Yooz 2025 Workplace Tech Resistance Report: Why Technology Adoption Stalls - And How Businesses Can Fix It

1 in 7 Employees Have Refused to Use New Workplace Tech.Is Employee Resistance the Real Workplace Innovation Killer?

Workplace technology is advancing at a breakneck pace, with companies racing to integrate AI, automation, and digital platforms into daily operations. Businesses are betting big on innovation, promising faster workflows, fewer errors, and seamless collaboration. From AI-driven analytics to cloud-based ecosystems, the future of work is being reshaped in real-time. Yet for many employees, the reality of these changes feels far less revolutionary—and far more disruptive. 

Instead of streamlining their work, new technology is piling on complexity, forcing employees to navigate clunky interfaces, unexpected glitches, and steep learning curves with minimal training. What was meant to be a productivity boost can quickly become a burden when companies rush implementation and fail to choose solutions that truly fit their teams' needs. Poor rollouts and training only compound the problem. When innovation outpaces execution, even the best tools can become obstacles, leaving employees stuck between the promise of progress and reality of disruption. 

Complicating matters further, today’s professional workforce spans four generations, each bringing vastly different experiences with technology. Digital natives, Millennials and Gen Z, have grown up in a world of seamless updates and intuitive interfaces, expecting workplace tools to function just as smoothly. Meanwhile, Gen X and Baby Boomers, who built their careers on more traditional systems, may view constant tech rollouts as unnecessary disruptions rather than improvements.  

To explore the factors driving technology adoption and resistance among workers, the cloud-based E-invoicing and Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) automation solution, Yooz, partnered with the third-party survey platform Pollfish. The Yooz 2025 Workplace Tech Resistance Report was conducted in February 2025, surveying 500 U.S. full time professionals, aged 18 and older across various industries. Respondents provided insights on their experiences with workplace technology, the challenges of implementation, and their expectations for the future. 

Key Findings

• Younger workers are driving change - but not without friction. Over half of Millennials say they’re excited to try new workplace tools (55%), compared to just 22% of Baby Boomers. Nearly 1 in 4 Gen Z employees have refused to use a new workplace tool at least once. In total, 1 in 7 employees across all ages have outright refused new tech, while 39% say they’ve been reluctant to adopt it.
• Employees expect evolution, not disruption. Only 29% believe workplace technology will radically change the way they work in the next five years, while 44% expect incremental improvements. Yet, 51% say that workplace tech rollouts often create internal chaos rather than operational improvement—underscoring a gap between innovation goals and employee experience.
• The AI generation gap is real—but trust is growing. Nearly 35% of Gen Z say they love AI tools, versus only 13% of Boomers. Still, 40% of employees overall find AI helpful but unreliable, and 16% avoid it altogether. The takeaway: skepticism is still widespread, but younger employees see clear value.
• Training remains a top barrier to tech adoption.Over 52% of employees say they receive only basic training for new tools, and 20% report getting little to no guidance at all. Not surprisingly, 48% of respondents believe that better training would significantly improve adoption rates.
• Ease of use matters - especially to younger workers.  Nearly 39% of employees believe workplace tools should be more intuitive and require minimal training. For Gen Z in particular, ease-of-use is the top predictor of success: 33% cite it as the most important factor in whether a tool will be adopted.
• Employees want more say - and faster leadership alignment. Nearly 36% of employees say adoption would improve if they had more input in selecting tools, and 28% say leaders need to embrace change faster to set the tone. Younger employees are especially likely to want a seat at the table when it comes to tech decisions.
• Industry culture is as influential as age.Resistance to digital adoption is strongest in sectors with entrenched practices. Respondents identified government (46%), construction (42%), and manufacturing (28%) as the most resistant industries—often due to longstanding workflows, compliance complexity, or institutional inertia.

Gen Z & Millennials Embrace New Tech, Boomers Hit the Brakes 

Younger workers are far more eager to adopt new workplace technology than their older colleagues. 

• 55% of Millennials say they’re “excited and eager” to try new tools, compared to only 22% of Baby Boomers. Most Gen Z respondents also fall into the excited camp, while Boomerslargely lag behind in initial enthusiasm.
• When a new tool is introduced, virtually 0% of Gen Z employees react with annoyance or resistance from the outset, whereas about 35 % of Boomers admit they feel cautious,annoyed or prefer sticking to the old system right away. 
• Younger staff have the confidence to reject bad tech outright. Surprisingly, roughly 1 in 4 Gen Z workers has refused to use a new tool at work at least once, versus just 11% of Boomers. Gen X and Millennials fall in between, with some occasional refusals. This highlights a key consideration for companies: tech-savvy employees, especially younger ones, are likely more attuned to what effective tools should look and feel like. If a solution doesn’t meet their expectations or inspire confidence, they may reject it completely. Older generations, on the other hand, may take more time to assess a tool’s value, often opting to work through the challenges before deciding.  

