UK Retailers Are Sounding the Alarm, Here’s Why the Frontline Holds the Key to Retail’s Resilience

At the 2025 Retail Technology Show, UK retail leaders delivered a clear message: operational strain is rising, and the frontline is feeling it most. To better understand the landscape, WorkJam conducted proprietary research using exclusive insights from the event, uncovering the key challenges and opportunities facing today’s store networks. 

Some of the headline stats are hard to ignore:

  • 53% of retailers have frozen recruitment, asking existing teams to take on more responsibilities 
  • 59% expect redundancies in the next six months. 
  • 41% anticipate increased pressure on store leadership as support roles are cut. 
  • And just 14% currently offer flexible pay, despite rising cost-of-living concerns for employees 

As government relief phases out and National Insurance hikes drive labour costs even higher, UK retailers are being forced to make tough calls. But these cost-cutting measures may prove to be short-sighted, risking customer experience, increasing absenteeism, and creating operational breakdowns that ultimately impact profitability. 

So, what’s working for those staying ahead of the curve? Some retailers are turning to digital workforce tools like WorkJam to offset the pressure: 

  • One grocer cut temporary staff use by 30% thanks to better cross-training and mobile task checklists. 
  • Another saw a 20% reduction in absenteeism by introducing self-service scheduling. 
  • Those with consolidated platforms report up to 3X higher employee engagement. 

Yet, 76% of retail leaders admit their workforce management needs serious improvement — and 31% cite internal resistance as the main barrier to progress. 

 

There’s a growing consensus: tools built for compliance aren’t cutting it anymore. Retailers need real-time, mobile-first solutions that simplify work, free up manager time, and support a more empowered frontline. 

 

Ready to dive deeper into the data and see what’s working in the field? Download the full report to explore how UK retailers are rethinking frontline support, what features are driving results, and how your business can take the next step. 

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