July 25, 2026 at 5:00 amThere is an increasing need for better psychological literacy, says Ashley Motene. (123RF/Fizkes.) AI may be everywhere, but there is still a need for people who can interpret behaviour, read group dynamics and show psychological insight.“There is an increasing need for better psychological literacy that includes being compassionate towards ourselves as workers who are learning to work more in AI-integrated ways, and as leaders needing to guide people who have different work-life integration needs,” says Ashley Motene, an industrial psychologist and senior academic programme developer at the South African College of Applied Psychology. She advises:Psychologically literate leaders lead better because they can address common issues such as communication breakdowns and poor engagement, which are psychological in nature;Psychologically literate leaders recognise patterns in behaviour, understand emotional responses and adapt their communication;As AI handles more of the routine tasks, organisations will need more people with truly human skills; Psychological literacy helps leaders understand how the same stressors — unaddressed conflict for example — can affect different workers differently; andWorkers — and the organisations they work for — thrive in peaceful, psychologically safe working environments. Business Times