AI is changing how we work. But are people afraid to admit they’re using it?

In this Psychological Safety Week bonus episode, Grace is joined by Managing Psychologist Janet Tarasofsky to explore the anxiety, uncertainty and silence that can surround AI at work.

They examine the research behind shadow AI, social evaluative threat and technostress, and what it reveals about Talent Hushing. From job security and imposter syndrome to the pressure to keep pace, this episode unpacks why AI use has become a psychological safety issue in the workplace.

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.

References:

• Microsoft UK (2025). Rise in ‘Shadow AI’ tools raising security concerns for UK organisations. Microsoft UK Stories, 13 October 2025.
• Sawhney, G., McCord, M.A., Cunningham, A., Cook, P., Adjei, K. & Flinn, T. (2026). ‘A meta-analytic review of 60 years of role stressor research’. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 167, 104234. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvb.2026.104234.
• Dickerson, S.S. & Kemeny, M.E. (2004). ‘Acute stressors and cortisol responses: A theoretical integration and synthesis of laboratory research’. Psychological Bulletin, 130(3), 355–391. DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.130.3.355.
• Liu, M., Li, Y. & Li, J. (2026). ‘The impact of generative AI use on employees’ psychological distress: A moderated mediation model’. Frontiers in Public Health, 14, 1798423. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1798423.
• Högemann, M., Hein, L., Britsche, J-O. & Thomas, O. (2025). ‘Technostress and generative AI in the workplace: A qualitative analysis of young professionals’. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 8, 1728881. DOI: 10.3389/frai.2025.1728881.
• Kandola, B. (2025) Building a psychologically safe work environment. Routledge.
• Mizrak, F. & Karakaya, T. (2026). ‘Why Hide AI Use? Psychological Configurations and Explainable Machine Learning Evidence from Marketing Work’. Behavioral Sciences, 16(6), 994. DOI: 10.3390/bs16060994.
• Morrison, E.W. (2023). ‘Employee Voice and Silence: Taking Stock a Decade Later’. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 10, 79–107. DOI: 10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-120920-054654.