Genius HRTech survey finds AI reshaping workplace learning

Genius HRTech has published a survey on workforce priorities for FY26, finding that 91% of respondents said their organisations had adopted cost-optimisation measures.

The findings suggest a shift in how employers manage labour costs, learning investment and rewards. Rather than focusing only on cuts, many respondents described a mix of workforce controls, technology-led learning and closer links between pay outcomes and organisational performance.

The June survey gathered responses from 1,140 participants across industries and examined how organisations were handling workforce costs, learning and development spending, and employee rewards.

Among respondents who reported cost optimisation, most said it centred on workforce decisions. Some 64% said the measures focused mainly on areas such as hiring, headcount and compensation, while 27% said optimisation had been applied across several functions, including workforce, learning and development, and operations.

AI in learning

The data also showed a marked shift towards artificial intelligence in workplace learning. The survey found that 58% of respondents said learning and development had been significantly replaced by AI-driven learning tools and platforms, while 17% said AI was supplementing traditional learning programmes.

Only 23% said the shift towards AI had been minimal, and 2% reported no change. This suggests that three-quarters of respondents are seeing AI play a substantial role in corporate learning.

The survey also indicated a clear link between learning initiatives and employee performance. Nearly 79% of respondents said organisational learning programmes had a positive effect on performance, with 59% reporting significant improvement in on-the-job effectiveness and 20% citing moderate improvement.

Mixed effect

The impact of cost optimisation was not uniformly positive. Two in five respondents said these measures had significantly improved employee efficiency, but 35% said optimisation had significantly reduced employee effectiveness.

This split highlights the tension many employers face as they try to lower costs without weakening output or morale. The results suggest efficiency gains are possible, but not guaranteed, when companies trim workforce spending or reorganise work.

The findings on workforce readiness were also mixed. Some 29% of respondents described their teams as fully capable and well resourced, while 36% said their teams were adequately equipped to meet current business demands.

A sizeable share therefore stopped short of saying their organisations were strongly prepared. This may help explain why companies continue to focus on reskilling and digital learning tools even as they pursue tighter cost control.

Rewards and appraisals

The poll also found that cost optimisation is feeding into appraisal and pay decisions. Some 41% of respondents said recent optimisation measures had significantly affected appraisal outcomes and salary increments, while 32% said the influence had been moderate.

This suggests performance management and reward systems are being shaped more directly by broader financial discipline within organisations. For employees, that could mean pay progression is becoming more sensitive to productivity targets and business conditions.

Genius HRTech, formerly known as Genius Consultants, operates in staffing and HR services across sectors including banking, consumer goods, manufacturing, telecoms, IT and healthcare. It has more than 650 direct employees and over 70,000 workforce associates deployed across 1,500 client locations.

Commenting on the findings, R P Yadav, Chairman, Genius HRTech, said: "The survey clearly indicates that organisations are entering a new phase of workforce transformation where cost optimisation is no longer just about reducing expenditure. Businesses are increasingly investing in technologies like AI to improve learning efficiency while ensuring employees continue to build the capabilities needed for future growth. At the same time, appraisal and reward decisions are becoming more closely aligned with organisational performance and productivity. Companies that successfully balance operational efficiency with continuous capability development will be better positioned to build resilient, future-ready workforces."