This generational tech excitement gap means that new digital initiatives may find quick champions among Gen Z and Millennials, but can face initial wariness from Gen X and Baby Boomers. Younger employees tend to jump in eagerly to try and advocate for the latest apps or automation, while older employees often adopt a “wait and see” approach. For organizations, this indicates a need to manage rollouts carefully: leverage the enthusiasm of younger adopters to build momentum, but also address the concerns of veteran staff who may need more reassurance or proof of value to get on board. 

Older Workers Wary of AI, Gen Z Is All-In

Attitudes toward AI-powered tools show one of the widest generational splits. Younger employees are far more open to AI in the workplace, whereas many older workers approach these tools with skepticism.

• Nearly 35% of Gen Z say they “love” AI tools (like chatbots, automated scheduling, AI search) for making work easier, compared to just 13% of Boomers who feel the same.
• About 80% of Gen Z (and a similar ~70% of Millennials) find AI-powered tools at least helpful overall despite some quirks, whereas almost 45% of Boomers either only use AI reluctantly when needed or avoid it whenever possible. Gen X attitudes fall in the middle, generally seeing AI’s potential but harboring some doubts about reliability.
  

In other words, the youngest cohort of workers is embracing workplace AI as a productivity booster, while the oldest cohort remains cautious. The good news is that a majority across all generations do see some value in AI at work – outright AI rejection is relatively low. As these tools become more proven, reliable, and user-friendly, even today’s wary Boomers have an opportunity to get on board. The key for employers is building trust in AI through real-world use cases and support. Showcasing quick wins (for example, an AI tool that saves everyone time on a tedious task) can help convert skeptical veterans into believers, narrowing the generation gap in AI adoption. 

Thrown in the Deep End: Training Gaps Stall Tech Adoption 

One theme uniting all generations is frustration with insufficient training and onboarding for new tech. Employees of every age report lapses in support that can dampen adoption of new tools.  

• Over half of respondents say their company provides only “some” basic training or documentation when introducing new technology (52%), essentially a learn-as-you-go approach. 
• About 20% get even less – little to no formal training on new tools. Gen Z often feels the least supported here: 28% of Gen Z workers report minimal or no training, slightly higher than the 22% of Boomers who say the same. 
• It’s unsurprising, then, that 48% of employees identified better training for all as one of the top things that would help their company adopt new tech more successfully. This was the most commonly cited need overall. 
• In fact, “proper training and onboarding” is viewed as the number one factor in whether a new tool ultimately succeeds or fails, chosen by 38% of respondents – making it the top success factor overall. Older employees especially emphasize this: nearly 45% of Boomers said thorough training is the biggest determinant of a tool’s success. Younger generations also value training, though not to the same degree as Boomers.

 

These findings highlight a crucial point: underinvestment in training can stall even the best technology initiatives. When employees are thrown into the deep end with a new system to “figure it out” on their own, many will understandably struggle or revert to old ways. Nearly 3 in 4 employees have felt at least occasionally held back at work because of outdated technology or poor implementation (77% have felt this at least rarely, Q14), often due to lack of guidance on the new. Similarly, 63% of employees say new workplace technology sometimes creates more work rather than saving time. Strengthening training programs and on-demand support can yield quick wins in adoption – particularly for late-career staff who may not pick up a new software interface as intuitively as digital natives. Ultimately, empowering all generations with the knowledge to use new tools confidently is critical to making the most of any tech investment.

"Make It Intuitive": Gen Z Prioritizes Ease of Use

Another universal insight is that usability matters. Workers of all ages want workplace tech that is as easy and user-friendly as the apps on their phones. If a new tool is cumbersome or unintuitive, adoption suffers – especially among younger employees who are accustomed to slick consumer tech. The survey shows a generational difference in what people see as the key to successful tech adoption. 

• 39% of respondents say more intuitive, easy-to-use design (tools that “don’t require extensive training”) would significantly improve adoption of new technology in their company. This was one of the top suggestions alongside better training.
• Ease of use is the #1 success factor for younger employees. A full 33% of Gen Z chose ease-of-use as the single biggest factor in whether a new tool succeeds or fails – making it the top choice for that generation. Millennials echoed this sentiment (about 21% picked ease-of-use first).
• By comparison, only 17% of Boomers put ease-of-use first. Most Boomers prioritize training instead as the critical factor for success, showing they are willing to tolerate clunkier software so long as they’re properly trained on it. Gen X was closer to Boomers on this question.

