AI Productivity Shouldn’t Mean More Work
Announcement posted by 360PR 22 Oct 2026
AI may help employees get more done, but Australian workers are questioning whether greater productivity should simply result in greater workloads, according to new research from people2people Recruitment.
More than half (55%) expect employees to produce somewhat or significantly more in the same working hours thanks to AI tools. Yet just 19% believe higher output expectations should be the outcome when AI helps employees complete their work faster.
Instead, 51% believe greater efficiency should lead to shorter working hours and 21% believe it should result in higher pay. Two-thirds (66%) also say it is becoming more important for employers to set clear limits on how much workloads can increase because of AI.
Catherine Kennedy, Managing Director NSW at people2people Recruitment, said employers needed to recognise that AI-driven productivity did not come without an investment from employees.
"AI can make people more productive, but employees first have to learn how to use these tools effectively, adapt the way they work and apply their own judgement to the output," Ms Kennedy said.
"If the reward for making that investment is simply being given more work and more responsibility, without anything changing in return, employers risk creating a very one-sided productivity equation."
Who gets the AI productivity dividend?
When asked what it should mean for people if AI helps them complete their work faster:
- 51% said shorter working hours
- 21% said higher pay
- 19% said higher output expectations
- 8% said no change
The preference for shorter hours is remarkably consistent across generations, nominated by 54% of Gen Z, 47% of Millennials and 53% of Baby Boomers and Gen X.
Gen Z are particularly likely to believe employees should share financially in the gains, with 39% saying greater AI efficiency should mean higher pay, compared with 20% of Millennials and 11% of Baby Boomers and Gen X.
"What's interesting is that people aren't rejecting productivity, they have a different view about what productivity should deliver," Ms Kennedy said.
"The question for employers isn't whether AI should improve productivity. Of course, businesses will want to realise those benefits. The challenge is making sure employees can see a benefit as well. If AI makes someone more efficient but that saved time is continually filled with additional tasks, there is a risk that technology designed to make work easier simply makes people busier."
Two-thirds want limits on AI-driven workloads
As expectations around AI increase, 66% believe it is becoming more important for employers to set clear limits on how much workloads can increase because of the technology.
Gen Z feel particularly strongly, with 81% saying limits are becoming more important, compared with 62% of Millennials and 58% of Baby Boomers and Gen X.
"For AI adoption to work, organisations need their people to engage with it. Employees have to invest time in learning new skills, experimenting with tools and finding better ways of working," Ms Kennedy said.
"If every new efficiency simply leads to another task being added to someone's workload, there is less incentive for employees to actively look for those efficiencies. That could ultimately work against the AI adoption and productivity gains employers are trying to achieve."
Job cuts and unrealistic expectations top concerns
Employees also see risks in allowing workloads and expectations to rise alongside AI adoption. When asked about the biggest risk of increasing workloads because of AI:
- 32% nominated job cuts
- 28% said unrealistic expectations
- 28% said lower quality of work
- 11% said burnout
Concerns also differ across generations. Gen Z are most worried about unrealistic expectations (31%), while job cuts are the biggest concern for Millennials (32%) and Baby Boomers and Gen X (39%).
"More output doesn't automatically mean better output," Ms Kennedy said.
"There is a risk that if AI becomes primarily a mechanism for increasing volume and reducing headcount, organisations lose sight of quality, sustainable workloads and the human judgement still required to use these tools effectively."
Productivity expectations are already rising
Despite concerns about workloads, expectations that AI will enable people to produce more are already taking hold. More than half (55%) expect employees to produce somewhat or significantly more in the same working hours thanks to AI tools. Expectations rise considerably with age:
- 73% of Baby Boomers and Gen X expect employees to produce more in the same hours
- 59% of Millennials expect greater output
- 37% of Gen Z expect greater output
Ms Kennedy said organisations needed to think carefully about how increased productivity translated into job design and employee expectations.
"AI has the potential to take away repetitive work, create capacity and allow people to focus on higher-value tasks. But there is an important distinction between creating better jobs and simply creating bigger jobs," Ms Kennedy said.
"If people are expected to learn new skills, manage new technology and take on more responsibility as a result, employers need to think about what employees receive in return.
"The organisations that get this right will be those where AI creates value for both sides - improving business performance while also making work better, more sustainable and more rewarding for their people."
PR Contact: Lisa Solomons | 360 PR | lisa@360pr.com.au | 0416 175 518