How We Deal with Fear During Transformation – Especially in the Context of AI

Change is rarely a walk in the park. Especially not when new technologies like Artificial Intelligence fundamentally reshape our world of work. In my talk at the HR Festival 2025 in Zurich, I focused on this exact question:

"How do we face fear – especially in the context of AI and transformation?"

Fear is Not a Weakness – It’s a Signal

Fear is a natural reaction to uncertainty. It is rarely directed at a specific tool or individual change – rather, it’s aimed at the unknown. People ask themselves:

• “What does this change mean for me?”
  
  
• “Will I remain relevant?”
  
  
• “Does this threaten my value or my role?”
  
  

This fear often arises from an internal conflict – a cognitive dissonance between one’s self-image (“I’m competent and secure in my job”) and a new reality (“AI might be faster, more efficient, more intelligent”). When this contradiction touches someone’s sense of self-worth, many react with psychological reactance: they don’t resist out of defiance, but because they’re seeking inner balance.

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Dealing Constructively with Fear – Our Recommendations for AI Change Processes

Especially during transformation processes, it's crucial to take psychological mechanisms seriously. Because if you truly want to bring people along, you need more than just technology and process plans – you need design competence.

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Here are our field-tested recommendations:

1. Make AI Tangible – Not Just Explainable
   Instead of dry theory, create experiential spaces: show real, everyday use cases – for example, how AI supports feedback processes or relieves repetitive tasks.
   
   
2. Create Psychological Safety
   Questions, doubts, and mistakes must be allowed. PowerPoint alone won’t do – you need spaces for listening, questioning, and understanding.
   
   
3. Preserve Self-Worth – Bring Identity Along
   Don’t just ask what AI can do – ask what makes us human. Use AI as support, not as a replacement.
   
   
4. Understand Reactance as a Clue
   When people resist, it’s often meaning that’s missing – not motivation. Reactance reveals where participation and emotional framing are needed.
   
   
5. Create Spaces for Meaning – Brief but Regular
   Change needs context: What does this mean for me? For our team? Small reflection formats help process the transformation.
   
   
6. Empower Leadership as a Space for Resonance
   Leaders shape the emotional climate. Support them with mindset, language – and an awareness of how they build trust.
   
   

Conclusion: AI Needs Psychological Sensitivity

The introduction of AI is more than a tech issue – it’s a psychological journey. Those who want to guide this journey need spaces, resonance, and reflection.

At FLOWIT, we support companies in exactly this: with a digital coach that embeds development, feedback, and learning into everyday work – and puts people at the center.

📩 Curious to learn more? Book a demo with us here