A new market research report reveals a retention crisis among hourly workers, with only 29% likely to stay with their current employer in the next year. Contrary to assumptions that a softening job market would increase employee loyalty, the data shows hourly workers are prepared to leave if core needs around flexibility, communication, and predictable pay are not met, posing a significant risk to the essential sectors of the U.S. economy.
Quick Intel
Only 29% of hourly workers are likely to stay with their current employer in the next year.
Flexible hours and reliable scheduling (50%) rival pay (68%) as top factors in job decisions, outweighing growth opportunities (31%).
Communication failures are a major turnover driver: 39% of workers have missed shifts due to poor communication.
Faster pay access is a key retention lever: 68% are more likely to stay if they can access wages as earned.
Technology is a dealbreaker: 22% of workers have quit a job due to poor tools.
The report underscores reliability—in schedules, pay, and support—as the new essential employer value proposition.
Teambridge's 2025 report, "The Retention Puzzle," surveyed over 1,000 hourly workers across healthcare, manufacturing, events, and other critical industries. The findings debunk the myth that employees stay put during economic uncertainty. Instead, they highlight a workforce willing to leave roles that lack fundamental reliability. As Tito Goldstein, co-CEO of Teambridge, notes, these workers form an "Essential Economy" representing $7.5 trillion in output and 52 million jobs that "can't be replaced with AI." Their retention is not just an HR metric but an economic imperative.
The research identifies a clear shift in what hourly workers value most. While competitive pay (68%) remains important, it does not standalone as a retention tool. Half of all respondents (50%) stated that flexible hours, reliable scheduling, and good communication collectively "make or break" their decision on where to work. These practical, day-to-day factors significantly outweigh traditional incentives like growth opportunity and promotion, which only 31% cited as a reason to stay.
This is further evidenced by the severe impact of communication breakdowns. Nearly two-fifths (39%) of workers have missed a shift or deadline because of poor communication, a figure that rises to 50% among those already at high risk of leaving. For employers, this translates to direct operational disruption and turnover costs.
The report uncovers specific areas where employer practices are failing to meet worker expectations:
Lack of Schedule Control: Only 51% of hourly workers feel they have control over their own schedules, creating a sense of instability.
Inaccessible Support: More than 85% of workers have needed help outside standard business hours for tasks like shift swaps and were unable to get it.
Poor Tools as a Turnover Driver: Technology is not just an annoyance but a quit reason. Nearly one-quarter (22%) of workers have left a job because of the tools they were asked to use, with another 9% considering it. Workers expect simple, reliable tech for clocking in, viewing shifts, and getting paid.
A standout finding is the potent role of faster wage access. Sixty-eight percent of workers are more likely to stay with an employer that offers access to earned wages immediately after a shift, rather than on a traditional bi-weekly or monthly schedule. This jumps to 78% among those most likely to leave.
The report also details industry-specific pain points. For example, 52% of healthcare workers have left a job or stopped claiming shifts due to communication breakdowns with management, while 44% of events and venues workers are more likely to have missed a shift for the same reason.
The collective findings point to a single, actionable conclusion for employers. "Reliability has to be the new employer or agency value proposition," said Arjun Vora, co-founder and co-CEO of Teambridge. Retention is within an organization's control by delivering on core promises: predictable and flexible scheduling, clear and responsive communication, and timely access to pay. In an era where hourly workers "vote with their feet," employers who systematize this reliability will secure the talent needed to sustain the essential functions of the economy.
About Teambridge
Teambridge is the only AI-native contingent workforce management platform purpose-built for the complexities of managing hourly, contract, and frontline teams. Teambridge helps 250 businesses with over 500,000 workers drive revenue, reduce costs, and retain talent. The fully composable, no-code platform unifies recruiting, onboarding, credentialing, scheduling, time tracking, and compliance into an end-to-end system, replacing manual processes with automations while giving you the flexibility to run your business your way. And with a powerful, user-friendly app for everything from shift swaps to time tracking and earned wage access, Teambridge drives worker engagement and retention.
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