Prodoscore’s Q2 2025 Productivity Pulse Report Shows Surge in AI Adoption and Other Workplace Trends
Prodoscore released the Q2 2025 Productivity Pulse report, a deep dive into productivity trends across U.S. industries, job roles and departments. Our findings highlight key shifts in how we work, including the continued surge in AI adoption and the evolving impact of geopolitics on productivity. This report does not bolster return-to-office initiatives; fully in-office employees show the least productivity, with hybrid employees showing the most.
The report presents data from:
- Approx. 8,000 employees
- 134 companies
- 91 job roles
- 9 industries
Productivity was measured using our AI-powered employee productivity monitoring tool, which tracks activity within various cloud software solutions and phone systems.
AI Adoption Ramping up
One of the most significant takeaways from Q2 is the continued acceleration of AI adoption. Overall AI usage grew by a remarkable 52% compared to Q1. The HR and Staffing industry led the charge with a staggering 100% increase in adoption.
This indicates a clear shift from experimental use to AI becoming a core operational necessity, especially for recruiters automating tasks like resume screening, candidate sourcing, and onboarding. What’s more, AI users were more active and worked longer hours, logging approximately 30 more active minutes per day!
We don’t believe this shows that AI makes more work; rather, it substantiates previous data about how AI users are generally more active and engaged employees.
In industries with low uptake of AI tools, such as software and legal, the time spent in those tools was high. In software and legal, the adoption rates ranged between 8.1% and 9.3%, with an average of 9-11 hours per employee spent throughout Q2.
If your company has an AI initiative, Prodoscore can help visualize adoption, giving you actionable insights about who may need training, how AI use impacts productivity, and much more.
Industries and Departments Posting Productivity Gains in Q2
Industrial/Logistics and HR/Staffing took the top spots. Industrial and Logistics also held the top productivity score in Q1. This is likely related to strategic shifts towards more efficient warehouse spaces.. HR and Staffing was a close second, with employees responding to changes in the labor market through AI adoption and actively acquiring new business.
Tech and Telecommunications made the biggest leap. The sector saw a 4% gain in productivity, likely fueled by generative AI adoption, 5G and fiber network expansion, and growth in cloud computing.
Utilities and Essential Services recorded the lowest productivity levels. This was likely due to policy uncertainty, shifting tax incentives, and significant grid modernization bottlenecks.
The Hybrid Work Advantage Persists
Several Prodoscore reports have shown that hybrid work is the superior work model for productivity. That continues to be the case in Q2, with all three hybrid models outperforming in-office only or remote-only environments.
Interestingly, in-office employees experienced the steepest productivity drop quarter-over-quarter at 13%, compared to a mere 2% for hybrid workers. Return-to-office mandates are on the rise, but flexibility may still be ideal for today’s workers.
Meetings Still Matter for Some
For industries like Professional and Business Services, HR and staffing, and software, meeting time was a strong indicator of activity. These sectors logged the most meeting hours, reflecting active deal-making and collaboration. Meeting volume remained high throughout the week, even on Fridays.
This report isn’t just about trends; it provides real, measurable insights that empower companies to make informed decisions. The continued emphasis on hybrid flexibility and increased AI integration is becoming the new rule of work. Organizations that align their people, processes, and technologies with these shifts will thrive.
