AI: The Coworker You Didn't Hire (And Why Your Team is Burnt Out)

You didn’t interview them. They didn’t go through a background check. They aren't even on the payroll, and yet, they are sitting at every meeting, touching every spreadsheet, and somehow getting cc'd on every email.

Meet AI: the coworker you didn’t hire, but your team now has to manage.

Over the last two years, artificial intelligence has moved from a "cool party trick" to a permanent fixture in the office. But while executives are looking at the potential ROI (Return on Investment), the people on the front lines are feeling a very different kind of impact. There is a massive "expectation gap" widening between leadership and their teams, and if we don't address it through a resilience-based lens, we’re going to find ourselves in a burnout crisis that no algorithm can fix.

The 76% Expectation Gap

According to the 2024 Work Trend Index from Microsoft and LinkedIn, 76% of people are now using AI at work. On the surface, that sounds like a success story for digital transformation. But if you look closer, the data reveals a startling disconnect.

Most leaders view AI as a "coworker": a silent, efficient partner that should, in theory, take things off everyone’s plate. But employees don't see it that way. To them, AI isn't an assistant; it’s an additional workload. It’s a tool that requires constant monitoring, prompting, and correcting.

This is what I call the "Expectation Gap." Leaders expect a productivity surge; teams are experiencing a cognitive crash. We are treating AI like a plug-and-play solution, but we are forgetting the human element: the relationship between the worker and their work.

The Rise of the "Invisibility Tax"

Have you noticed that your team seems busier than ever, even though they have "productivity tools" at their fingertips? That’s the Invisibility Tax at work.

The Invisibility Tax is the hidden labor that goes into managing AI. It’s the mental energy spent double-checking an AI’s math, the time spent "massaging" a prompt to get a usable answer, and the persistent anxiety of wondering if the AI hallucinated a fact that might end up in a client report.

When we hire a human coworker, there is an onboarding process. There are boundaries. There is a mutual understanding of quality. With AI, there is none of that. Your team is effectively "babysitting" a highly confident, occasionally incompetent digital intern. This constant state of hyper-vigilance is exhausting. It contributes to "Brain Fry": that specific type of mental fatigue where you’ve worked all day but feel like you’ve accomplished nothing of substance because you were too busy managing the tools meant to help you.

Beware of "Workslop"

As we lean harder into AI, we’re seeing a surge in something the industry is calling Workslop.

Workslop is the low-quality, generic, and often unhelpful content that AI generates when it isn't properly guided. It’s the 15-page report that says nothing. It’s the automated email that feels cold and robotic. It’s the "filler" that clutters our digital lives.

For a team that is already stressed, "Workslop" is a disaster. It forces people to spend more time filtering through junk to find the gems. It erodes trust: both within the team and with your clients. If your clients start feeling like they are interacting with a machine rather than a human, your Return on Relationship (ROR) begins to plummet.

Why ROI Isn't Enough: Shifting to ROR

In my book, ROR: Return on Relationships, Authentic Leadership, and Becoming Resilient, I talk about the need to shift our focus from traditional ROI to ROR.

When we only focus on the Return on Investment of AI, we look at minutes saved or tasks completed. But those metrics are hollow if the people doing the work are falling apart. A resilience-based approach asks: How is this tool affecting the health of our relationships? Is it making our team feel more connected, or more isolated? Is it building trust, or creating a culture of "good enough" slop?

AI cannot build a relationship. It cannot offer empathy to a colleague who is struggling. It cannot navigate a difficult conversation with a client. These are the "human-only" territories that actually drive business success. When we prioritize ROR, we recognize that AI should be a tool that supports the human connection, not one that replaces it.

The Resilience-Based Solution

If you want to close the expectation gap and stop the burnout, you have to lead with a resilience-based mindset. This means acknowledging that your team is currently paying a high mental price for this digital transition.

Here are three steps to help your team manage their "new coworker" without losing their minds:

1. Acknowledge the Invisibility Tax: Stop assuming AI is "saving time" and start asking your team how much time they spend managing it. Validate their experience.

2. Define "Workslop" Boundaries: Set clear standards for when AI is appropriate and when a "human-only" touch is required. Don't let the technology dictate the quality of your brand.

3. Invest in Resilience Training: Your team doesn't just need to know how to use ChatGPT; they need to know how to manage the stress of a synthetic workplace. They need tools to stay authentic and connected in a world that is increasingly automated.

Building the Synthetic Workplace with Intention

AI is here to stay. It’s a coworker that isn’t going anywhere. But it’s up to us, as leaders, to decide how that coworker is managed.

Currently, the host of the Return on Relationship Podcast, I spend a lot of time talking to experts like Dr. Tom DeWitt about how neurobiology and leadership intersect. One thing is clear: our brains are not designed to be in a constant state of "correction mode." We need spaces for authentic connection and deep, meaningful work.

If we treat AI as a magic wand, we will burn our people out. If we treat it as a complex tool that requires a resilience-based leadership framework, we can build a workplace that is both high-tech and high-touch.

Join the Conversation

Are you seeing the "Expectation Gap" in your own organization? I’d love to help you navigate this transition using the ROR framework.

• Listen to hear more: Check out the latest episodes of the Return on Relationship Podcast for deeper dives into leadership and resilience.

• Get the book: Pick up your copy of ROR: Return on Relationships on Amazon today.

• Work with me: From keynote speaking to team workshops, I help organizations build the resilience they need to thrive in a changing world. Book your time today.