AI changes how rookies seek help and adjust at work

by Helen Zhao

Starting a new job can be challenging, as newcomers need to master their work tasks while simultaneously building a positive social reputation. When work-related questions arise, the traditional solution has been to turn to colleagues (peers, supervisors, or subordinates) for help.  While effective, asking for help is not without risk. It can signal motivation and a willingness to learn, but it can also raise concerns about appearing incompetent in front of others.

Now, this familiar dynamic is changing. Instead of walking over to a colleague’s desk, newcomers can open a browser and ask artificial intelligence (AI) tools for instant answers. This shift makes it critical to understand who turns to colleagues and AI for help, and how they benefit from doing so. This is where newcomers’ performance goal orientation comes into play. In simple terms, performance goal orientation reflects what people prioritise when their competence is judged by others at work.

Together with Corine Boon, Armin Pircher Verdorfer, and Deanne den Hartog, we conducted a multi-wave survey study with more than 400 newcomers (employees with less than six months of organisational tenure) to explore two key questions:

• How do newcomers’ performance goal orientations shape their help-seeking from colleagues and AI?
• How does help-seeking from colleagues and AI contribute to newcomers’ adjustment?

AI as a safe alternative for newcomers who fear looking incompetent

Our findings show that different subtypes of performance goal orientation lead newcomers to rely on different help sources. Newcomers with a performance-prove orientation (those who prioritise standing out as competent) are more likely to seek help from colleagues. For them, asking colleagues for help is a way to get work done while also showing initiative and engagement. It makes their efforts visible and signals a willingness to learn, helping them build a positive impression early on.

In contrast, newcomers with a performance-avoid orientation (those who prioritise not appearing incompetent) are more likely to seek help from AI. Asking AI removes the social exposure that comes with approaching a colleague. There are no awkward moments, comparisons, or concerns about being judged. As a result, AI becomes a lower-risk, “safe and secret” way to get help, especially for newcomers who are sensitive to how they might be perceived negatively by others.

AI for efficiency, colleagues for belonging

We also find that help-seeking from AI and from colleagues supports newcomer adjustment to their organisation in different and complimentary ways. Help-seeking from AI has the unique benefit of empowering newcomers to get their work done faster. By providing fast access to large amounts of information, AI enables newcomers to solve problems efficiently and make steady progress on their tasks when they are still learning the ropes.

Help-seeking from colleagues plays a different role. It strengthens newcomers’ social bonds and helps them feel part of the organisation. Asking colleagues for help allows newcomers to signal respect for others’ expertise and might thus increase colleagues’ liking. Through these interactions, newcomers also get emotional support from colleagues, which enhances their senses of belonging in ways that AI cannot easily replicate.

How can organisations help newcomers thrive in an AI-enabled workplace?

Train employees to use AI wisely while maintaining meaningful interactions with colleagues: During onboarding, encourage newcomers to use AI for speeding up tasks such as retrieving information or resolving technical issues, while also prompting them to step away from the screen and consult colleagues to double-check and build connections.

Shift the focus from whether newcomers use AI to how they use it: Rather than monitoring AI adoption rates alone, pay attention to how AI fits into newcomers’ daily work. Using AI as a first step can boost confidence and make later conversations with colleagues more productive, whereas using AI as a pure replacement can isolate newcomers.

Align expectations around AI use: Mentors may welcome delegating simple, routine questions to AI, yet feel undervalued when more complex issues bypass them. Early conversations about which questions are suitable for AI and which should be discussed together help ensure AI supports newcomers without weakening workplace relationships.

About the author

Helen Zhao is a PhD candidate at the Amsterdam Business School, University of Amsterdam. Her research focuses on employee well-being, advanced analytics, and how AI impacts the future of work. Rearch out with comments and questions to z.zhao3@uva.nl.