Is AI adoption the flywheel to the future of work?
The future of work is closer than you think — here’s AI’s role in it
Does your company pay you $10,000 a year to use AI?
When UK law firm Shoosmiths announced a £1 million bonus pool tied to the adoption of Microsoft Copilot, it made headlines, not just for the figure, but for the philosophy behind it. Instead of fearing AI or forcing adoption through top down mandates, Shoosmiths chose to incentivise usage openly, linking tangible financial reward to collective engagement.
It’s clever. It’s bold. And it might just be the first visible crack in the old way of working.
Because here’s the bigger opportunity:
What if we reframed AI not just as a tool to boost productivity, but as a flywheel to fund and enable the next evolution of work?
The Rise of “Shadow AI” and the Cost of Silence
Research from HEC Paris shows that employees who used AI secretly often produced better quality work, but were penalised when managers knew AI had been used. The result is something we’re seeing more of ‘shadow adoption’ where employees use AI tools, just not on workplace devices.
The problem isn’t AI.
It’s the lack of structures, language, and leadership to help teams use it transparently and meaningfully.
Rethinking AI as a Flywheel for the Future of Work
Inspired by thinkers like Rishad Tobaccowala, who argues we’re moving from jobs to work, we believe AI can be the catalyst, not the culprit.
If deployed well, AI adoption doesn’t just make work faster, it creates space.
Space to think. Learn. Move. Breathe.
Imagine a workplace where:
- AI efficiency gains fund healthy lunches, flexible working hours, or learning programs
- Prompt usage leads to recognition, not reprimand
- Automation becomes a bridge to wellness, not burnout
This isn’t utopian. It’s already happening in fragments and Shoosmiths’ bonus model is one such example.
What the Research Tells Us
This isn’t just a feel good theory, it’s backed by evidence:
- Wellness ROI is Real and Rising: According to Wellhub’s 2024 Return on Wellbeing Report, 95% of companies that measured ROI on wellness programs reported positive returns. Over half saw at least $2 back for every $1 invested, largely due to reduced absenteeism, improved morale, and better health outcomes. (Wellhub, 2024)
- Holistic Wellness Performs Best: Macorva’s 2025 analysis shows that programs supporting physical, mental, and financial wellness outperform one dimensional initiatives, leading to sharper declines in absenteeism and higher employee retention. (Macorva, 2025)
- AI Augmented Work Improves Engagement: IBM’s AI-based performance platforms have delivered up to 14% performance improvement, while Salesforce’s internal career AI has driven 74% employee engagement and 40% enrollment in learning pathways. ([IBM, 2019]; Business Insider, 2025)
The compounding value of AI isn’t just time saved.
It’s culture v2.0.
What’s Next
This is a conversation, not a blueprint. But as leaders, technologists, and builders, we need to start asking:
“Can AI be more than a productivity hack? Can it become the economic engine that funds a more human future of work?”
I believe it can. And the companies who figure this out early, who build incentives, trust, and reinvestment loops into their AI rollout, will not only see returns, but redefine what “work” means in the next decade.
Would love to hear from others experimenting at this intersection.
How are you using AI to reimagine not just output, but culture?
#FutureOfWork #AIAdoption #WorkplaceCulture #Shoosmiths #Productivity #Wellbeing #Incentives #Leadership
