[UK] AI users report improved engagement and reduced workplace stress

According to new research, there is a strong link between AI use and engagement at work in the UK. The new technology may even be responsible for reducing stress in the workplace, The Global Recruiter reports.

ADP Research’s most recent issue of People at Work 2026 revealed that one in five workers reports using AI almost daily, while nearly a third of workers who use AI daily in their work reported feeling fully engaged.

The research suggests a link between increased AI usage and a reduction in work-related stress, with fewer workers reporting a high incidence of stress on the job. Just 11 per cent of daily users report feeling overloaded, compared with 23 per cent of workers who have never used AI.

However, ADP reportedly discovered a gap in perceptions of AI productivity, with daily users four times more likely to feel less productive than non-users.

These findings suggest that frequent users may feel like they have achieved less as AI is integrated into their daily work. 

In the UK, nearly half (48 per cent) of workers now use AI at least weekly, and 20 per cent use it almost every day. ADP data shows a strong link between AI usage and engagement at work – with 30 per cent of regular users globally reporting they are fully engaged, compared with 14 per cent of non-users.

“AI presents a paradox that employers can’t afford to ignore: those same workers benefiting from it are more likely to question their productivity,” Jeff Phipps - General Manager, ADP UK & Northern Europe - said. “This tells us AI is changing how people work faster than how we measure output and performance, but workplace use is still in its infancy and business leaders need to think carefully about the adoption of the technology, ensuring that the benefits are realised across their organisation. The benefits are real, but our understanding of the human experience is different, and pitfalls not yet well understood.”

Source: The Global Recruiter

(Quote via original reporting)

According to new research, there is a strong link between AI use and engagement at work in the UK. The new technology may even be responsible for reducing stress in the workplace, The Global Recruiter reports.

ADP Research’s most recent issue of People at Work 2026 revealed that one in five workers reports using AI almost daily, while nearly a third of workers who use AI daily in their work reported feeling fully engaged.

The research suggests a link between increased AI usage and a reduction in work-related stress, with fewer workers reporting a high incidence of stress on the job. Just 11 per cent of daily users report feeling overloaded, compared with 23 per cent of workers who have never used AI.

However, ADP reportedly discovered a gap in perceptions of AI productivity, with daily users four times more likely to feel less productive than non-users.

These findings suggest that frequent users may feel like they have achieved less as AI is integrated into their daily work. 

In the UK, nearly half (48 per cent) of workers now use AI at least weekly, and 20 per cent use it almost every day. ADP data shows a strong link between AI usage and engagement at work – with 30 per cent of regular users globally reporting they are fully engaged, compared with 14 per cent of non-users.

“AI presents a paradox that employers can’t afford to ignore: those same workers benefiting from it are more likely to question their productivity,” Jeff Phipps - General Manager, ADP UK & Northern Europe - said. “This tells us AI is changing how people work faster than how we measure output and performance, but workplace use is still in its infancy and business leaders need to think carefully about the adoption of the technology, ensuring that the benefits are realised across their organisation. The benefits are real, but our understanding of the human experience is different, and pitfalls not yet well understood.”

Source: The Global Recruiter

(Quote via original reporting)