 The message for software providers and employers is clear: make workplace technology as seamless and intuitive as possible, especially to win over the digital-native younger crowd. Gen Z and Millennials have grown up with user-centric design and expect the same at work – they are quick to adopt tools that “just work” and quick to abandon those that feel like a chore. On the other hand, older workers may soldier through with less intuitive systems, but only if given sufficient training and support. The ideal solution marries both: design for simplicity and provide robust training, ensuring that employees of all generations can comfortably adopt the new tool. By prioritizing user experience and education, companies can satisfy the tech-savvy expectations of youth while also addressing the learning needs of longtime employees.

But success starts even earlier by doing the research to choose the right solution from the start. With varying levels of tech acceptance across the workforce, it’s essential to thoroughly evaluate and vet tools before rollout. A well-chosen platform, paired with thoughtful training, can accelerate adoption and improve workflows. Taking time up front to align the tool with business needs and user realities helps ensure the rollout feels like a win - not another failed experiment.  

Leaders Set the Tone (But Should Listen Up)

Who should drive the decision to implement new workplace technology – top executives, or the employees who will use it? The survey suggests that strong top-down leadership is critical to tech adoption, and younger employees in particular are craving clear direction from the C-suite. At the same time, there’s a call for more bottom-up input in tech decisions, especially from the younger ranks:

• Over a quarter of Millennials and Gen Z say adoption would improve if leadership embraced change faster and more visibly – in fact, 28% of all respondents pointed to quicker executive buy-in and support as a key to better tech adoption. Younger workers want their leaders to actively champion new tools, not drag their feet. 
• Many younger employees also want a voice in tech decisions. 35% of Gen Z respondents believe new workplace tools should be chosen by leadership with input from younger employees, which is almost double the rate of Boomers who think younger staff should be involved in the decision. (Most Boomers tend to feel these decisions should stay in the hands of senior leadership or IT.)
• In contrast, Boomers are more inclined to defer to a strictly top-down approach: 34% of Boomers say decisions on implementing new tech should be left solely to leadership/executives (with no special input from junior staff), versus only 28% of Gen Z who favor that exec-only approach.

The takeaway is that leadership and company culture play a huge role in technology adoption – but it works best as a two-way street. Younger workers are looking to the C-suite to set a bold vision for innovation and to invite employee involvement. Seasoned workers, on the other hand, may trust leaders to decide but could be less attuned to grassroots enthusiasm. Companies can reconcile these views by making leadership the champion of new tools while ensuring all generations feel heard and involved during the rollout process. For example, a forward-thinking CIO or CTO can pilot a new software with a mixed-age focus group of employees, gather feedback, and publicly endorse the tool’s benefits, balancing authority with inclusion. When top-down strategy aligns with bottom-up insights, organizations create the ideal conditions for rapid and widespread tech adoption.

Bridging the Generational Tech Gap 

Do generational differences actually cause workplace tension? According to the survey, sometimes they do, especially from the viewpoint of younger staff, but there is broad agreement on the solution. Different age groups have differing perceptions of how generational dynamics affect innovation:

• Nearly two-thirds of Gen Z employees (63%) say they frequently or often see scenarios where younger workers push for a new technology that older colleagues resist. This roughly doubles the rate reported by Boomers – only 33% of Boomers observe that kind of generational tech tension as frequently. In short, the youngest employees are the most likely to notice a “generation gap” on tech in their workplace, whereas many older employees don’t see it as a common issue. 
• In fact, a significant share of older workers don’t perceive a problem at all: 38% of Boomers insist there are “no issues with innovation” in their workplace. Some of that perspective might be because senior staff are often the ones setting the pace of change, so it feels normal to them.
•  On the flip side, 28% of Gen Z respondents feel that older employees are actively holding innovation back at their company. By contrast, only 6% of Boomers would say the same (few people blame their own generation for problems). Very few respondents in any generation openly claim “younger employees are pushing too fast” (only 13% overall, Q20), indicating the larger concern is typically about slowness or resistance to change.
• Despite these differing perspectives, all generations agree on one thing: the need for better teamwork. Roughly 40–50% of respondents in each generation say that bridging the gap – i.e. greater collaboration between younger and older employees on tech matters – is essential to smoother innovation. In fact, “both generations need to collaborate better on tech adoption” was the single most agreed-upon statement in that question (selected by 47% overall).

 
These findings show that while there is friction at times between impatient innovators and cautious veterans (indeed, nearly half of all employees point to Millennials as the most innovation-driving generation in their industry, versus only 6% who say the same of Boomers), there is also widespread recognition that collaboration is the cure. Instead of finger-pointing (“you’re too fast” vs. “you’re too slow”), about half the workforce believes companies should foster more cross-generational dialogue when implementing new tools. This could take the form of mentorship exchanges, where tech-savvy younger employees can help train colleagues on new apps or features, while experienced staff can share context, institutional knowledge, and best practices to ensure new tech is applied effectively. By pairing the strengths of each generation, an organization can turn what might have been a source of tension into an engine for innovation. In short, bridging the generational tech gap isn’t just possible—it’s increasingly seen as necessary for any business that wants to keep evolving in the digital age.

