UK DIY News
70% Of Retail Workers Trust AI And Automation To Keep Them Safe
- New findings released for World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28th April
Seven out of ten (71%) frontline retail workers in the UK trust AI and automation to keep them safe at work, amid wider concerns about potential job losses, according to new research.
The findings were released for World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28 April 2025. This year, the United Nations’ International Labour Organisation is putting the spotlight on AI and digitalisation in the workplace.
When it comes to tech on the frontline, retail workers are optimistic. Many believe AI will make work safer by taking on dangerous tasks instead of humans (29%), spotting risks humans might miss (27%), and predicting and preventing accidents (25%).
Rather than feeling scared or anxious about AI and automation, retail workers are most likely to say they feel “curious” and “hopeful” about these new technologies in the workplace.
The positive findings will reassure retail businesses looking to accelerate their AI and automation plans in future years, according to workplace operations and improvement platform SafetyCulture, which commissioned the wide-ranging study. Frontline workers were defined as people who must physically show up for their job.
Alex Brooks-Sykes, SafetyCulture’s lead for UK & Ireland, said: “There’s a lot for the retail industry to feel positive about here.
“Business leaders may assume the worst about workers’ attitudes to AI and automation being introduced in the workplace – but our findings show staff are generally optimistic about the safety benefits.
“It’s also reassuring to see that twice as many workers trust management to make the right decisions on AI adoption, than don't. When introducing new technology, particularly when there's uncertainty about its impact, being open and transparent is key, and communication is an area workers say their employer can improve on.
”The SafetyCulture survey found 42% of workers trust management to make the right choices on AI compared to 26% who don’t. While potential job losses and redundancies are frontline workers’ top concern (65%), they also have concerns about machines making decisions without human oversight (37%). Crucially, the majority of frontline workers (55%) trust AI to provide insights or instructions but not to make decisions. More than one-third are also worried about unreliable or ‘glitchy’ technology actually creating hazards (35%).
Alex added: “Among the general positivity, there are some useful actionable issues that workers raise. Management must be open with workers about their AI and automation plans, and it’s worth considering how technology will reshape the workplace.”
SafetyCulture is a global technology company and supports its 25,000 UK customers from its office in Manchester.
Source : SafetyCulture
Image : jacoblund / iStock / 1329317588
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