AI at Work: What monday.com’s Data Reveals About How Teams Use AI

[00:00:05] What does it really look like when AI shows up in your everyday work? I'm not talking about a headline-grabbing experiment, but something that your people rely on to get through their day. Well, in this episode of the AI at Work podcast, the conversation is going to move away from the familiar fears around job losses and replacement, and explore the reality that many teams are already living.

[00:00:34] And that is, AI is quietly becoming a massive part of how work flows, how decisions are made, and how people cope with the growing pressure on their time and attention. So today's discussion is grounded in real data, real teams, and real workplace behaviour, not speculation. So if you're a leader, a manager, or simply trying to understand how AI could fit in your own role or in your own teams,

[00:01:04] today's episode will help you cut through the noise and bring the conversation back to what really matters at work. Because we're going to talk about why most organisations are not adopting AI to cut headcounts, but to reduce friction, speed things up, remove repetitive tasks that drain energy. And I also want to hit on the point that innovation is sometimes taking a backseat to survival for many teams. And what does that say about the modern workplace?

[00:01:33] So yeah, we're going to look at how AI is shifting expectations around skills, confidence, and adaptability, and why the biggest changes are not always the most obvious ones. So from tall overload to broken workflows and confidence gap and leadership hesitation, today's conversation will reflect the many challenges that you will instantly recognise.

[00:01:58] So if AI feels overwhelming, confusing, or even slightly chaotic where you work, rest assured, you're not alone. And my guest today is going to help you make sense of it. Now before we begin today's interview, and there's some great insights in that, I just want to give a special mention to my friends at Denodo, who are passionate about the future and logical data management and agentic AI. Why? Because everywhere you look, agentic AI is undoubtedly the next big shift.

[00:02:27] But here's the truth. It can't operate on messy, inconsistent, or siloed information. With Donodo, you can create a unified govern layer that connects data across your lake house warehouses, across your apps and clouds instantly and without duplication. This means stronger AI governance, faster lake house acceleration, and reusable data products that your teams can trust.

[00:02:50] So if you want AI that doesn't just automate, but operates, start with logical data management at Donodo.com. And now it's time for me to officially introduce you to today's guest. So a massive warm welcome to the show, Nicole. Can you tell everyone listening a little about who you are and what you do? Hi, thanks for having me. I am Nicole Lieb, the RVP of People for Americas and the Global Head of Inclusion at Monday.com.

[00:03:20] And for those who aren't familiar with Monday, Monday is an AI-powered work operating system that helps thousands build, manage, scale any workflow in one platform. I've spent 15 years building my career in HR across global companies of all sizes, from startups to mid-size organizations to large enterprises. And I've always worked in the tech industry with a focus on driving innovation,

[00:03:47] helping businesses continuously evolve on how work gets done and truly stay best in class. Awesome. And there's so much I want to talk with you about today. We're recording this week where CES is happening in Vegas. Everything is AI. We go down our news feeds on LinkedIn. It's all about AI. And I think for years, AI has been framed around disruption and job losses, et cetera.

[00:04:13] But one of the reasons I was excited to get you on here is your research suggests something very different. So can you offer a little background on the report? And when you look at the data, what story is it actually telling about why organizations are adopting AI today? There's a few surprises in there, isn't there? Yeah. Yeah. So for the past couple of years, AI has really been sold as a revolution, something that would completely reinvent the way that we work, we think, we create.

[00:04:40] And as you know, that the headlines are focused on AI's potential to really replace the human. Like that's been the promise, right? However, the latest World of Work report tells a very different story. We partnered with Nielsen to survey 500 directors across the US and the UK and combine that with, you know, millions of insights that we have at Monday.com through our workflows. And through that research, right, we found something quite different. And what did we find? We found that AI isn't taking over work. It's just helping people do their work better.

[00:05:10] And honestly, maybe that's not surprising to a lot of us that are in the day-to-day at this work. We know that. We see that. We feel that. And while the dominant narrative has been replacement, the data tells a much more grounded story. So, like we're seeing about, you know, only 38% of leaders citing that labor reduction is even a motivator to adopt AI at all. And instead, most organizations are adopting AI just to move faster and improve accuracy, really reduce that manual work, the tactical work.

[00:05:40] And what we're seeing is AI is being used, what I call as like a relief valve, removing the tactical and allowing the humans to have time to do that strategic work. And the report also talks about the move into what you call the operational era of AI. So, how would you explain that shift to leaders listening who see AI as a future transformation rather than a present-day working tool? Yeah, we're calling the operational era of AI.

