literacy for 10 million people and to produce 90,000 AI professionals and 50,000 AI developers in two years.
Whichever option you pursue, the fact remains that you need to cultivate new skills in your employees so that your organisation is future-proof. Remember the meme where one person asks, “What happens if you teach new skills to your employees and they leave?” and the other person replies, “What happens if you don’t, and they stay?”
Conclusion
By creating emotional safety for all your people to express their true feelings, rewarding them for their results and not for the sheer number of hours they put in, and facilitating training opportunities, you will be able to recruit, nurture and retain winning teams that help you not just survive but thrive in the age of AI.
—
Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.
Enjoyed this read? Don’t miss out on the next insight. Join our WhatsApp channel for real-time drops.
Image credit: Canva Pro
The post In the age of AI, people matter more than ever appeared first on e27.