Data: 500 UK store staff on what it’s really like working retail’s frontline

Just over half (52%) of UK store staff rate retail as a ‘good’ or ‘very good’ long-term career, yet only 53% feel their views are valued and listened to by their retail employers. 

These are just two eye-opening statistics from Retail Week’s annual Talking Shop report, published today in association with Workday.

It reveals the findings of exclusive interviews with 500 store staff on what motivates them, what they think about new tech being deployed in stores, and what tools they actually want bosses to implement to make them happier and more productive. 

The interviews, conducted in August 2024 by WorkL for Business, spanned full-time and part-time workers comprising of 68% frontline store staff, 20% store managers, and 12% area/regional managers.  

Store staff on tech  

When it comes to tech adoption – and what will likely be music to the ears of retail chief technology officers, 73% of store staff agree or strongly agree that having the right technology in place helps their store operations. 

The areas staff feel tech could have the biggest impact in helping them to do their jobs is in driving improvements in stock availability and ordering. This is the second consecutive year this area has been the top priority for store staff.   

Only 10% of store staff are uncomfortable with the digital changes taking place in their stores – with the leading reasons being that technology has not helped them to do their job better (35%), and that they felt pressured by their employer to use it (33%).  

The level of discomfort staff feel around new technology increases with age. Just 4% of respondents in younger age demographics say they are uncomfortable with new technology, compared with 17% of those aged 56 and above. The report reveals how retailers are helping to bridge this gap and generate staff buy-in.