Conclusions from a study conducted on a sample of 30,000. employees shed a completely new light on digital transformation. What looks like productivity gains in Excel have consequences that managers often don't notice until it's too late. ADP Polska experts warn: technology is changing the definition of productivity in a way that may surprise even the most experienced HR departments.
An employee equipped with modern tools should be satisfied and more productive. However, the reality turns out to be more complicated. The ADP Research study found a strong correlation that should raise a red flag in executives' heads: the more often an employee uses AI, the more likely he or she is already looking for a new job.
As much as 30 percent people using artificial intelligence on a daily basis are considering leaving their current company. For comparison, in the group of “skeptics” who do not use technology at all, this percentage is more than twice as low (13%). So we are dealing with a situation in which companies “arm” their people with powerful tools, only to lose them a moment later.
Read also: Who will gain the upper hand in 2026? The labor market defies simple forecasts
The productivity trap and work evaluation
The monthly ADP Research survey (over 30,000 employees in the USA) shows that people who use AI on a daily basis declare lowest sense of productivity.
Just 16 percent employees using AI almost every day are considered productive.
This is a paradox, because at the same time AI actually shortens the execution time of many tasks. Anna Barbachowska, HR director at ADP Polska, explains this with the “old workflow mentality” – the employee still assesses his or her effectiveness according to the old time standards.
When a task that once gave satisfaction after several hours of effort is completed by a bot in a few seconds, the employee may lose the sense of agency.
In addition, there is frustration associated with the process of preparing work with AI. — Detailed prompting and repeated correction of prompts to achieve a better effect is an activity that may increase the feeling of unproductivity – adds Anna Barbachowska.
Read also: Layoffs by AI. These three skills can save you
Loneliness of employees in front of the monitor
Artificial intelligence has another side effect: isolation. The “digital colleague” is always available, does not complain and responds quickly, which means that employees consult real people less often.
As seen in the data above, technology supports working alone, limiting team relationships. People who use AI irregularly are much more likely to declare a strong bond with their colleagues (33%) than those who use the technology non-stop (21%).
— Instead of brainstorming with other people, employees increasingly prefer to ask questions in the chat. This is convenient, but it eliminates an important element of communication: the feeling of being seen and appreciated – comments Barbachowska.
Implementing AI at work brings new challenges in the area of HR. It is crucial that when learning new tools and optimizing tasks, the employee does not lose self-confidence and faith in his or her own skills. It is equally important to maintain well-functioning teams.
— Various studies, including the annual “People at Work” conducted by ADP, show that the sense of teamwork is an important element that builds job satisfaction, commitment and the willingness to stay longer in a given company. HR departments are faced with the task of transforming the style of cooperation with AI so that it does not affect employees and the durability of teams – sums up Anna Barbachowska.
