The Data-Driven Reality of How Work Is Evolving in 2026

AI was supposed to make work more efficient. So why are people busier than ever?

As organisations move into 2026, many leaders are realising that while technology has changed quickly, the fundamentals of how work gets done haven’t kept up. Activity is increasing, output is accelerating in places - yet coordination, focus, and decision-making often feel harder than before.

So what’s actually going on?

In this episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, David Green is joined by Philip Arkcoll, Founder and CEO of Worklytics, to unpack this very question.

Join this dynamic duo, as they discuss:

• What the data reveals around where organisations were getting stuck in 2025, and how the way we work is changing in 2026
• What collaboration and activity data reveals that traditional HR metrics often miss
• Why decision-making, not output, is becoming the primary bottleneck in AI-enabled organisations
• How increasing spans of control are reshaping the role, and load, of managers
• The emerging divide between teams and individuals who are benefiting from AI and those who aren’t
• What HR and people analytics leaders can do to measure, diagnose, and redesign how work actually happens

This episode is sponsored by Worklytics.

Worklytics helps leaders understand how work actually happens with data-driven insights into collaboration, productivity and AI adoption.

By analysing real work patterns - from meetings to tool usage - they empower teams to work =

Learn more at worklytics.co/ai

Link to resources:

• 5 Ways Work Will Change in 2026

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