A new workplace survey released this week found that 13% of employees report facing high-level burnout at their jobs, while 20% of workers believe job cuts tied to artificial intelligence are likely at their organisations in the near future, painting a troubling picture of workplace stress as AI adoption speeds up across industries.
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The findings point to a workforce caught between rising AI adoption and growing personal strain. High-level burnout, the survey noted, goes beyond regular tiredness and includes exhaustion that affects both work performance and daily life outside the office. Alongside this, a fifth of respondents expect their companies to cut jobs because of AI tools taking over tasks once handled by people.
Younger workers, particularly Gen Z employees, showed higher levels of concern compared to older colleagues. Many respondents said they feel pressure to learn new AI tools quickly while still managing regular workloads, leaving little room to adjust at a comfortable pace. The survey also flagged a gap between how companies talk about AI adoption and how prepared employees actually feel to handle it.
This survey adds to a growing body of research showing that AI adoption is reshaping workplace stress levels worldwide. Companies have increased output expectations from staff, often without matching that with proper training or support. Experts tracking workplace trends say burnout tends to rise fastest in organisations where AI tools are introduced without clear guidance on how employees should use them.
Some firms have started building formal AI policies and training programs to close this gap, though adoption of such measures remains slow across many sectors. The findings suggest that companies rushing to adopt AI without supporting their workforce may face higher turnover and lower morale in the months ahead.