No one has an AI transformation playbook. Workday’s Global Workforce Report reveals the opportunity for leaders who seize the moment.
Catherine Sherman
Director of Thought Leadership
Workday
Beneath a seemingly stable labour market, job and skill requirements are changing fast.
The October 2026 Global Workforce Report, The Adaptability Advantage, details the impact that AI continues to have on the workforce.
Globally, about a third (34%) of business leaders surveyed expect AI to change employees’ jobs, and 40% say AI will increase existing employees’ productivity. Only 28% think AI will lead to fewer employees overall.
The report provides insight into where leaders in Australia can help their organisations adapt. The data is clear: the risk for the enterprise is not more change—it’s a workforce that disengages if leaders don’t capitalise on this moment.
We analysed millions of data points across the Workday platform, including data from approximately 135 Australian employers, to surface trends hidden behind the headlines.
We also surveyed over 6,000 employees globally, including approximately 1000 in Australia, to fully understand their feelings about AI and their jobs.
Labour market data is stagnant, but the workforce is primed for change from within. It’s a rich environment where adaptable leadership is a competitive advantage.
Report
Australian data from Workday’s Global Workforce Report, The Adaptability Advantage, tells a story of resilience.
Employees are more optimistic about their career prospects, more confident in their skills, and more likely to see progression opportunities than the global average.
For executives, the opportunity is to convert that readiness into business advantage through AI-enabled productivity, skills development, and clearer internal mobility.
From the most competitive industries for hiring to AI rewriting the skills map, significant transformation is underway.
AI is fundamentally changing jobs, but employers and employees agree it will create opportunities. Employees are also nervous it may make their skills less valuable.
According to Phil Willburn, Workday’s VP of People Analytics, Insights, & Experience, the challenge for leaders is acknowledging the cloud hanging over the workplace and their role in fixing it.
Report
Beneath a steady jobs market, work is changing quickly. Discover how organisations in Australia can turn adaptability into a business advantage.