A new report* reveals urgent motivation challenges at the heart of the UK frontline workforce.  The research* finds that a fifth (21%) of frontline workers openly admit to doing the bare minimum to keep their jobs, and two fifths (41%) of demotivated employees plan to remain in their roles for more than three years.

While the ‘quiet quitting’ phenomenon is widely documented in white-collar workforces, the research finds it is now well established in frontline sectors. And with a large proportion of ‘quiet quitters’ planning to stay in their roles despite low motivation, businesses face a long-term productivity challenge as they look to 2025.

The data indicates UK manufacturing has a particularly ingrained challenge, with 52% of its workers reporting they’re only doing the bare minimum to keep their jobs.

The report uncovers several critical drivers of frontline disengagement, with a lack of employee recognition topping the list for UK workers. While 72% of ‘satisfied’ employees feel recognised and appreciated, only 4% of ‘dissatisfied’ workers do – a massive 69 percentage point gap. Other significant dissatisfaction drags include workplace conditions and effective communication, with a respective 66 and 63 percentage point difference between satisfied and dissatisfied workers.

Stress and burnout further exacerbate challenges to frontline motivation. Flip’s data shows that nearly two thirds (61%) of frontline employees experience stress or burnout at least once a month, with 21% experiencing it multiple times a week. Despite the well-documented impact of stress on well-being and productivity, only 30% of employees feel as though their manager supports them during difficult times. Compounding this, half (55%) of frontline employees say that poor communication is impacting their work quality and/or productivity.

“Frontline workers are the lifeblood of the economy, yet our research finds that many of them feel demotivated and stuck, facing uncertain career prospects, stress, and poor support structures,” said Benedikt Brand, CEO of Flip. “But, while a lack of engagement has typically correlated to less loyalty, many disengaged employees now plan to stay in their roles. Unless employers take urgent, meaningful steps to improve their employee experience, they will undoubtedly see the impact on productivity and business performance.”

The research points to some significant opportunities for employers to close the motivation gap. For example, currently only 43% of UK frontline workers feel appreciated and recognised for their work. But the majority (88%) of those who do feel appreciated said they usually feel motivated and willing to go the extra mile – 4X more likely than those who feel unappreciated.

Relationships are also vital to employee motivation, satisfaction, and well-being. Good relationships with coworkers is highlighted by over half (56%) of workers as the main contributor to well-being. Good manager relationships rank fourth at 42%, after job security (49%) and predictable hours (43%).

“To stay competitive – both for talent and wallets – businesses need to prioritise frontline employees’ fundamental needs and embed solutions into everyday operations,” Brand continues. “That means not just paying lip service to workplace culture but really investing in and thinking through the delivery of HR initiatives at multiple points of the employee journey.”

*Research and report from Flip