Over half of retail managers across the UK say that the demands of repetitive administrative tasks are hindering their ability to focus on coaching and developing their teams, according to new research.
The 2025 State of the UK Hourly Worker report, based on research from workforce management provider Legion Technologies, found that 52 percent of retail managers feel they lack the time needed to support their teams’ development. In addition, 27 percent of respondents said they did not feel they had been set up for success in their roles.
Administrative overload
The study notes that administrative duties, particularly around workforce scheduling and attendance management, are taking much time away from customer-facing and leadership activities.
Sixty-five percent of retail managers reported spending more than three hours each week on scheduling, while 52 percent said they spent over three hours per week managing time and attendance.
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Manual processes further exacerbate the situation. Forty-two percent of managers still rely on paper or Excel spreadsheets for scheduling and 46 percent manually contact employees by phone, text or email to fill rota gaps at short notice.
Impact on workforce productivity
The report shows that with retail managers heavily occupied by these tasks, frontline teams are missing out on crucial mentoring and coaching. This stagnation in productivity comes at a time when the sector is already facing an additional £5.6 billion in post-Budget costs for the current financial year.
Legion Technologies’ findings suggest that retailers can no longer afford to overlook the operational impact of inefficient processes. The company argues that technology-driven workforce management solutions are increasingly necessary to reduce administrative burdens, freeing managers to focus more on strategic activities, employee engagement and customer experience.
Eoin Houlihan, VP of Europe at Legion Technologies, said that retailers are dealing with an epidemic of productivity paralysis.
“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,” Houlian added.
