INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Unexpected effects A survey of North American businesses has found that when new workplace technologies such as workflow management solutions aren’t implemented effectively, they can add complexity and costs rather than deliver efficiency gains – and this warning should be heeded on this side of the Atlantic too.
When new workplace technologies are introduced, the goal is always to create efficiencies through easier and faster working and deliver bottom line value. But all too often these technologies fail to deliver efficiencies if they are not implemented effectively and instead they can add complexity and costs. This was a standout finding from the 2026 Workplace Technology Adoption Gap survey by Ricoh US, which surveyed 2,017 employees and business decision- makers in the US and Canada. It also found that deployment alone does not drive productivity, as disconnected technologies can affect employees’ productivity while adding to organisations’ governance and security challenges.
productivity. AI tools also deliver the lowest employee-reported productivity gains of the four workplace technology categories tested, which also included communication/collaboration, information/ data access and workflow/process management tools. “AI creates value when it makes work easier, not when it adds another layer of complexity,” said Carsten Bruhn, president and CEO, Ricoh North America. “Strategy must drive technology decisions, not the other way around. That strategy should start with people, and understanding what employees need to do their jobs effectively. Leaders need to understand how work gets done and where it breaks down before determining where AI and other technologies can make the greatest impact. The opportunity is to connect technology to the way people actually work, so adoption, productivity and business value improve together.” Streamlining or slowing Meanwhile 60% of employees said workflow and process-management tools create friction or extra work. Searching for information and navigating systems that do not work well together were among the biggest pain points reported. Meanwhile, leadership may see an integrated tech stack, but employees experience isolated islands of disconnected tools. Hybrid work adds another source of friction, with 25% of hybrid employees reporting difficulty collaborating with
All too often these
technologies fail to deliver efficiencies if they are not implemented effectively and and instead they can add
complexity and costs.
Workplace Technology Adoption Gap Thought Leadership Study
OCT 2026
AI friction AI is one of the most introduced
workplace technologies currently and while 91% of decision-makers said they were confident their AI investments are delivering the value they expected, employees told a different story: 53% said AI creates friction or extra work, while 55% said time spent managing workplace technology tools interferes with their
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