With leaner teams and tighter labour markets, Emma Seymour from Deputy predicts five key shifts that will transform Australian shift work in 2026.
What’s happening: Australian shift work is transforming as SMEs face leaner teams, tighter labour markets and rising costs. Deputy’s Better Together Report reveals 94% of shift workers say technology makes their job easier, whilst 51%of workplaces already use AI, though nearly half of workers don’t know it.
Why this matters: The Federal Government’s National AI Plan includes $17 million to help SMEs adopt AI through the AI Adopt Program. With businesses balancing technology adoption and workforce challenges, understanding how AI will reshape shift work operations becomes critical for survival and growth in 2026.
Australia’s shift work landscape is changing. As businesses grapple with leaner teams, tighter labour markets and mounting costs, artificial intelligence is emerging as both an opportunity and a challenge for the workforce that keeps economies running.
Deputy’s recent Better Together Report shows just how much technology is shifting the ground beneath shift workers’ feet. The survey found that 94 per cent of shift workers say technology makes their job easier, and 32 per cent report being more productive when using it.
Yet a striking paradox has emerged. Whilst 51 per cent of workplaces already use AI, nearly half of workers don’t realise the technology is in play. Only 25 per cent of workers have received proper training to use it.
This gap between adoption and understanding sets the stage for what Emma Seymour, CFO at Deputy, identifies as five critical factors that will become essential in 2026 for businesses that want to survive and thrive.
The training divide
“We’re seeing significant growth in AI adoption across the frontline workforce,” Seymour says. “For 2026, many factors will become critical, but there are five predictions I see as key to surviving, and even thriving, in this new AI era.”
The first challenge centres on training. Most workers, 81 per cent, are willing to use AI, yet only a quarter have received proper training.
“How organisations address this gap will define which workplaces thrive and which fall behind, transparency and education will be critical,” Seymour explains.
Recent data from Australian SMEs reveals that workforce shortages remain a significant challenge, with a third of all occupations nationwide experiencing shortages.
Human skills matter
Technology handles administration, but humans manage the moments that count. Two-thirds of frontline roles rely heavily on empathy and personal connection, and 94 per cent of workers believe these qualities can’t be automated.
“AI can take care of the admin, but humans will still manage the moments that matter, building trust, responding to customer needs, and making judgment calls that machines simply can’t replicate,” Seymour says.
This focus on irreplaceable human skills becomes more valuable as AI handles routine tasks. The ability to build genuine connections with customers and colleagues remains firmly in human territory.
Gen Z reshapes work
The third prediction centres on generational shifts. Younger workers are rewriting workplace expectations, and businesses must adapt.
“Gen Z and Millennials, soon joined by Gen Alpha, expect transparency, predictable schedules, and flexibility,” Seymour notes. “Yet only 16 per cent of Australian workers say their employer is fully transparent about AI, and nearly half are unsure how it applies to their role.”
This transparency gap creates friction at a time when younger workers increasingly dominate the workforce. Their expectations around technology use and workplace openness will shape how businesses must operate.
AI essential for survival
For Australian SMEs, adopting AI-enabled systems is becoming necessary rather than optional.
“With leaner teams, skill shortages, and rising administrative demands, more businesses will turn to tech-enabled HR systems to streamline work,” Seymour says. “Over half of Australian workplaces, 51 per cent, already use AI, showing a clear opportunity to combine technology with informed, supported staff to gain a competitive edge.”
The timing aligns with the Australian Government’s National AI Plan, which includes $17 million for the AI Adopt Program to support SMEs in adopting artificial intelligence.
Data driven decisions
The fifth prediction represents the culmination of these trends. With AI managing routine administrative work, managers gain capacity to focus on people and strategic decisions.
“With AI taking care of the grunt work, managers can focus on people, creating smarter, more resilient workplaces that balance technology with the human skills that really drive success,” Seymour concludes.
The challenge for Australian businesses in 2026 will be implementing AI whilst maintaining the human connection that defines quality service. Success won’t come from choosing between technology and people, but from getting the balance right between both.
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