The State of the Frontline Workforce

Aptitude Research has published the Frontline Workforce Report 2026, a comprehensive look at the experience, expectations, and unmet needs of frontline workers in the United States. Sponsored by Workday and Brilliant and authored by Madeline Laurano, the firm's founder and chief analyst, the report argues that improving frontline workforce outcomes does not require transformational investment — it requires closing execution gaps with capabilities employers largely already own.

**Scale and Stakes** Frontline workers represent approximately 80% of US employment, or more than 100 million people. Despite their numerical dominance, their workplace experience has historically lagged behind that of office-based employees when it comes to HR technology investment and attention. The report arrives against a tightening long-term labor supply: birth rates are at record lows, more than 4 million Americans turn 65 annually, and immigration has slowed, factors that together point to a shrinking future frontline talent pool.

**Hiring: Speed and Response Are the Gaps** On the hiring side, the report notes meaningful structural progress. The share of employers where talent acquisition or HR owns frontline hiring has risen from fewer than 30% of hourly-focused organizations in 2020 to 60% today. Mobile application adoption stands at 84%, and 74% of employers now use AI somewhere in the frontline hiring process.

Yet execution gaps persist. Some 79% of hourly workers say they have abandoned an application because it took too long to complete, and only 22% of employers respond to 90% or more of frontline applicants. Workers are open to AI-assisted processes — 78% have used an AI assistant or chatbot when applying, and 67% said it improved the experience — but the responsiveness infrastructure to convert that openness into hires remains underdeveloped.

**Engagement: Managers and Mobile Access** Engagement findings point to the outsized role of the direct manager. Some 83% of frontline workers say communication with their manager matters, yet only 52% say they are satisfied with that communication. Workers' technology requests are modest and practical: 46% want mobile access to pay stubs and tax forms, 35% want to request time off digitally, and 27% want to view their schedule from a phone. A structural barrier complicates delivery: 51% of employers report that fewer than three-quarters of their frontline workers have a company email address or login, limiting access to even basic digital tools.

**Pay: Access Exists, Awareness Does Not** Pay clarity and access emerge as a high-stakes area. While 84% of frontline workers say clear pay information is important, only 57% are satisfied with what they receive. Workers are highly engaged with their pay — 69% check it after every shift. The earned wage access data surfaces a notable disconnect: 63% of employers report offering the benefit, yet 55% of workers say they have none. Among workers with six or more years of tenure, demand is highest (81% want it) but availability is lowest (29% have it), suggesting an enrollment and communication failure rather than a product gap.

**Scheduling: Notice and Control** Scheduling is the second most important factor workers cite for taking a job, with 45% ranking it among their top three reasons, behind only pay. Some 73% of workers want their schedules in advance, but one in three employers publishes schedules less than a week out. Shift flexibility features are even less common: 53% of employers allow workers to view their schedule digitally, but only 12% allow shift swaps. The report notes that most scheduling systems can already support swaps and open shift pickup, and enabling those features would also reclaim time for managers — 55% of whom spend three or more hours per week building schedules.

**Mobility: Incentive Misalignment** Internal mobility infrastructure is largely in place. Some 56% of employers fill most frontline manager roles from within, and 62% give frontline workers a system to view internal openings. The barrier is managerial incentive design: 48% of respondents say managers do not want to lose strong performers, and only 20% of employers tie any part of manager compensation to retention outcomes. Aligning manager scorecards with retention and promotion, the report suggests, would bring manager behavior in line with stated business objectives.

**The Bottom Line** The Frontline Workforce Report 2026 frames the frontline experience problem as one of execution and prioritization rather than capability. The tools are present; the gaps are in communication, enrollment, and feature activation. With the labor market near equilibrium today but demographic trends pointing toward increased competition for frontline talent, the report positions employers who act now as better placed for the tighter market ahead.