The HRTech Wire

The State of the Frontline Workforce

Aptitude Research's Frontline Workforce Report 2026, sponsored by Workday and Brilliant, finds hourly workers want faster application responses, predictable schedules, clear pay information and manager communication. Of hourly workers, 79% have abandoned an application because it took too long, and 78% have used an AI assistant or chatbot when applying. The report says most of the fixes rely on tools employers already have, such as mobile access, scheduling swaps and earned wage access.

Companies in this story

Verified vendor profiles for the companies named above.

Workday

Workday provides an enterprise AI platform for managing people, money, and AI agents across human resources, finance, spend, and planning.

When

When helps employers guide departing employees to health coverage, lowering COBRA and high-cost claims during workforce transitions.