Growing gap in perception of job between frontline workers and management

It found there was a major gap in perception between frontline workers in logistics and distribution and their managers on issues such as pay fairness, workload, career progression and the impact of the forthcoming Employment Rights bill.

On workload strain, 64% of drivers, warehouse operatives and builders said they felt overworked and were struggling with scheduling and resourcing issues.

Conversely, 50% of their managers thought workloads were manageable.

When it came to staff retention, 55% of frontline workers said better pay and benefits would improve retention, yet only 38% of managers agreed.

In fact, 77% of logistics managers thought their workers were paid fairly, with only a third of their staff agreeing.

This disconnect was even clearer in distribution and wholesale, where just over a quarter of managers (26%) thought increased pay would help.

Communication also emerged as a significant challenge; 92% of managers in logistics said ‘desk-free’ workers were informed about major business updates, but a third of their workers disagreed.

Software specialists OneAdvanced, which compiled the report, said the Employment Rights bill was another area of division. It found that 55% of frontline workers welcomed the end of zero-hour contracts and only 11% wanted them to remain for flexibility.

However, 31% of logistics managers said they may have to reduce staff numbers to absorb the costs of the new employment regulations.

Adrian West, OneAdvanced VP, said: “These findings reveal a clear disconnect between logistics managers and their desk-free workforce, particularly around pay, workload, and career progression.

“While managers focus on operational efficiencies, workers are feeling overworked, undervalued, and stuck in roles with little flexibility or growth.

“The logistics industry relies on a resilient workforce, and if businesses fail to address these gaps, they risk high attrition and operational strain.”