Got a call from a founder last month. Panic in his voice.
"My biggest competitor just launched a feature that should have taken six months to build. They did it in three weeks."
I already knew the answer before I asked: "How much AI is your team using?"
Silence.
Then: "I have no idea."
That's a problem. A big one.
Here's what's happening while you're asking employees about work-life balance and office snacks:
- Your competitors are quietly building AI-powered teams that work faster, think differently, and deliver results you can't match with traditional approaches.
- The companies winning right now aren't just using AI at the leadership level. Their entire workforce is integrating it into daily tasks.
- But most businesses have no clue what their people are actually doing with AI. If anything.
I started asking my clients a simple question: "What percentage of your team uses AI tools regularly?"
The answers were eye-opening:
- "Maybe 10%? Our IT department, probably."
- "I know our marketing person uses ChatGPT sometimes."
- "We have that policy about not putting confidential information into AI tools, so... hopefully nobody?"
Meanwhile, their most innovative competitors are measuring AI adoption like a vital sign. Because it is one.
Want to know if your business will be relevant in two years?
Add this to your next employee survey:
"How frequently do you use AI tools in your work?"
- Never
- Occasionally (monthly)
- Regularly (weekly)
- Daily
- Multiple times per day
Then ask: "Which AI tools do you use most often?"
Here's what you want to see: The percentage of "daily" and "multiple times per day" responses increasing every year.
Here's what you don't want to see: Most of your team selecting "never" while your industry transforms around you.
But wait, there's more.
Don't just measure usage. Measure impact:
"How has AI changed the way you approach your work?" "What would you accomplish with better AI tools or training?" "Where do you see AI having the biggest impact on your role in the next year?"
These aren't just survey questions. They're intelligence gathering for your survival strategy.
One client implemented this last year. First survey results were depressing: 73% of their team never used AI.
Twelve months later, after some strategic investments in training and tools: 62% were using AI daily.
The business results? Project completion times decreased by 34%. Client satisfaction scores hit record highs. Revenue per employee jumped 28%.
Same people. Same company. Different capabilities.
Your annual survey probably asks about career development, compensation, and company culture.
All important.
None of them will matter if your workforce can't compete with AI-enhanced teams at other companies.
The question isn't whether AI will change your industry. It's whether your people will be ready when it does.
Start measuring. Start now.
Because what you don't measure, you can't improve. And what you can't improve might just put you out of business.
