ON WORK || Work Integrity: The Human Edge AI Can’t Replace

I’ve struggled to pen business articles in recent months.

Those who have read stories from years past would notice that I often share case studies on how we could improve our businesses through customer service and a dedication to delivering our best work. I’ve spent many hours pondering why I found it so hard to discuss business issues I see in and around my business. I believe I’ve finally uncovered the problem: it feels like humans have largely lost the will to have integrity in their work.

As a millennial, I grew up amidst a hustle culture, where you were rewarded and praised based on how hard you worked. Long work days, sleepless nights, and consuming copious amounts of caffeine were all actions lauded by the people.

I observed that post-pandemic, the entire workforce valued something else entirely: their health and well-being. I can appreciate this. I have even allowed myself to prioritize my health as well. There are two interesting points here. The first point is that most people find little joy in their work; they do not feel that creating and honing their craft contributes to their well-being. The second point is that, given the first point, most people see work as a lower priority. To try to put this feeling into words, they see their work as just a job, and not a collection of creations they are proud of. The goal was no longer to get the promotion or the raise; it was to do the least amount of work possible for the highest pay.

I don’t want to fall into the altruistic rabbit hole of “what if people just went and found jobs they loved doing”, because that, unfortunately, is just not how the world works in a capitalistic society. I agree that taking care of our mind and body is of utmost importance to lead an enjoyable life. Still, I wonder if living well could co-exist with having integrity in the work we do, rather than just giving the bare minimum.

Especially in the current age of AI, where employers are seeking efficiencies in their business through technology and downsizing their companies. What about you is better than a computer model? Below is a story of how humans chose to operate at a level lower than a computer.

I experienced an intriguing lack of work integrity yesterday at my agency. One of our print media vendors ran our client’s print ad with a black background and grey text without checking whether the text would reproduce properly on the print medium. It didn’t. In fact, the ad went to print with large swathes of black, intermittently pierced by white text, because the ad copy design had grey text with white text used as an accent colour. Needless to say, this was a significant detriment to our client’s brand, because the media vendor ran the ad not once, not twice, but four times. The issue was only spotted when we requested a photo of the print output instead of a digital tear sheet (the grey text appeared correctly on the digital tear sheet, but not on the black print background).

Here’s why I say the vendor chose to operate at subpar performance:

1. Why didn’t the production department check a print proof to ensure the grey text would show up? To provide context, our other print vendors have previously spotted similar issues when printing on black backgrounds and alerted us, allowing us to rectify the situation before the ad went to print.

2. Why didn’t our sales representative at the media vendor check the output of the print ad they helped place? I’m not sure how they’re going to explain this one, because it’s standard to have a print proof for any print vendor(?).

3. Why didn’t any of the graphic designers at the creative agency working on the layout check the design files to ensure they had the correct file export output?

4. Perhaps the most disturbing action of all is that upon discovering the issue, our sales representative gave us one hour to present a corrected file, or they would rerun the old file.

Let that sink in. The salesperson knew the file wouldn’t show the grey text, yet their course of action was to print the file again instead of suggesting we reschedule for another day to allow more time for a corrected file. This scenario (sadly) perfectly illustrates what I mean by a lack of integrity in our work. Do we even care about our work anymore? Do people still take pride in their work? I work on a digital publication, and I see every story we publish as a potential avenue for our readers to gain inspiration, find calm, and connect with me through the words.

While this print error is the most memorable incident (for all the wrong reasons), there are plenty of other examples I’ve observed over the past year. It’s hampered the joy I take in my work as well, because some individuals I work with choose not to commit to the same level of effort. I can appreciate that there may be several reasons for this:

1. They think AI is going to take their job.

2. They think they’ll never be able to save any money with inflation and the constant rise in the cost of living.

3. They don’t want a promotion and more responsibility because work isn’t a priority.

The list goes on. When the work output of humans falls below the standard of what AI tools and agents can produce, you’re giving others a reason to switch over from having a human in the job to a robot. If humans aren’t going to respect their work and invest the minimum level of effort to fact-check their output, why should employers invest in having more people in their workforce?

People prefer to deal with people. It’s why we have something called ‘the human touch’. For those who retain a commitment and dedication to delivering their best work and service, you will continue to thrive in the AI age and beyond, but if you’re already set on failing by not giving a damn about your work, who’s to blame when you get cut?

Here are five ways you can demonstrate that humans still have an edge over AI to increase your job security.

1 | Take Ownership and Accountability

Instead of just completing tasks, employees who own outcomes, good or bad, earn long-term trust. They admit mistakes, fix them, follow through, and don’t pass responsibility off. AI can execute tasks, but only humans can be accountable for judgment, ethics, and impact.

2 | Consistently Deliver High-Quality Work

People who take pride in their output, double-check details, refine their work, and strive for excellence show they’re not just “doing the job” but building something they stand behind. In the case of the print vendor, this is where the entire team fell short.

3 | Use AI Responsibly, Not Lazily

Integrity shows in how people leverage AI. Instead of copying outputs blindly, they use AI as a tool to enhance creativity, improve efficiency, and add human judgment, context, and nuance. Companies value humans who elevate AI, not those who become dependent on it. If you can’t think for yourself and just blindly go with the AI model’s follow-up prompts, your output will align with the average.

4 | Honour Commitments and Deadlines

Showing reliability by meeting timelines, communicating early, and keeping promises signals professional pride and integrity. AI delivers outputs instantly, but it doesn’t manage expectations or relationships.

5 | Lead with Empathy and Ethics

Humans stand out when they make decisions that prioritize fairness, people, and impact, not just process, timelines and budgets. This includes handling conflicts with grace, giving credit, being transparent, and caring about outcomes beyond themselves.

Holding yourself to the above standards will help with job retention in the AI age. Companies value all of these traits because they build lasting relationships, which equate to long-term business. Are you up for the challenge?