30% say AI has not saved them time
AI productivity gains are not reaching all Australian workers, with COS research finding 30% of office employees do not feel the tools have given them more time at work.
The national study of more than 1,000 Australian office workers was commissioned by COS, Australia’s largest family-owned workplace supplies business. Overall, 52% said AI has given them more time on the job.
Within the group not seeing time savings, 14% reported no noticeable difference. Another 8% said learning and checking AI outputs adds extra work, while 9% said expectations have increased now that AI tools are available.
According to the survey, 21% of employees use AI to complete routine tasks faster. A further 19% said it reduces time spent researching or drafting work, and 12% said it lets them focus more on higher-value tasks.
Belinda Lyone, co-CEO of COS, said the findings show a practical challenge for businesses, especially SMEs trying to improve productivity without adding pressure to teams.
“AI can absolutely help people work faster and focus on higher-value tasks, but it is not a shortcut on its own. If a business introduces AI without the right training, expectations and workflow changes, it can quickly become another thing employees need to learn, check and manage. That is when a productivity tool risks becoming another layer of work.”
56% want fewer workplace systems
However, the research also found AI adoption does not always reflect genuine improvement. More than one in five employees, or 21%, said they use AI only because their workplace expects them to.
Another 12% said they use AI but do not like it, and see it as a way to keep up with their peers.
At the same time, 56% of employees said fewer systems would improve productivity because they spend too much time working out which one to use and how to use it.
Lyone said leaders need to separate access to AI from effective use of it. COS is investing heavily in AI training so staff have confidence, context and clear guidance.
She said businesses searching for productivity gains are also dealing with cost pressure, labour constraints and more complex workplace systems.
The findings point to three practical areas for employers: training, clearer expectations and better workflow integration. As a result, AI is more likely to save time when companies match new tools with support and simpler systems.
