New research from HiBob indicates that AI skills are becoming essential for job promotions and pay increases. The study found that 63% of UK businesses link AI capabilities to promotion decisions, while 61% include AI proficiency in regular performance reviews. Furthermore, 31% of respondents directly correlate AI skills with pay determinations, signifying that not upskilling may adversely affect employees’ financial prospects.
A significant majority of employers, 97%, reported they would offer higher salaries to attract candidates with in-demand AI skills. Among them, 43% stated they would pay a 10% premium for expertise in AI safety, ethics, and governance. Other lucrative AI skills include evaluating AI outputs, automation, and technical integration, indicating a broad demand across various roles beyond just technical positions.
Investment in AI upskilling is gaining momentum, with 82% of companies committing resources toward upskilling or reskilling programs. Of these, 33% provide funded learning initiatives, and another 33% allow time for AI practice. Nearly all, 99%, of survey respondents acknowledged the importance of peer coaching and knowledge-sharing among employees.
Ken Matos, Director of Insights at HiBob, highlighted the necessity of equipping managers with the skills to utilize AI effectively, stating, “The next phase of AI adoption will depend on how well businesses equip their managers to turn AI from a tool into a consistent way of working.” He also noted that companies are seeing a return on investment from AI initiatives, benefiting from improved quality and accuracy (32%), compliance and risk reduction (29%), time savings (25%), and cost savings (25%).
The report emphasizes that integrating AI literacy into job roles is vital as moderate AI proficiency is expected to become a baseline requirement across non-technical positions within the next two years, as echoed by 77% of employers. The challenge for organizations lies in clearly defining AI capabilities and empowering managers to develop these skills, ensuring workforce alignment with evolving job market demands.
