Agentic AI presents a unique opportunity to enhance human and business potential, address our nation's slowing productivity, and foster a more empathetic and connected world.
Jo-Anne Ruhl
Vice President and Managing Director
Workday ANZ
This year at Elevate Sydney, William Barton — one of Australia's leading didgeridoo players and composers — delivered a truly unique performance that combined storytelling from the world's oldest continuous culture with cutting-edge technology. As William performed live, the backing track — including drums, bass guitar, synth and keys — along with the stunning visuals on screen, were all brought to life by AI.
There's something so powerful about seeing humanity supported and enhanced by AI, and it's a great metaphor for the topics we continue to explore at Workday. How can we — right here in Australia — use agentic AI to enhance human and business potential? And importantly, how can it help us address our nation's slowing productivity, and foster a more empathetic and connected world?
While we’re a nation known for innovation and resilience, Australia is lagging behind in productivity growth.
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Workday research shows that nearly two-thirds of Australians (64%) use AI in their department, above the global average of 59%. And while there are still some concerns compared to other countries, Australians say they are more excited and less worried about AI than they were last year, reflecting a growing belief in the technology’s potential to improve lives and boost the economy.
This optimism couldn't have come at a better time. While we’re a nation known for innovation and resilience, Australia is lagging behind in productivity growth. Employers continue to face a tight labour market, with unemployment holding steady at 4.1% and projected to remain low in the coming years. Meanwhile, the employment-to-population ratio sits at 64.4%, constraining both productivity and economic growth.
I believe agentic AI presents a unique opportunity to lift national productivity, by augmenting the capacity of a human workforce with digital labour. Imagine having a digital employee that has a capability framework and set tasks to complete, with clear permissions and security access. It can adapt to the ever-changing business environment and decide how to best complete those tasks, to achieve particular goals.
Imagine if every leader in Australia had more time to spend with their teams, building empathy, trust and loyalty.
While they will require monitoring from time to time, like many human employees they will be largely independent, using their skills and knowledge to solve complex problems and decide what actions need to be taken to complete the tasks assigned to them. We call these self-thinking AI systems 'agents' and they are not a prediction of how we might work in the future. They are here today. These AI agents can help us by:
By giving people an opportunity to perform more fulfilling and impactful work, we can not only help our organisations achieve greater productivity and stronger results, but also get to become the leaders we truly want to be. Imagine if every leader in Australia had more time to spend with their teams, building empathy, trust and loyalty. The prize is significant, not only for our businesses, but also for us as individuals seeking greater balance, fulfilment, and joy at work.
Wellbeing has a significant impact on productivity, and yet it's often left out of the national conversation. To put it simply, our workforces are exhausted. They have more information to process than ever before, and they are switching tasks constantly. They are always online, always connected, and yet research shows that 65% are not engaged at work and 22% are lonely.
At Elevate Sydney, Georgie Harman, Chief Executive Officer at Beyond Blue, explained that one in three respondents to Australia’s 2024 Mental Health and Wellbeing Check were in distress, with 46% naming financial pressure as a key factor, and 34% stating that housing affordability and personal relationships contributed to their distress. As leaders, we need to recognise that these external challenges can impact the work and wellbeing of our teams.
Personal wellbeing is the engine that drives sustainably strong organisational outcomes, especially at times of rapid and massive change.
So how can we address stress and burnout in our people, to lift productivity and help them thrive as individuals? According to Harman, it all starts with engagement. Reactive and rear-view employee surveys just won't cut it anymore. Instead, organisations need to proactively listen to employees and access real-time insights on employee sentiment, so they can notice early signs of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, and intervene when people need support.
While the world is unlikely to become less volatile and uncertain anytime soon, as leaders we can invest in AI-powered programs that will make a real difference in the lives of our people. Because these are game-changing investments. But as we proceed, it's imperative we recognise that many workforces are worried about AI, and as employers, it’s our job to listen and respond as we guide our teams through these changes. As Harman stated, "personal wellbeing is the engine that drives sustainably strong organisational outcomes, especially at times of rapid and massive change."
I'm so encouraged to see how quickly trust in AI has evolved in Australia, and how many organisations are seeing the value of AI in lifting productivity among their teams. But I urge you to consider not only what this productivity means in terms of organisational efficiency, but also how it will give you more time to nurture your team with uniquely human skills like relationship building, emotional intelligence and conflict resolution.
It is these human connections — supported and enhanced by AI — that will support the mental health of our people, allowing us to proactively support them through times of stress and reduce the risk of burnout. By accelerating the adoption of AI agents, I believe we can redefine Australia's productivity narrative and create a future where we can all live more fulfilling, creative and balanced work lives.
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