AI is helping Australians work faster, but not easier

• 47% say expectations of them at work have increased since AI became part of their work
• 56% of Australian workers say when AI saves them time, that time quickly gets filled with more tasks
• 45% feel pressure to complete work faster because AI is available in their workplace

16 June 2026 – AI may be helping Australian workers move faster, but new research from ELMO Software suggests many are not yet feeling the relief promised by workplace productivity gains.

The findings show more than half of Australian workers (56%) say that when AI saves them time, that time quickly gets filled with more tasks. Almost half (47%) say expectations of them at work have increased since AI became part of their work, while 45% feel pressure to complete work faster because AI is available in their workplace.

Dr Amantha Imber, organisational psychologist, AI consultant and ELMO partner, said the findings point to a new productivity tension emerging in Australian workplaces.

“AI is changing the pace of work, but faster does not automatically mean better,” Dr Imber said.

“When people save time with AI and that time is immediately replaced with more tasks, the benefit can start to feel invisible. That is when productivity gains risk turning into pressure, rather than progress.”

The research found that when AI helps workers complete work faster, they most commonly spend the time on more strategic work (19%) or focus on quality (18%). Eleven per cent are given more work, the same proportion who are using time saved for downtime or flexibility.

Dr Imber said the results show strong promise, but some organisations still have an opportunity to be more intentional about how AI-created time is used.

“The most valuable use of AI is not simply squeezing more output into the same day,” Dr Imber said.

“AI-created capacity should be used for better thinking, stronger client relationships, learning, collaboration and higher-quality work. That is where AI starts to feel genuinely useful to both employees and employers.”

Workers positive, but pressure remains

Despite these workload pressures, many employees believe their organisations are making progress. More than six in ten workers (62%) say their organisation is doing well at helping employees adapt to AI, although only 16% say it is doing very well.

Men were more likely than women to feel their organisation is helping employees adapt to AI at the same pace AI is changing work, with 19% of men saying this compared with 13% of women.

Dr Imber said this suggests many organisations are moving in the right direction, but there is still a gap between introducing AI and helping people use it in a way that improves work.

“Most people are still using AI task by task. They open a tool, ask for help with one thing, then move on to the next,” Dr Imber said.

“The people and teams getting bigger gains are building more reliable ways of working with AI. They are looking at repeatable workflows, not just one-off prompts.”

Policies helping some, slowing others

The research also found mixed views on workplace AI policies. Almost one in three workers (31%) say AI policies help them use AI effectively and safely, while 30% say policies help in some ways but make it harder in others.

A further 12% are not aware of any AI policies at their organisation, and 7% feel AI policies are making it harder for them to use AI effectively and safely.

ELMO Software President Joseph Lyons said the findings show AI adoption cannot be treated as a technology rollout alone.

“AI is now part of the working day for many employees, but the real challenge for organisations is how work changes around it,” Lyons said.

“Leaders need to be clear about where AI should be used, how success is measured, and what happens to the time it creates. Without that clarity, employees can feel like the goalposts are moving.”

Lyons said organisations that see AI as a workforce design challenge will be better placed to capture sustainable productivity gains.

“AI should help organisations lift performance without simply adding pressure,” Lyons said.

“That means looking carefully at roles, workflows, skills and accountability and creating the conditions for people to do better, higher-value work.”

As AI becomes more embedded in Australian workplaces, the findings suggest the next challenge for organisations is not whether workers adopt AI, but whether leaders can translate efficiency into meaningful improvements in how work gets done, while ensuring productivity gains do not come at the expense of wellbeing.

About ELMO Software

Founded in 2002, the ELMO Group comprises ELMO Software, Breathe HR and Rotageek. ELMO Group is a multinational provider of people management solutions, trusted by over 18,000 organisations across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

ELMO is The Complete AI Workforce Platform™. It unifies HR and Payroll on one connected data foundation and layers native AI to turn workforce data into insight and action. ELMO’s mission is to get Australia and New Zealand’s workforce ready for what’s next and supports the full employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding to learning, performance, payroll and more.

Backed by ISO-certified security, Australian-based data hosting and local experts who guide change throughout the journey, ELMO helps mid-sized organisations build the foundation for AI-ready workforces of tomorrow.

For more information, visit www.elmosoftware.com.au or follow ELMO Software on LinkedIn.

About the research

The research was commissioned by ELMO Software and conducted by YouGov. 677 Australian workers aged 18+ were surveyed online between 4th – 9th June 2026.