Replaced by AI, then asked back: returning staff want more pay
In an SHL survey of 2,036 workers in America and Britain, 19 per cent of American respondents say they were replaced by AI and later asked to return.
Some of the jobs cut in the name of AI are coming back, and the returners set conditions. Just over half would demand a substantial pay rise before starting again, according to SHL.
What happened
The survey was commissioned by SHL, a talent-assessment firm, and carried out online by Propeller Insights in June and July 2026 among 1,029 workers in America and 1,007 in Britain. 19 per cent of American and 13 per cent of British respondents said they had experienced it personally, as had 24 per cent of those aged 18 to 24. 52 per cent had encountered it directly, through someone they know or by hearsay. Those who would return want different terms: 51 per cent would demand a substantial pay rise, 42 per cent written job-security guarantees and 40 per cent full transparency on how AI will be used in their role. 8 per cent would refuse to return under any circumstances. A second data point supports the finding: in a Robert Half survey in July, 32 per cent of American hiring managers whose firms had cut roles because of AI had to refill the same or similar positions. Caveat: the figures are self-reported, and SHL sells assessment tools for personnel decisions.
What follows
The finding is the mirror image of the cuts. Firms that eliminate roles on the strength of expected AI performance pay twice if they are wrong: first for the separation, then the premium for the return. What is lost is mainly experience and client relationships, judging by the reasons in the Robert Half survey. According to Challenger, American employers cited AI for 121,401 announced job cuts through October. Assessment: comparable figures for Germany, Austria and Switzerland are lacking. There, dismissal protection and redundancy plans already make a quick reversal more expensive, which argues for more caution before cutting. The survey says nothing about whether AI is permanently displacing entry-level jobs.
What changes in practice
- Employees
- Those asked back after an AI-related cut have bargaining power; according to SHL, half would demand substantially more pay.
- Companies
- Cutting on the strength of expected AI performance can cost twice: severance, then a premium to rehire.
- HR departments
- Before cutting, what matters is the experience tied to the role; Robert Half finds this is the most common reason for rehiring.
What to watch
- Whether American employers disclose rehiring in results or headcount figures
- The next Challenger report with AI as a stated reason
- First surveys in Germany, Austria or Switzerland on rehiring after AI-related cuts
Sources
- SHL: Workers Replaced by AI Would Demand Higher Pay and Greater Job Security to Return, 29.10.2026
- Fortune: 'AI rebounding': Nearly 20% of U.S. workers replaced by AI are being asked back, 9.11.2026
- HR Dive: AI rebounding could cost companies, 5.11.2026