Canadian employers are losing almost 40% of the productivity gains from artificial intelligence tools because employees must spend time fixing mistakes, rewriting AI-generated content and verifying outputs, according to new global research from Workday Inc.
The study of 3,200 employees at companies with annual revenue over $100 million found that while 85% of workers report saving one to seven hours per week using AI, only 14% consistently achieve clear positive outcomes from the technology.
“Too many AI tools push the hard questions of trust, accuracy and repeatability back onto individual users,” said Gerrit Kazmaier, president of product and technology at Workday. “Our philosophy is that AI should do the complex work under the hood so people can focus on judgment, creativity and connection.”
Daily users face heaviest workload
Employees who use AI daily expressed the most optimism about the technology, with more than 90% saying they believe it will help them succeed. However, these frequent users also carry the largest burden, with 77% reporting they review AI-generated work as carefully as human-produced work or more carefully.
Workers aged 25 to 34 make up nearly half of those dealing with the most AI rework, despite being considered the most tech-savvy demographic.
Training gaps remain
The research revealed a disconnect between leadership priorities and employee access to support. While 66% of leaders identified skills training as a top priority, only 37% of employees experiencing the highest amount of rework said they received access to training.
In 89% of organizations surveyed, fewer than half of job roles have been updated to reflect AI capabilities.
Investment priorities differ
Companies currently direct more AI-related savings toward technology purchases than employee development, with 39% reinvesting in technology compared to 30% in training and skills programs.
Many organizations increased workloads instead of using saved time for skill development, with 32% of respondents reporting higher task volumes.
However, employees who reported positive AI outcomes were more likely to use saved time for higher-value work such as deeper analysis and strategic thinking, at a rate of 57%. These same employees were also more likely to have received increased skills training, at 79%.
The study, titled “Beyond Productivity: Measuring the Real Value of AI,” was conducted by Workday and fielded by Hanover Research in November 2025. Respondents included full-time employees across North America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, the Middle East and Africa who actively use AI technology at work.
Workday is a California-based enterprise software company that provides human resources and financial management platforms. The company serves more than 11,000 organizations globally.
