ELMO Employee Sentiment Index Aotearoa New Zealand (October – December ’25)

This quarter’s report uncovers how NZ employees are experiencing AI at work — and where the biggest gaps between adoption and impact really sit.

Download the report for the latest insights into what’s shaping employee sentiment across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Top insights

• Only 44% of NZ organisations are using AI tools — and just 7% report extensive integration
• 76% of employees in AI-using workplaces use AI daily, yet 25% mix approved and non-approved tools
• Only 16% say leadership expectations around AI use are very clear
• Just 13% feel strongly supported to use AI responsibly and effectively
• Only 10% rate AI tools as extremely effective for day-to-day tasks or decision-making
• Burnout climbed to 48%, up from 45% — though more employees are taking leave to recharge

Experimenting without a playbook

Less than half of NZ organisations have adopted AI tools, and among those that have, integration remains limited. Just 6% of employees report clearly visible outcomes from AI, a sign that most organisations are still in the “promise” phase.

Meanwhile, employees aren’t waiting. Three in four are already using AI in their day-to-day work, often without clear guidance on what’s approved or expected. Only 13% feel strongly supported by leadership to use AI responsibly.

With redundancy fears easing and employees settling into a holding pattern, there’s a real window for organisations to get ahead,  by moving beyond experimentation and giving employees the clarity, tools, and support they need to use AI with confidence.