[00:06:09] That's right. A time where AI isn't about big promises and sci-fi ideas anymore. It's about true value right now. We're in it, right? This isn't future anymore. We are living this life. The tools that are winning right now are not necessarily the flashiest big ideas. They're the ones that are simple, intuitive to use, getting people to actually use it. They're built into where we already work, right? So, we're not going into new places to try to force ourselves into there.

[00:06:39] AI's impact today is very practical. It's helping people move faster and get more accurate results, feel less bogged down by repetitive tasks. The operational era is about moving from what we call like promise to value. I would say that AI isn't a wish list item anymore. It absolutely needs to be embedded into everyday workflows. And actually, our research shows that 94% of directors are already using AI at work.

[00:07:06] And for more than half of them, AI is embedded in at least 50% of their departamental workflows. So, you can see that we are using this. This is a today thing. So, this isn't a future transformation. It really is a present-day operating reality. And if you want to keep your head above water, quite frankly, you have no choice but to jump on board. 100% with you. And predictably, speed, accuracy and productivity, they list some of the top motivators.

[00:07:36] One of the things that surprised me was innovation barely features there. So, what do you think that says about how pressure-filled today's work environment has become? Yeah, definitely tells us that people are under real pressure. For sure. Leaders aren't chasing the blue sky innovation right now. They're trying to survive their day-to-day. Things are changing so fast. And we are just trying to stay on top of it. Right? Every day there's a new tool, a new system, a new thing that we have to learn and figure out.

[00:08:05] So, we aren't really focused on that giant innovation. We're just trying to figure out how to use these tools today and survive. Right? The top driver of AI adoption is all around speed, accuracy, productivity. Innovation doesn't even crack the top five in our research. And that signals a workforce that is overloaded and looking for some breathing room. And I would say that I would love to see AI being adopted as a creative playground. And I do truly believe that there's room for that. And some are using that.

[00:08:33] And it will be used for that. But today, that's not the situation right now. Right? Today, it's practical use just to reduce friction and cognitive load. And we're just trying to figure out how best to use it, really. And privacy and security, they remain some of the biggest barriers, especially in larger organizations. And I'm curious, from your perspective, are the concerns slowing adoption for good reasons?

[00:09:00] Or are they becoming a convenient break on change? And it can be difficult doing even that when half the staff are going to be using it through shadow AI and using it in their own time on their own devices, etc. But what are you seeing here? Yes, it's absolutely a valid concern. A large portion of our leaders, right, they cite security as a top barrier to broader adoption. And quite frankly, that's a reason why I'm even hesitant to use it in my personal life or allow my children to use it. Right?

[00:09:30] That's always on top of everyone's mind when we're using something brand new that we're not really that familiar with. And what's interesting, though, I will say is that the fear isn't actually driving companies away from the use of it. It's actually creating a shift towards consolidation and not avoidance. Right? So what do I mean by that? I've noticed organizations are moving away from like the scattered tools, the onesie twosies that are all around and really working, leaning towards the AI solution that's embedded into trusted governance.

[00:10:00] We're in systems that we already use. And actually, I feel like this is a perfect place to shamelessly plug Monday.com because Monday.com is that tool, right, that is already trusted. It's already governed. People are already using and it embeds AI into it. So if we're bringing that AI into those tools, companies are more likely to use them and adopt them.

[00:10:20] And it's interesting you say that because tool overload, that is another reoccurring theme with many leaders juggling multiple AI tools every single day. So at what point does experimentation turn into friction and how should organizations maybe think about simplifying rather than just adding more technology? Because I think sometimes we feel like almost like a kid in a candy store with all these great tools and wanting to play with them all. Oh, we are most definitely already there. Yeah.

[00:10:49] Friction is already there for sure. Personally, I see this in my everyday work too, right? So we're in a moment where companies are all fearing of falling behind. So something that I noticed in 25, 2025 was companies were saying, just use it. Use it at all costs. Use AI. I don't care how you use it. It's a mandate. Everyone's freaking out, right? We have to use it. So everyone just started running and building, right? Everyone's using their own bot, their own gem, their own AI workflow, and they're doing it in silos, quite frankly, right?

[00:11:19] And I'll give you an example. Like in my own team, we were like onboarding employees is a nightmare. We have five, you know, more than five people touching something in different departments. Figure it out, right? And so everyone went running and we have a lot of autonomy at Monday, which is amazing, right? We have ownership of our own roles, autonomy to make changes. And with that, everyone went off on their own silos. And what happened? One morning I woke up and I got a message and it was like, Nicole, nothing's working.

