Retail managers, overwhelmed with administrative tasks and manual processes, are struggling to find sufficient time to coach and develop their teams, leaving sorely-needed labour productivity gains on the table, the latest research from Legion Technologies, an innovator in workforce management (WFM), reveals.
Original research of over 1,000 UK retail and hospitality workers in the 2025 State of the UK Hourly Worker report reveals that over half (52%) of retail managers feel they lack time for coaching and team development, while nearly a third (27%) don’t feel they have been set up for success in their role.
Repetitive administrative tasks were one of the key causes which take retail manager’s time away from colleagues and customers; 65% currently spend 3+ hours per week on scheduling, while 52% spend over three hours each week on time and attendance management. Manual processes are also further hindering efficiencies around these tasks, with 42% of retail managers still using paper or Excel for scheduling and a further 46% manually calling, texting or emailing employees to fill any last-minute scheduling gaps on their rotas.
With admin eating up a significant portion of retail managers’ time, frontline retail teams are left languishing, with a lack of mentoring and coaching stagnating productivity – something retailers facing an additional £5.6billion in post-Budget costs this financial year, can ill-afford to lose. This underscores the need for technology-driven workforce management solutions to replace time-consuming manual processes, allowing managers to focus on strategic operations, employee engagement and customer experience (CX).
Eoin Houlihan, VP of Europe at Legion Technologies, commented: “Retailers are facing an epidemic of productivity paralysis and urgently need the innovative tools that allow them to invest in both productivity and people. Engaged and motivated employees make for a productive and resilient workforce, so by unburdening managers from administrative tasks and investing in the employee experience, retailers can drive the operational efficiencies they need to mitigate against rising cost bases, all while enhancing workforce morale and dialling up performance.”
To find out more about how retailers can maximise labour efficiency and employee engagement simultaneously, view the full report: 2025 State of the UK Hourly Workforce Report.
