One in five employees hit a problem at work
One in five UK employees had a workplace issue in the last 12 months that they raised — or considered raising — with their employer. These were things like unfair treatment, discrimination, bullying or harassment, pay problems, or dismissal.
Among those who did, these were the most common problems:
Which, if any, of the following workplace problems or concerns have you experienced in the last 12 months?
% of employees who had an issue in the last 12 months
AI has become a first port of call
Most people still turn first to friends, family or their employer. But for advice, more now reach for an AI tool than for a trade union or a solicitor — AI has overtaken the traditional sources of formal help.
Which, if any, of the following actions did you take in relation to this/these workplace problem or concern?
% of employees who had a workplace issue in the last 12 months
Using AI makes people more likely to act
AI isn’t just informing people — it’s emboldening them. A third of AI users said it made them more likely to take further action, and hardly any said it made them less likely.
Thinking about the last time you used AI to help you understand your rights at work, or deal with a workplace problem or concern… Did using the AI tool make you more or less likely to take action (e.g., raising it with your employer), or did it make no difference?
% of employees who used AI for their issue
What people use AI for
People aren’t only looking things up — they’re using AI to prepare, and to check advice they’ve already been given.
In which of the following ways have you used an AI tool(s) to help you understand your rights at work, or deal with a workplace problem or concern?
% of employees who used an AI tool
Trust in generic AI tools
Trust is remarkably high for a tool that didn't exist even a few years ago. Asked how much they trust an AI tool to give accurate information about their workplace rights, almost half of employees said they would — though most of those would treat it as a starting point and still check the advice elsewhere. This validates the need for UK and domain-specific specialist tools.
Based on your understanding or experience… How much do you trust an AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or Microsoft Copilot) to give accurate information about your workplace rights?
% of all UK employees · “trust” = would rely on it, or would use it but check elsewhere
A generational shift
The habit skews young. Under-35s were nearly twice as likely as over-55s (23% vs 13%) to have used an AI tool for their workplace issue — a sign rights hacking will only grow as this generation moves through the workforce.
Used an AI tool for their workplace issue — by age
% within each age group who had a workplace issue