[00:11:46] And I have to manually onboard dozens of new hires on this Monday morning. And we went backwards because everything just broke, right? Because what happened was our HRIS team, our HROps team, our finance team, our payroll team, right? Everyone was doing their own thing without talking. So then all of a sudden, none of the systems worked. There was no more workflows. There was no more automations. And for that, you know, for that day, we decided we had to go manual. We had to write down all of the information, right? And what did we learn in that moment?

[00:12:15] We learned that we really need to be focused and strategic on how we use AI to create, to help us move in a better place, right? We have to really think about the entire workflow and the foundation of AI, not just piecemealing and creating Band-Aids anywhere we see it. So, yeah, I do think the takeaway is AI, don't use, it's not AI at all costs, right?

[00:12:37] It's much more thoughtful, fewer, better integrated tools, where we live, where work happens. Simplification to me is quickly becoming the next competitive advantage. I just want to give a big thank you to my sponsor, who is supporting every show, every episode across the Tech Talks network this month. And this month, I'm proud to be partnering with Alcor.

[00:13:01] And anyone who's tried to scale an engineering team across borders, they will know firsthand how messy it can get. Because they deal with endless providers, then there's confusing rules to deal with in each and every region, and fees that always seem to surface at the last minute. Now, Alcor, they solve that by acting as a partner rather than just an intermediary.

[00:13:24] And they focus on tech teams that expand in Eastern Europe and Latin America, and they bring employer of record services together with recruiting. So, essentially, they help you pick the right country, source the right engineers, and assess them properly. And then get them active for you and your company within days. And one of the things that stands out for me is the financial transparency. Around 85% of what you pay goes directly to your engineers.

[00:13:53] Their fee goes down as your team grows. And if you ever wanted to bring your team in-house, you do so with no exit costs. And you can find out more by simply going to alcor.com slash podcast or follow the link in the show notes below. And I think one of the most surprising findings is that labor reduction is not a primary driver for AI adoption. So, let's lay that myth to rest once and for all.

[00:14:21] But how are you seeing AI actually reshaping roles and expectations inside teams instead? It would be great to restore the balance in the universe with a positive AI story. What are you seeing here? I think people are going to be happy to hear that one, right? Most people are fearful of their jobs and AI taking over our jobs. But AI is helping people step up, not step aside, right? That's what we're seeing today. So, users who adopt AI are more likely to take on strategic responsibilities.

[00:14:50] And we're seeing roles shift. We're seeing roles become more of like a generalist role where we want them to be able to connect the dots between multiple functions, multiple roles. The one that can manage constant change. There's nothing that we can say is like secure and stable anymore. We need the person who is flexible. That big thinker, the critical thinker, the multitasker, the person who is able to shift on a dime. Like that's the qualities that we're going to be looking for different roles and different people.

[00:15:20] AI is your new best friend, right? Your new BFF at work is how I like to say it. You're no longer jumping into a room with tons of peers and having to whiteboard. You're jumping on your computer and whiteboarding with your new BFF AI chatbot, right? So, it's really great. We have to have those people that are able to come in and truly be the AI whisperer because we need someone to train the bot so that we can be able to do that as well, right?

[00:15:43] So, new roles are popping up, broader roles are popping up, and we really are focusing on the strategic, the critical, the multitasker, the flexible person. And something else that really stood out to me was that the gender gap in AI confidence is quite striking with women using AI tools much, much more, but undervaluing their own skills. What do you think is behind that disconnect and what risks does it create for career progression?

[00:16:11] Yeah, honestly, this is not surprising at all to me, personally. The research shows that 58% of women use tools like ChatGPT compared to 44% of men. Yet women are significantly more likely to say that they know little about AI. And why is this not surprising to me? It's because research over and over and over again, right? Says that females are known to underestimate their value while males tend to overestimate their values.

[00:16:40] And that's not to go on a side tangent here, but this is what we see when we see wage gaps, right? Like a lot of that comes from the fact that women just don't speak up for themselves. There is this imposter syndrome when it comes to females. And they tend to not value their own worth or see their worth where it is, right? They're harder on themselves. So they're not asking for promotions. They're not asking for increases. They tend to be like, oh, I don't know that. Like, maybe I'm not the expert, right? And so that does.

[00:17:09] It's important that we're aware of these gender norms and reduces our bias in the workplace so that we can stand up, you know, sort of help stand against that. Because the confidence gap matters because confidence drives visibility, advancement and influence in the companies, right? Yeah, 100%. And I think enterprise adoption is also continuing to lag. Small companies partly due to fear of judgment or getting it wrong.

[00:17:34] And for many senior leaders listening, what mindset shift do you think is needed to move from that cautious observation to responsible action? Because I think, as you said, it's not the future. It's already here. It's no longer time for sitting on the fence, is it? You need to or try and swim against the tide. You need to get involved here. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Enterprises tend to wait for good reasons, right? They like perfect governance, clear ROIs. They don't want risk, right? Zero risk.

