Survey: Nearly half of retail managers worried about job security
Economic uncertainty due to looming tariffs and unsatisfactory pay have many retail workers worried about job security.
A new survey of retail managers and hourly employees from workforce management firm Legion Technologies reveals that nearly half (49%) of managers say they’re concerned about their job security, with economic uncertainty cited by 52% as the top reason. Of the 49% of hourly workers who plan to leave their jobs this year, nearly 60% plan to leave their current industry altogether, with insufficient pay as the top reason for their exit.
According to the survey, more than a quarter (27%) of hourly employees wish for unionization in their workplace to address low wages, poor benefits, poor work-life balance, and limited schedule flexibility. More than four-in-10 (43%) hourly employees say their employers have not done anything to improve the workplace in the past year. Legion says this inaction from retailers could be part of why nearly half (47%) of managers consider staffing shortages and high turnover to be the biggest challenge in their role today.
[READ MORE: Survey: Only 13% of frontline workers see career progression path]
Additional findings from the survey include the following:
- When asked why schedule flexibility is important, nearly half (44%) of hourly employees stated it’s because they want the freedom to work when they’re most productive.
- Nearly four-in-10 (38%) managers are concerned that high turnover will impact team productivity.
- More than 84% of managers stated they would be interested in technology that enabled them to calculate hourly employee productivity.
- A similar number (86%) of managers stated they would be interested in technology that enabled them to automatically schedule their most productive employees at peak times.
“We’re in a high-cost environment and, as companies work to reduce their operational waste and maximize labor efficiency, AI is a lifeline,” said Sanish Mondkar, CEO and founder of Legion Technologies. “Our data shows that managers are grasping for that line, but there is a disconnect between what these vital employees need and what they’re being given. Now is the time for organizations to invest in AI to lift the administrative burden from managers, improve productivity, and adapt to changes in demand.”
Legion Technologies surveyed over 750 managers and over 1,200 hourly workers for the 2025 edition of its annual State of the North American Hourly Workforce Report.
