Blue-collar workers say workplace is unsafe

AI and automation are re-shaping frontline roles faster than safety frameworks can keep up. In parallel, acute labour shortages are biting across construction and other skilled trades alongside manufacturing. The report warns that neglecting the blue-collar workforce is now a critical operational risk for the boardroom.

The World Economic Forum forecasts that 22% of jobs globally will undergo significant change by 2030 due to factors including AI, advancements in technology and the green transition. Sectors that rely on operational and blue-collar roles are integral to this transformation, with these industries among those expected to contribute to the 170 million new jobs projected globally. Yet, the Top Employer Institute’s report finds many in these roles still feel unheard on the issues that matter most – a disconnect that poses growing business continuity and retention risk.

The report, Work’s new divide: why blue-collar voice is business critical, draws on responses from 2,200 blue-collar workers across 11 countries including the UK, US, Brazil, China, India, and Germany. It reveals five key priorities of this essential workforce, where the risks lie and where leading employers are taking action to build future-proofed blue-collar employee experiences that drive engagement, retention, productivity and profitability.

The signals leaders can’t afford to ignore:

• Workplace engagement hinges on relationships and recognition: Employees with strong workplace relationships are 51% more likely to be engaged
• Poor communication undermines safety and trust: Over a quarter of employees (26%) say their workplace safety measures are inadequate and 25% never receive information about their jobs
• Employees want to be heard but feel ignored: While 80% expect managers to listen to their input, only 65% say their voices are heard during decision-making
• Flexibility is a hidden dealbreaker: 64% say they value flexibility more than financial rewards – yet nearly a third have no control over their schedules, in stark contrast to white-collar workers

Adrian Seligman, executive board member at Top Employers Institute, commented: “When a quarter of employees say safety measures don’t meet their needs, that’s not just a compliance issue, it’s a failure of communication, culture and leadership. From our conversations with businesses, those employers who are prioritising blue-collar employee experience are seeing positive returns around talent retention, engagement, productivity and performance.”

The report makes a series of recommendations to senior leaders including:

• Establish regular, proactive safety discussions and frontline feedback mechanisms to increase direct engagement with employees
• Invest in targeted upskilling for operational roles – as automation and AI reshape industries this will become a key lever for long-term agility and performance
• Provide clear growth opportunities to future-proof and strengthen workforce resilience, protecting against talent shortages
• Embed flexibility, mental health resources and more inclusive leave policies to strengthen retention, reduce burnout and signal parity across the workforce

“This research makes it clear: employers who listen and act on what matters most to blue-collar employees are the ones who will build more resilient and high-performing organisations,” concluded Seligman.

The research reveals that the next wave of workforce performance will be shaped by how organisations engage and empower this segment of the workforce. Employers who actively address flexibility, visibility and voice in these roles will be best positioned to drive productivity and workforce resilience.