Written by
Writer, Culture Amp
In this blog
Company growth is the single most important strategic priority for CEOs, and it often starts with improving employee productivity.
This is where AI can help. Chances are, your employees are already using AI as a smart assistant or for personalized recommendations, but they may not know about the time-saving and strategic advantages that AI tools can provide.
What is employee productivity?
Employee productivity, also known as workforce productivity, measures the quantity and quality of work output in relation to the time, effort, and resources required to do the work. It can be used as a key performance indicator (KPI) for organizational success since employee productivity signals how effectively workers contribute to accomplishing organizational objectives over a certain period of time.
On an individual level, productivity may change from day to day based on an employee’s energy level and how much time they have to do focused work, but companies tend to look at the big picture. Factors that impact employee productivity overall include employee engagement, performance management, and learning and development opportunities. Optimizing these areas can lead to higher levels of productivity:
- Forrester research shows that improving employee engagement by 20% leads to a 20% increase in manager and HR team productivity.
- Culture Amp research shows that adequately managing performance increases employee productivity by as much as 56%.
- A Gallup survey found that when employees receive targeted training, their companies experience a 17% increase in productivity and a 21% boost in profitability.
High productivity means employees are efficiently meeting company goals, which can lead to increased cost savings and revenue. But there’s a fine balance between productivity and burnout.
A 2025 survey shows that 66% of American employees are experiencing some sort of burnout, and 24% of employees say they are stressed because they have more work to do than time to do it. And when employees feel more stressed, they are more likely to leave their organization within the next 12 months.
To help employees sustain optimal productivity levels and avoid burnout, some companies are introducing AI tools.
How can AI improve employee productivity?
AI tools are able to process vast amounts of data quickly to find patterns, make calculations, and trigger specified actions. If employees can use AI to help with repetitive tasks or to access basic support, it may lessen the cognitive load required to accomplish their work.
Take HR, for example. A Culture Amp survey found that HR professionals have been using AI to write emails, draft internal communications, and brainstorm new ideas. By assisting employees, AI can be an invaluable resource for managing workloads, streamlining operations, and preserving employees’ capacity for productivity without overloading them.
In fact, a recent study on the impact of generative AI on highly skilled workers found that when AI is used within the boundary of its capabilities, it can improve a worker’s performance by nearly 40% compared with workers who don’t use it.
It’s important to note that while AI supports and augments human capabilities and decision-making, it doesn’t replace human work. Employees must vet the AI’s output before using it to make decisions.
Best practices for increasing productivity with AI tools
Despite the potential benefits of AI in improving employee performance and productivity, 47% of employees using AI say they have no idea how to achieve the productivity gains their employers expect, and 40% feel their company is asking too much of them when it comes to AI.
Simply adding AI to your toolset won’t automatically boost employee productivity. To reap the benefits, employees must understand how AI tools can support their work and when it makes sense to use them. Follow the tips below to leverage AI intentionally and strategically.
Communicate the purpose and intention of AI tools
To get employees on board, co-create plans with your team for AI use. Start by clarifying the performance goals and expectations for your team, and then align these with the AI tools and programs that make the most sense. Ask: Which tasks can AI tools support? Which tasks can humans do more effectively on their own?
This process not only helps you choose the right AI tools, but also helps identify AI’s workforce impact, making it easier for everyone to see how the technology will potentially free them from rote tasks to work on more strategic ones.
Keep your team involved
With AI still being a relatively new addition to work environments, continuously testing and gathering feedback on its impact will help ensure AI tools are truly adding value. AI can give your people access to insights, coaching, and assistance in the moment, so they can take action with clarity and confidence. Consider beginning with a small pilot project to determine whether or not an AI tool is serving its intended purpose.
3 strategies for increasing employee productivity with AI
With proper training and guidelines, your employees can use AI tools to amplify their impact, helping them meet ever-rising performance expectations and freeing them up to focus on work that requires a human touch.
Below, you’ll find three examples of how implementing AI can increase worker productivity. (Please note that these are intended as a general guide on the benefits of AI, and Culture Amp doesn’t provide all of these capabilities. You can learn more about Culture Amp AI here.)
1. Automate repetitive tasks
Your employees can use AI tools to accelerate repetitive or time-consuming administrative tasks, such as document completion and scheduling, summarizing information, and even analyzing vast datasets.
Additionally, managers can leverage AI tools to help draft employee development plans or role-play conversations on performance, allowing them to spend more time strategically leading and engaging their teams.
2. Support decision-making
AI’s ability to quickly process information enables faster and more targeted decision-making. For example, combining people analytics with AI enables managers and HR teams to surface valuable insights themselves. AI tools can do the heavy lifting of sifting through large data sets, including performance reviews, promotion trajectories, and employee skills, to provide clear, actionable answers that help managers determine the best next steps.
3. Elevate leadership performance
Managers have a lot on their plates, but their work as people leaders has major impacts, which means optimizing their productivity is critical. AI tools can support them by simulating tricky scenarios (like giving tough feedback or managing team conflict) for practice and coaching.
For example, Culture Amp’s AI Coach can help a manager reflect on a high-stakes situation, talk through different scenarios, offer suggested language, and use guided role-play to practice handling it with skill and empathy. While AI coaching can inform their next steps, it’s ultimately up to the manager to decide what to take away and implement from each coaching session.
The personal touch still matters most
Optimizing employee productivity doesn’t come from squeezing more output from your team. It comes from the tools and systems you set up to help them – and AI is just one part of that equation.
When workloads are high, moments of personal connection are often the first thing to go – but this is when they’re most important. 1-on-1 meetings are a great time to check in with employees about how things are going, including whether they feel supported by AI tools or hindered by them. If your company wants to improve employee productivity, a proactive approach that balances technology with human connection is key.
