AI users report stronger workplace connections, according to Gensler survey

New research from Gensler suggests that employees who make the greatest use of artificial intelligence tools are also among the most connected to their colleagues, challenging assumptions that increased use of technology leads to more isolated ways of working. The firm’s 2026 Global Workplace Survey gathered responses from more than 16,400 office workers across 16 countries. Around 30 percent of respondents were identified as “AI power users”, defined as people who regularly use AI tools in both their work and personal lives.

According to the findings, these employees spend less of their time working alone and more time learning and interacting with colleagues than those who use AI less frequently. AI power users reported spending 37 percent of their working week on individual tasks compared with 42 percent among other respondents. They also spent more time learning, at 12 percent of the week compared with 8 percent, and slightly more time socialising with colleagues.

Janet Pogue McLaurin, global director of workplace research at Gensler, said the results challenge the idea that new technologies reduce human interaction at work. She said that employees most embedded in AI workflows also reported stronger team relationships and higher levels of engagement with learning. The survey forms part of a dataset that has collected responses from almost 125,000 workers over two decades, offering a long term view of changes in working patterns and workplace expectations.

The findings indicate that the use of AI is influencing how employees organise their time at work. Respondents who reported frequent use of AI tools were more likely to spend time on activities such as reflection, problem solving, mentoring and developing new skills.

The report suggests that these shifts place new emphasis on workplaces that support both focused work and interaction with colleagues. As digital tools become more embedded in everyday tasks, the relationship between workplace design and technology use may become more closely linked.

The survey also found that office attendance has stabilised. On average, respondents said they spend 55 percent of their working week in the office, with 18 percent working from home and 26 percent working in other locations including client sites, coworking spaces and while travelling.

When asked about their preferred working patterns, many respondents said they would choose to spend more time in the office than they currently do.

At the same time, the survey highlights gaps between the ways people work and the environments available to them. Respondents reported spending 39 percent of their time working alone and 27 percent collaborating in person, yet many said their workplaces do not adequately support these activities.

Two thirds of employees said they adapt or “hack” their workspaces to compensate for shortcomings in the environment. Around one in four reported making their own adjustments to address issues such as ergonomics, temperature or visual privacy, while meeting room availability and noise were also cited as ongoing concerns.

According to the report, employees working in higher performing workplace environments are more likely to say their workplace enables them to do their best work, that they feel valued by their organisation and that they intend to remain with their employer.