Evolution, Not Revolution (for Now)  

When it comes to the future of workplace technology, employees across all generations seem to expect gradual evolution rather than overnight revolution. The survey asked workers to predict how workplace tech will change in the next five years, and most people foresee steady progress instead of radical transformation – with a few generational nuances: 

• Only 29% of respondents believe that in five years workplace technology will have “radically” changed the way we work. In other words, less than one-third anticipate a dramatic tech-driven upheaval in the near future.
• The plurality, 44%, say they expect continued improvements in efficiency from new tech, but not dramatic change in how work gets done. Another 18–19% think things will stay mostly the same with just small upgrades here and there. Taken together, that’s over 60% who envision evolution rather than revolution.
• Gen Z stands out as a bit more bullish on big changes: about 39% of Gen Z respondents do anticipate a radical shift in how we work due to technology in the next few years (likely reflecting their optimism and exposure to fast-evolving tech), versus roughly 25% of Boomers and Gen X who foresee that level of dramatic change. Millennials fall in between, mostly leaning toward gradual improvement.
• Notably, very few in any generation expect technology to backfire and make work worse. Only around 5–8% in each age group fear that workplace tech advances will “create more confusion and inefficiencies” or cause disruption rather than improvement. This low number suggests that even cautious employees generally see tech evolution as a net positive rather than a threat.

Conclusion 

Although our survey revealed a critical gap between workplace technology advancements and employee readiness, resistance to new tools is rarely due to a dislike of innovation. Instead, it often stems from poor implementation, minimal training, and unclear benefits. Over two-thirds of workers report that recent tech rollouts have yielded only slight improvements or no improvement at all in their day-to-day work (45% say new tools have made their jobs only slightly easier, and 23% see no benefit, Q9). More than half also say tech deployments frequently create internal chaos rather than efficiency (51% experience this at least “often,” Q19). In other words, pushback is a rational response when new technology feels more like a burden than a boon. 

Companies investing in digital transformation must recognize that successful adoption depends on addressing these pain points with thoughtful onboarding, intuitive design, and strong leadership support. By proactively smoothing the path for users, businesses can turn skeptical employees into champions of new technology. Below is a recap of key steps organizations can take to boost adoption and minimize resistance: 

• Invest in Comprehensive Training - Nearly half of employees believe better training is essential for successful technology adoption. Offering a mix of in-person workshops, online modules, and one-on-one coaching will cater to different learning styles and ensure employees feel supported.
•  Enhance AI Adoption with Structured Implementation - 38% of employees say proper training and onboarding are the most important factors in determining whether a new workplace tool succeeds or fails. Especially for AI-driven tools, businesses should focus on hands-on demonstrations, interactive learning, and role-specific use cases to build trust and user confidence.
• Prioritize Intuitive Technology – 39% of employees want workplace tools that require minimal training. Prioritizing user-friendly design and seamless integration will reduce friction and accelerate adoption, as employees are more likely to embrace tools that “just work” out of the box.
•  Empower Employees in Tech Decisions – 36% of employees believe adoption would improve if they had more say in selecting tools. Involving staff in the decision-making and pilot process fosters engagement and ensures new solutions align with real-world needs.
• Bridge the Generational Tech Gap – With 76% of workers having witnessed senior colleagues push back against new technology, companies should implement mentorship programs and tailored training approaches to ease generational divides. Pair tech-savvy younger employees with veteran staff to share knowledge and encourage cross-generational support during rollouts.
•  Provide Continuous Support and Feedback Channels – Tech adoption doesn’t stop after the initial rollout. Establish ongoing support systems - such as dedicated IT help, user groups, and regular feedback sessions - so employees can troubleshoot issues and voice concerns in real time. This continuous support helps maintain momentum and trust in new tools.
• Ensure Leadership Sets the Example – 28% of employees say technology adoption would improve if leadership embraced change faster. When executives actively use and champion new tools, it signals their importance and motivates company-wide adoption. Leaders should model the desired mindset, demonstrating that the organization is fully committed to the new technology.

Yooz CEO Laurent Charpentier explained, “Successful technology adoption isn’t just about rolling out new tools; it’s about ensuring employees feel equipped and empowered to use them. Companies that invest in training and intuitive design don’t just implement technology — they create an environment where innovation thrives.” 

Charpentier added, “True digital transformation happens when employees trust the tools they’re given. Organizations that prioritize education, usability, and strong leadership will see higher adoption rates and cultivate a workplace that embraces change as a driver of progress.”