5 May 2025
Researcher Relay #4
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in the workplace, new questions are emerging about how humans and machines can coexist. In the fourth edition of Researcher Relay, Louise Harder Fischer, Associate Professor at the IT University of Copenhagen, offers insights into how organizations can deploy AI without undermining job satisfaction.
When British coal miners in the 1940s were met with the promise of new technologies, it seemed like progress had arrived. The backbreaking days of hauling pickaxes into the depths of the mines were over. Machines were taking on more of the work.
But the reality was more complicated. Though the work became physically easier, many miners experienced a loss of community and identity. They were no longer part of tight-knit teams; the social fabric that gave meaning to their labor began to fray.
“History is repeating itself in today’s workplaces,” says Louise Harder Fischer.
In this edition of DIREC’s Researcher Relay, Fischer picks up where CBS researcher Stig Nyman left off. She explains how organizations can integrate AI in ways that avoid repeating past mistakes – and instead foster thriving, meaningful work environments amid rapid technological change.
Over the past two years, Louise Harder Fischer has worked with a wide range of Danish organizations navigating the implementation of AI. In many cases, she encountered signs that job satisfaction was eroding.
“When AI is introduced without regard for factors like job identity and social cohesion, the consequences can be severe. We risk hollowing out employee well-being, professional pride, and, ultimately, organizational reputation.”
Her research draws on a growing body of literature demonstrating that algorithmic implementation can lead to loss of autonomy, diminished social recognition, and the creation of roles devoid of development opportunities.
At the same time, a recent survey by DJØF, a Danish professional association, found that only 16 percent of managers feel adequately prepared to support their employees’ use of AI. It’s a signal that AI adoption requires more than just technical change—it demands a fundamental shift in management paradigms.
“Management has realized the honeymoon phase with AI is over. Now it’s about making the marriage work—and many don’t know how to begin,” says Louise Harder Fischer.
To address these challenges, Fischer and her colleagues have developed the STAIR method (Socio-Technical AI Reflection). This structured approach is designed to help organizations align AI integration with employee well-being and workplace morale. Read more about the method here.
Through workshops and guided reflection exercises, the STAIR method helps organizations understand how AI affects their people and culture. Built on eight core principles—including social connection, learning, and ethics—it has already been piloted in municipalities, insurance firms, and pharmaceutical companies.
An increasing number of organizations now seek Fischer’s guidance on the social and organizational dimensions of AI.
“If we don’t understand how invasive this technology can be, we risk moving too fast, perhaps even making ourselves redundant while degrading our quality of work life,” she warns. “The aim of the STAIR method is to raise awareness of how hard it is to nurture well-being in an AI-driven workplace –and to spark action.”
Like Louise Harder Fischer, many researchers are currently focused on the future of work. The DIREC initiative Rework explores how AI is reshaping daily work life in Denmark. Learn more about the project here.