[00:18:02] But the data shows that doing nothing is actually a bigger risk. And what I always say, I find that people, and actually research found, that people are afraid to use AI because of the judgment. Or there's that stigma of like, well, if I use AI, does that mean I'm not knowledgeable in this field? I'm not doing my job, right? And quite the opposite, quite frankly. Like for me and my team, I'm going to use my New Jersey bluntness now. But I tell them like, if you're not using AI, you're not doing the job. Like there's not a place for you, right? Here in this role.

[00:18:32] Because you have no choice but to use it. It's a core competency for most of our roles today, right? It's a base expectation that you're utilizing AI. And we have to create that as a norm. So as leaders, you need to share that with your team. The more we vocalize, not only is it okay to use AI, it's expected to use AI. People become more comfortable with it.

[00:18:56] And they have less of that fear of being incompetent if they utilize it. And I think over the last six years, we've seen so many big changes in how we work. I think we went from, I don't know, people across corporate America and beyond all going into the workplace. Same time, every day. Then we went from working at home at scale when it used to be just a handful of people that were quite privileged and were able to do so.

[00:19:26] Then on to hybrid working. Now AI. When you look at the beginning of this year and the opportunities ahead, what excites you about the future of work? The role of AI and the role of Monday? And what personally excites you about all this and where we're heading? Yeah. Yeah. It's all exciting. I think change is one of the most exciting things. For some people, that creates a lot of fear, I would say. Right? And to me, it's not about managing any of this change.

[00:19:54] It's really about managing the way in which we react to that change. And as long as we're looking at this shift and how this can help elevate all of us, elevate our, not only our work, but us as individuals, our career progression, and the endless amount of opportunities at this moment, that's the part that's exciting. We're going to be redefining how we work.

[00:20:18] We're redefining the way in which our workflows are moving through the systems and allow us to really do the things that energize us and excite us. Companies have the opportunity right now and right today to really drive speed and efficiencies and move fast to where they are. This is all about the value that they can bring to not only their employees, but to their customers.

[00:20:43] And I think that it's just, I don't know, I just find that change and is one of the most exciting things that we can be going through right now is just seeing where this can bring us. Nobody really truly knows yet. Right? We're all learning right now in this moment. And we'll see. I think 2026 is going to be the year that we do see massive changes. I do foresee that we are going to move from this very, it's only helping us bring speed to, it's actually going to help us do work.

[00:21:11] And that's going to be the exciting part for 2026 to see how far we can stretch it. Oh, I think that's a powerful moment to end on. I will include a link to the report that we mentioned today so people listening can check that out. Is there anywhere else you'd like to point people listening that want to carry on the conversation, keep up to speed with some of the developments at Monday, et cetera? Anywhere you'd like to point anyone? Yes, monday.com, of course. Go out and check us out right there. Awesome. I'll add links to monday.com and the LinkedIn page as well.

[00:21:40] And more than anything, thank you for adding some positivity to this story and a much more hopeful narrative. I think it is exciting times. And as you said, there's a great line you used there. It's helping people step up, not step aside. So thank you for sharing that with me today. Thanks so much for having me. So as we wrap up today, I think one of the big takeaways for me is that AI at work is less about replacement and far more about relief.

[00:22:07] It's giving people space to focus on judgment, creativity and connection. While the machines handle that busy work that slows everything down. And I think the real opportunity is not chasing every new tool and trend. It's actually about being thoughtful about where AI fits into the work that people are already doing. It's more about simplification, trust and confidence for more than experimentation or tech for tech sake.

[00:22:37] So this conversation, I think, leaves us with a challenge. AI is already shaping how work gets done, whether leaders actively guide it or not. And avoiding the conversation or waiting for perfect certainty. That could actually be the bigger risk to your organization. So here's something to think about as you head back into your own workday.

[00:22:58] Is AI helping you step up in your role or is it still sitting on the sidelines or something that you plan to figure out later? We see a lot of stories in our news feeds. Many are pro AI, some are against AI. But I want to hear your stories, your experiences and whether this episode reflects what you're seeing and hearing in your own workplace. Maybe it's a completely different story. And if it is, I want to hear from you.

[00:23:29] TechBlogWriterOutlook.com TechTalksNetwork.com There's 4,000 interviews there. And you can leave me an audio message, work with me or just connect with me on socials. Whatever it is, let me know. But that's it for today. So thank you for listening as always. And I'll be back very soon with another guest talking about AI at work.