One-third of workers expect AI to make their jobs mentally harder

A new Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) study shows that most workers in the Netherlands expect artificial intelligence to leave their jobs largely unchanged. However, a growing share anticipates higher mental pressure as routine tasks are automated and more complex work remains, AD reports.

The findings are based on data from about 60,000 employees and 6,000 employers. More than 60 percent of workers say they expect their work to remain mostly the same over the next five years, a view shared by just over half of employers. Researchers said this suggests that, despite rapid technological development, many workers do not expect AI to fundamentally reshape their roles.

The study also finds that workplace change remains steady over time. More than half of employees experience changes in their work each year, a level that has remained stable. Around one-third report annual exposure to technological change.

Among workers who do expect change, nearly three-quarters attribute it to new technology. At the same time, expectations are mixed. Nearly 40 percent of employees say they expect their work to become less enjoyable, while just over 40 percent expect it to become easier.

Researchers said productivity expectations are also divided. About 38 percent of employers expect productivity to increase due to AI, while many workers believe they will be able to complete more work in the same amount of time.

TNO researcher Wouter van der Torre said expectations vary widely in practice. “Experts focus on what is changing in our work, also through AI. In this study you see that many workers expect something different. That puts things into perspective; not everything will change in the future,” he said.

He added that concerns about job satisfaction are not solely driven by technology. “That is probably not only due to technological changes. Workers are less negative about the consequences for work enjoyment when it comes to technology,” he said.

A key concern identified in the study is workload intensity. About one-third of both employees and employers expect AI to make work mentally more demanding. Researchers said this is linked to the removal of simpler tasks, leaving more complex work behind.

“If all the easy tasks are automated and only the difficult ones remain, the work becomes more intensive and therefore mentally more demanding,” Van der Torre said.

The study notes that mental health pressures in the workplace are already a long-term issue in the Netherlands, with burnout complaints still rising. Researchers said work-related stress remains a persistent problem despite increased attention.

Burnout is often driven by a combination of work and private factors, the study found. Autonomy at work plays a key role, but researchers warned that AI-driven monitoring may reduce it. About 40 percent of employees expect increased control as a result of AI.

Van der Torre pointed to examples from practice, including workers in public maintenance services who are tracked through apps to verify task completion. He said such systems can improve oversight but also increase surveillance.

The study also highlights broader questions about workplace design. Researchers said employers should consider whether employees retain sufficient autonomy, whether chatbot-based systems reduce human contact, and how time saved through automation is used.

While employers recognize the importance of technology’s impact on workers, researchers said many lack a clear understanding of its effects. This makes it difficult to anticipate changes in work design and employee conditions.

This builds on another TNO study, which found that AI improves efficiency by speeding up and simplifying work processes, but it does not automatically lead to higher productivity. TNO researchers said productivity gains depend on how organizations use the time saved and only occur when that capacity is effectively redeployed.

The research also found that AI can change the nature of work, making some tasks more complex or more repetitive, which affects autonomy and mental strain. Employers were found to focus mainly on task automation, while often underestimating broader effects on working conditions. The researchers advised companies to involve employees more closely in the development and implementation of AI systems and to redesign work processes if they want to achieve both higher productivity and stable working conditions.