June 30, 2026
KrakenImages.com/Depositphotos.com
Retail Shift Workers Report High Happiness Levels, Survey Says, But How Can Frontline Employee Satisfaction Be Improved?
New data released June 30 by Deputy in its annual Shift Pulse Report indicates that, for the most part at least, retail shift workers are happy as they close out their work for the day.
Overall shift worker happiness improved over last year’s results — 78.9% of those surveyed said they felt positive at the end of their shifts, versus 78.48% in 2025 — and those reporting negative feelings at the end of the work day fell in number from 6.62% last year to 5.9% this time around.
“The improvement in worker sentiment, while genuine, remains modest and is characterized by an expanding neutral segment. As fewer employees experience extreme emotional highs or lows, the workforce is increasingly congregating in a steady, broad center. This ‘Okay’ majority represents a critical area for employer vigilance; a disengaged middle can serve as a silent precursor to future productivity declines, burnout, or rising turnover, even as overt negativity diminishes,” the report authors wrote, noting that the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, need to balance multiple jobs, and hunger for flexible scheduling and steady income were macro influences.
Drilling down into the numbers a bit further:
- Hospitality and retail enjoyed happiness advantages over services and healthcare: Hospitality took the No. 1 spot when it comes to shift worker happiness (82.98%), with retail nipping at its heels (82.62%). Improvements in terms of shift consistency and wage transparency were credited for an improved mood among retail frontliners. Services (77.61%) and healthcare (72.89%) workers were significant less likely to report happiness after work.
- On the negative sentiment: On the unhappiness side of the measure, 7.91% of healthcare workers reported being decidedly unhappy, with services trailing (5.67%). Hospitality came in at 5.62%, and retail was the least unhappy cohort at 5.16% — the latter enjoying a “high happiness with limited stress” environment, per the report.
Retail Workers Enjoy Predictability, Autonomy, and Team Supports When it Comes to Happiness at Their Jobs
When it comes to the sub-sector sentiment within the retail and service industries, gambling employees reported a flawless 100% positive rating, with the report authors crediting a “vibrant customer-facing atmosphere,” as well as tips for the rating. Firearm stores came in next at 89.53%, followed by cafes and coffee shops (89.5%). Topping the unhappiest sub-sector list were tobacco, e-cigarette, and marijuana stores (13.34% unhappy), followed by animal health (13.07%), and care facilities (11.55%).
Deputy suggested there were several commonalities linked to a happier environment for shift workers, including predictability and a clear daily rhythm, clarity over job responsibilities and autonomy while on the clock, a close and supportive team, and some form of connection to the customers being served. When it comes to traits of an unhappy operation, a degree of high emotional labor topped the list, as did frustrating work with low feelings of control over daily tasks. Physical strain and too-tight time frames as well as understaffing alongside post-COVID pressure rounded out the negatives.
Do you really, really love your job? Then you're not alone, according to surprising results from this survey https://t.co/7vzVhbk75d
— CNBC (@CNBC) June 30, 2026
“Actionable drivers are at the heart of this divide. Positive sentiment is bolstered by autonomy, predictability, robust team cohesion, and genuine interpersonal connections. In contrast, factors such as chronic understaffing, physical exhaustion, low-control environments, and high emotional labor continue to dampen morale. Retail and Hospitality sectors exemplify the success of prioritizing flexibility and culture, while Healthcare continues to face the most intense pressure,” the report authors stated.
“For leadership, the path forward involves leveraging these insights to sustain low-negativity conditions, re-energize the neutral workforce, and offer tailored support for a multi-generational staff,” they added.
BrainTrust
Nicholas Morine
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
Do you believe the data produced by Deputy to be generally accurate? Why or why not? What aspects stand out to you?
What concrete implementations do (or must) successful retailers make to ensure a happier and more satisfied frontline workforce? What mistakes are being made across the industry, if any?
Have service standards, and employee happiness, declined since the pandemic era? If so, why do you think that is?
Poll
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One of the things that often comes up in conversations I have with associates is a desire for progression. That can mean training, it can mean opportunities for promotion, it can be education and learning new skills. But, basically, a lot of folks on the shop floor want to feel like they are moving forward.
Retail front line team members I’ve had the pleasure to meet express appreciation for predictable weekly hours, a meaningful vision to buy into, seeing and hearing their contributions make a difference, and support from above. If anything leadership needs to watch for is changing expectations, and conflicting messaging from above, which can be demoralizing.
Employees feel stuck in their jobs and routines, but that is difficult to fix on a large scale. Nevertheless, good training and good ongoing communication from management, and even on occasion, from a CEO, helps a lot! Even though Walmart has millions of employees, employees always felt important when they were at an event where Sam Walton, and CEO’s to follow, addressed them.
Such gatherings reinforce a shared mission, inspire pride, and provide clear paths for growth. When leaders acknowledge daily contributions and offer practical development opportunities, morale improves, turnover decreases, and teams collaborate more effectively. Consistent recognition and open channels for feedback sustain momentum beyond the occasional company-wide meeting.
