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Report highlights how Australian and New Zealand employers can close skills gaps, build trust, and deliver measurable results

Dayforce, Inc. (NYSE: DAY; TSX: DAY), a global human capital management (HCM) leader that makes work life better, today announced findings from its 16th Annual Pulse of Talent report. The survey of nearly 7,000 workers, managers, and executives across six countries, including 1,000 in Australia and 520 in New Zealand, shows that while AI adoption is accelerating, many organisations are still struggling to translate early enthusiasm into real business value.

Key takeaways

• Training gap: 30% of workers (19% in New Zealand) believe it is important to develop AI skills but 50% report (52% in New Zealand) their companies don’t offer AI training courses.
• Optimism: 60% (55% in New Zealand) are optimistic about AI’s potential in their companies compared to one year ago with 86% (75% in New Zealand) indicating AI has made their job easier.
• Trust divide: 65% of Australian workers (58% in New Zealand) believe AI presents ethical challenges. At the same time, 23% of organisations (20% in New Zealand) don’t have a documented policy of AI use.
• Job creation: Just under one in three (32% in Australia) and a quarter in New Zealand say AI will lead to more job creation. However, 43% of Australians and 48% of New Zealanders believe AI will lead to job losses. Indeed, 26% (29% in New Zealand) would have chosen a different career path if they had known the impact of AI on job security.
• Early ROI: 77% (63% in New Zealand) agree that they trust AI tools to give them the right information to make accurate data-driven decisions. Executives already report clear value from AI in HR automation (77% in Australia, 66% in New Zealand), internal mobility (76% in Australia, 67% in New Zealand), and learning and reskilling (72% in Australia, 64% in New Zealand).

Why this research matters

AI represents a generational opportunity to transform work — but only if organisations move past the hype and focus on responsible, results-driven execution. The Pulse of Talent report highlights the barriers holding organisations back and underscores how skills development, transparency, and career mobility can unlock measurable business impact.

Closing the barriers to progress

The research points to three critical challenges organisations must address:

• Closing the training gap — 81% of Australians (71% New Zealand) believe employers should reskill workers impacted by AI, yet only 17% of organisations currently do so.
• Navigating workforce transitions — 13% of workers (14% in New Zealand have already seen their roles change due to AI, and 40% (36% in New Zealand) expect more change soon. 26% (23% in New Zealand) say their skills are becoming obsolete due to increasing presence of AI at work. Yet few employers are connecting employees with new opportunities. 56% (61%in New Zealand) don’t have a program in place to reskill/transition employees affected by AI while 81% (71% in New Zealand) say organisations should reskill employees whose jobs are being automated by AI.
• Building trust in AI — Australian executives are nearly 30% more likely than workers to trust their organisation to use AI responsibly (23% in New Zealand), revealing a significant trust gap.

Key quotes

Rob Husband, Vice President – ANZ, Dayforce said, “The Productivity Commission estimated that AI has the potential to add $116 billion to Australia’s economy over the next decade, via an unprecedented productivity surge,” says Rob Husband, Vice President ANZ, Dayforce.

Rob Husband, Vice President – ANZ, Dayforce

“However, our findings show most businesses are not yet realising its full value. Employees are eager to reskill and take on new opportunities, but without investment in training, transparency, and career mobility, Australia’s businesses risk chasing market noise rather than creating lasting impact.

“For Australian and New Zealand businesses to stay ahead of the game, AI is mission critical technology that should sit at the heart of their HR transformation. Ensuring motivated workers are given opportunities to learn, grow and advance is one of the keys to employee satisfaction and retention. With the right adoption of AI in place, organisations will be able to quantify their employees’ skills and capabilities, document their goals and generate personalised career development plans. That’s good for HR teams and even better for your workforce at large.”

“For HR leaders, the mandate is clear — infuse AI skills and pathways for your people today or risk being left behind,” said Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, Chief People Officer, Dayforce, Inc. “Employees are eager to grow, but without a clear strategy for training and career mobility, organisations risk creating a two-tier workforce — those driving innovation with AI and those struggling to keep pace.”

Carrie Rasmussen, Chief Digital Officer, Dayforce, Inc. added, “There’s a widening AI confidence gap - executives say they’re ready, but managers and frontline employees aren't there yet. “Three out of four executives say they’re prepared for AI, but that drops to less than one in four on the front lines. The real race isn’t just about speed - it's about bringing your workforce with you.”

Technology as a bridge

For technology leaders, the findings highlight the importance of adopting solutions that enable employees to build future-ready skills and take ownership of their career growth. From AI-driven career exploration to data-driven workforce insights, organizations that align people and technology will be best positioned to stay agile in a fast-changing market.

The bottom line

Organisations that move beyond AI buzz and focus on skills, trust, and mobility will be best positioned to unlock lasting value — turning early experimentation into measurable impact that drives both workforce potential and business performance.

Additional information

• Download the report:Turning workforce AI buzz into business value
• Read the blog: https://www.dayforce.com/blog/ai-buzz-into-business-value

Survey methodology

In partnership with Hanover Research, Dayforce conducted the 16th Annual Pulse of Talent survey online from July 22 to August 6, 2025. The study included 6,954 respondents aged 18+ who work at organisations in Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

About Dayforce

Dayforce makes work life better. Everything we do as a global leader in HCM technology is focused on enabling thousands of customers and millions of employees around the world do the work they're meant to do. With our single AI-powered people platform for HR, Pay, Time, Talent, and Analytics, organisations of all sizes and industries are benefiting from simplicity at scale with Dayforce to help unlock their full workforce potential, operate with confidence, and realise quantifiable value. To learn more, visit dayforce.com.