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Seventy-seven percent of frontline retail employees report feeling burnt out at work at least “sometimes,” according to recent research from UKG, a leading global AI platform unifying HR, pay, and workforce management. The research also revealed that more than half (58%) are currently not using AI to support them at work, lagging behind other industries, but the frontline workers who do use AI the most are burned out the least.
UKG will be at NRF 2026 in New York, New York from January 11–13 to discuss these findings and demonstrate how the right AI tools can empower retailers to create more productive and balanced workplace experiences.
Corey Spencer, General Manager and Group Vice President of AI at UKG, will also be speaking at NRF 2026 as part of agentic roundtable discussions, including “People vs. Profit? Resolving the Retail Dilemma with AI-Powered Workforces,” facilitated by UKG. UKG’s Workforce Operating Platform is used by 69 of the NRF Top 100 retailers and will be on display at booth #5720.
“The good news is that nearly half of frontline retail employees already feel positive about using AI to work more efficiently. UKG’s AI-first Workforce Operating Platform gives customers the data they need to make better business decisions and empowers frontline employees with the balance and flexibility they crave while preparing the workforce for what comes next.”
Arming Retailers with the Right Insights
UKG is the #1 workforce management solution provider globally by market share and continues to launch AI-first innovations for the UKG Workforce Operating Platform. These innovations help retailers accelerate hiring, streamline operations, transform pay, and drive collaboration.
- Seventy-three percent of frontline retail employees would at least “somewhat” trust AI to recommend new roles within their company. UKG® Rapid Hire reduces time-to-hire to just a few days and automates 90% of repetitive hiring tasks. It uses a chat-style AI interface to match candidates with open roles based on skills.
- Seventy-seven percent of frontline retail employees would trust AI to recommend schedules, and 74% would trust AI to find shift coverage. UKG Dynamic Labor Management identifies staffing gaps and reacts to demand changes in real time using demand data, schedules, foot traffic, and forecasts.
- Thirty-six percent want AI to search company handbooks and summarize policies, while 35% want AI support for understanding benefits. UKG People Assist™ and UKG Document Manager provide mobile-friendly access to information anytime, anywhere.
- Seventy percent of frontline employees lack access to on-demand pay, but 53% say it is important. UKG Wallet™ enables employees to access earned wages on demand and is available through the UKG Frontline Worker Network.
- Over half (57%) of frontline retail employees prefer communication exclusively through mobile. UKG Talk® provides two-way messaging, company announcements, employee resource groups, and training communication in one platform.
“UKG Rapid Hire has been an absolute game changer for our business. We switched to Rapid Hire, and the number and quality of applicants increased immediately. Our process from application to onboarding is the most efficient in company history, and in 2025, we reduced our sourcing and onboarding costs by almost $2 million.”
Why 69 of the NRF’s Top 100 Retailers Trust UKG
UKG’s Workforce Operating Platform uses data from billions of frontline worker interactions to empower employees and leaders. It enables self-service scheduling, AI-powered shift swaps, predictive planning, and real-time insights that help retail leaders make faster, more confident decisions.
“Our Workforce Operating Platform is trusted by more than two-thirds of the NRF Top 100 because it helps retailers deliver more productive, efficient, and flexible experiences that directly impact profitability and customer satisfaction.”
“Powered by the world’s largest collection of people and work data, UKG’s assistive and agentic AI provides instant insights and actionable recommendations so every decision empowers retailers to boost profitability, elevate customer satisfaction, and strengthen the employee experience.”
NRF 2026 attendees are encouraged to visit UKG at booth #5720 for daily presentations, expert insights, and product demonstrations featuring UKG Rapid Hire and UKG Dynamic Labor Management.