When AI Becomes a Teammate:
Transforming the Employee Experience

How Starbucks, DHL, and Ijysheng are using AI to free staff for more meaningful work

Not long ago, basic Internet skills and Microsoft Office were must-haves for anyone entering the workplace. Today, AI is quickly taking on that same role. A 2023 World Economic Forum report predicts that 44% of core worker skills will be disrupted within five years ¹.

For companies, that’s more than just a technological shift—it’s a people challenge. The real question isn’t only how AI will change business operations, but how it can reshape the employee experience: making work more productive, engaging, and supportive of employee well-being.

When people think about AI, their first thought is often consumer-facing tools like chatbots or recommendation engines. But AI is also transforming the employee experience. It helps staff ramp up faster, reduces repetitive tasks, and allows them to focus on higher-value work. In the process, it also strengthens their sense of connection to the company. When implemented effectively, this shift improves retention and recruitment, strengthens employer branding, and sharpens competitiveness.

Here are three examples of how leading brands are using AI to upgrade the employee experience.

Starbucks: Real-Time AI Support That Keeps Baristas Focused on Customers

In 2024, Starbucks introduced Green Dot Assist, a generative AI–powered virtual assistant built into the iPads used in stores ².

In the past, baristas who had a question needed to dig through manuals or ask a more experienced coworker. Now, they simply ask Green Dot Assist and get clear guidance instantly ².

For example, if a barista needs to confirm the recipe for a seasonal drink, Green Dot Assist delivers the answer in seconds ². This not only reduces the burden of searching and learning but also helps employees maintain confidence and professionalism, freeing them to focus on the customer. It shows that AI isn’t just about efficiency—it’s a reliable partner on the job.

DHL: AI as a “Colleague” That Lightens the Load

Global logistics leader DHL has rolled out AI voice bots in Germany to handle more than a million customer calls every month—resolving about half of them without human intervention. The result: frontline staff can devote more time to tasks requiring physical effort and human interaction, instead of drowning in repetitive requests ³.

AI is also helping DHL tackle labor shortages. The company hasn’t laid off any call center staff in Germany, but with AI taking on routine tasks, it no longer needs to hire at scale to make up for retirements or resignations, nor bring in large numbers of seasonal temps during peak times ³.

Just as importantly, DHL involves employees directly in deploying and supervising its AI systems. Some staff have transitioned into roles like “conversation designers,” deciding which questions the bots can safely handle. Supervisors, meanwhile, serve as “quality assurance managers,” ensuring errors don’t spiral out of control ³.

As Bernd Gemein, CIO of DHL post and parcels, puts it: employees should think of AI as “a seasoned colleague, not an all-knowing genius.” This human-machine collaboration helps ease fears of replacement while creating new opportunities for meaningful work ³.

IJYSHENG, RT Baker House, and Others: AI at the Checkout, People at the Core

For years, bakery employees faced a stressful challenge during rush hours: quickly identifying and entering dozens of bread varieties into the register. Mistakes were common, and the checkout process often became stressful and slow.

Now, AI-powered image recognition systems instantly identify items at the counter and complete the checkout automatically. This technology has been adopted across bakeries in Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan—including NEIGHBORS BREAD, IJYSHENG, RT Baker House, and SO ALL TOO BAKERY.

For staff, the benefits are clear:

• Less repetitive strain: AI can save workers up to 3,500 register clicks per day, reducing fatigue.
• Higher job satisfaction: Employees can focus on customer interaction and creating a welcoming atmosphere, instead of being stuck in mechanical tasks.
• Easier onboarding: Part-time and seasonal staff can get up to speed quickly without extensive training, lowering errors and costs.
• More human value unlocked: With routine tasks automated, employees can put their energy into service, upselling, and enhancing the customer experience.

In short: let AI handle the repetitive work, so people can focus on people.

Human-AI Collaboration: Unlocking More Meaningful Work

These cases highlight a critical point: AI isn’t just about boosting productivity—it can free employees to focus on what makes us uniquely human: empathy, judgment, creativity, and meaningful connections.

Companies that leverage AI to enhance the employee experience not only create workplaces where people want to stay, but also gain a lasting edge in business performance and talent attraction.

[References]
¹ “The Future of Jobs Report 2023.” WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/digest/. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
² “Meet Green Dot Assist: Starbucks Generative AI-Powered Coffeehouse Companion.” Starbucks Coffee Company, https://about.starbucks.com/press/2025/meet-green-dot-assist-starbucks-generative-ai-powered-coffeehouse-companion/. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
³ “Inside DHL’s AI upgrade: ‘Love it or hate it, you have to work with it’.” FINANCIAL TIMES, https://www.ft.com/content/ce09786f-2481-44fe-957c-f7bb0b43e284. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.