We so often hear negativity about working in retail, it’s nice to hear something positive. Indeed we no often hear only negativty that I suppose it’s natural for (at least some of) us to be a bit skeptical: who is “Deputy”, anyway, and is this a real survey, or just some manufactured happy talk? Unfortunately, I can’t really find enough info to give a definitive answer, and their rather boosterish press release – “Deputy Releases Fourth Annual Shift Pulse Report, Finds America’s Frontline Workers Are Thriving” – gives me pause.
But maybe it doesn’t matter that much: each company faces the same issue: making sure their work environment is the best it can be, and that isn’t particularly dependent on how workplaces as a whole are doing.
The Deputy data feels directionally right. Retail work can be energizing when the rhythm is clear, the team is strong, and associates feel some control over the shift in front of them.
What has always surprised me is how often store teams are treated like the last place to invest, when they are the first place retailers should listen. They are closest to the customer, the product, the friction, and the daily reality of the brand.
Improving frontline satisfaction starts with designing the employee experience with the same discipline as the customer experience: smarter scheduling, practical training, clear expectations, better tools, and managers who remove friction instead of adding to it.
Frontline teams carry the brand in real time. When they feel prepared, trusted, and supported, customers feel it too.
This survey was commissioned by Deputy, a scheduling software company whose revenue depends on retailers believing their workers are happy – that conflict of interest should be noted before treating 78.9% as a headline.
And, a survey that asks workers how they feel at the end of a shift measures relief that the day is over, not whether they feel equipped, valued, or able to grow.
I like that almost eight out of ten employees are happy with their shifts and jobs. That’s a positive stat. To move that higher, give employees what they want. Most employees like to feel appreciated, to learn, and to have an opportunity to advance. And in the retail world, they like a predictable schedule. I’ll also add that management makes a difference. If employees are treated well, they stay and are better engaged with their jobs and customers. One of the ideas we teach our clients when creating a customer-focused culture is to treat employees the same as they want customers treated – maybe even better.
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One of the things that often comes up in conversations I have with associates is a desire for progression. That can mean training, it can mean opportunities for promotion, it can be education and learning new skills. But, basically, a lot of folks on the shop floor want to feel like they are moving forward.
Retail front line team members I’ve had the pleasure to meet express appreciation for predictable weekly hours, a meaningful vision to buy into, seeing and hearing their contributions make a difference, and support from above. If anything leadership needs to watch for is changing expectations, and conflicting messaging from above, which can be demoralizing.
Employees feel stuck in their jobs and routines, but that is difficult to fix on a large scale. Nevertheless, good training and good ongoing communication from management, and even on occasion, from a CEO, helps a lot! Even though Walmart has millions of employees, employees always felt important when they were at an event where Sam Walton, and CEO’s to follow, addressed them.
Such gatherings reinforce a shared mission, inspire pride, and provide clear paths for growth. When leaders acknowledge daily contributions and offer practical development opportunities, morale improves, turnover decreases, and teams collaborate more effectively. Consistent recognition and open channels for feedback sustain momentum beyond the occasional company-wide meeting.
We so often hear negativity about working in retail, it’s nice to hear something positive. Indeed we no often hear only negativty that I suppose it’s natural for (at least some of) us to be a bit skeptical: who is “Deputy”, anyway, and is this a real survey, or just some manufactured happy talk? Unfortunately, I can’t really find enough info to give a definitive answer, and their rather boosterish press release – “Deputy Releases Fourth Annual Shift Pulse Report, Finds America’s Frontline Workers Are Thriving” – gives me pause.
But maybe it doesn’t matter that much: each company faces the same issue: making sure their work environment is the best it can be, and that isn’t particularly dependent on how workplaces as a whole are doing.
The Deputy data feels directionally right. Retail work can be energizing when the rhythm is clear, the team is strong, and associates feel some control over the shift in front of them.
What has always surprised me is how often store teams are treated like the last place to invest, when they are the first place retailers should listen. They are closest to the customer, the product, the friction, and the daily reality of the brand.
Improving frontline satisfaction starts with designing the employee experience with the same discipline as the customer experience: smarter scheduling, practical training, clear expectations, better tools, and managers who remove friction instead of adding to it.
Frontline teams carry the brand in real time. When they feel prepared, trusted, and supported, customers feel it too.
This survey was commissioned by Deputy, a scheduling software company whose revenue depends on retailers believing their workers are happy – that conflict of interest should be noted before treating 78.9% as a headline.
And, a survey that asks workers how they feel at the end of a shift measures relief that the day is over, not whether they feel equipped, valued, or able to grow.
I like that almost eight out of ten employees are happy with their shifts and jobs. That’s a positive stat. To move that higher, give employees what they want. Most employees like to feel appreciated, to learn, and to have an opportunity to advance. And in the retail world, they like a predictable schedule. I’ll also add that management makes a difference. If employees are treated well, they stay and are better engaged with their jobs and customers. One of the ideas we teach our clients when creating a customer-focused culture is to treat employees the same as they want customers treated – maybe even better.