While the use of AI at workplaces is becoming more widespread, the need to rework AI outputs is putting a dent in the productivity gains for employees in Singapore, according to a new study by Workday, an enterprise software company.
The study of 3,200 respondents globally found that nearly half of Singapore respondents spend at least an hour each week clarifying, correcting or even rewriting AI-generated outputs. About 12 per cent spend two to four hours weekly on such rework.
Revealing the findings last week, Workday describes the issue as a “productivity gap” that organisations need to address, as AI usage accelerates.
That said, seven in 10 respondents in the study say they have become more productive since they started using AI tools. All respondents say AI tools are already deployed in their organisations, with 86 per cent saying their organisations have implemented three or more AI use cases.
Reinvesting AI gains
The study also found strong AI support from organisations. Some 68 per cent of respondents say that reinvesting in their employees will make them more competitive and resilient in the long term.
Among those who have reported time savings from AI adoption, 78 per cent have reinvested those gains in employee development, upskilling or training, while 68 per cent redirected time toward higher-value, strategic or innovative work.
According to the Workday study, 80 per cent reinvested AI cost savings in the workforce, matching the proportion reinvested in technology or infrastructure. Significantly, this is far higher than the share returned to shareholders (23 per cent).
Reinvesting AI-driven gains into employees will help improve outcomes and enable long-term value creation, said Jess O’Reilly, general manager for Asean at Workday.
“AI can improve efficiency, but speed alone does not unlock real value,” she added, noting that reinvesting those gains into people to talent development in AI literacy and critical thinking.
Meeting growing expectations
Notably, the Workday study also highlighted shifting expectations as AI becomes embedded in daily work processes.
Sixty per cent of respondents say they are now expected to deliver a significantly higher volume of output compared to before AI adoption.
It is mainly the managers and directors who are the “quality gatekeepers” responsible for rework -validating, refining, and approving work, including AI-assisted output.
While there are heightened expectations, the overall sentiment is mainly positive. Seventy-five per cent of respondents trust their leadership teams to make fair decisions about how AI will affect job security and rewards. Only seven per cent are concerned about potential job redundancy due to automation.
Interestingly, six in 10 respondents said that their stress levels and risk of burnout have decreased since the introduction of AI tools.
The study concludes that the organisations which gain the most from AI treat the saved time as a strategic resource. This means reinvesting in upskilling their teams, improving collaboration, and strengthening judgment-driven work.
