Deputy Celebrates Fourth Annual International Shift Worker Sunday, Highlights AI + Human Connection
New survey of 1,500 shift workers reveals a paradox: Nearly half work alongside AI, but only 15% were consulted before it arrived.
SAN FRANCISCO – Deputy, the world’s leading workforce management platform for hourly work, today announced that November 30, 2025, will mark the fourth annual International Shift Worker Sunday (SWS) – a global celebration recognizing the 2.7 billion people in deskless and hourly roles worldwide.
As AI continues to dominate headlines and workplaces, Deputy is amplifying the voices of the people most impacted by this transformation: shift workers. The company’s 2025 Better Together Survey: How AI and Human Connection Will Transform Frontline Work, conducted in collaboration with Workplace Intelligence, gathered insights from 1,500 frontline workers across the US, UK, and Australia in various industries, including hospitality, retail, food service, and healthcare. The findings reveal that while AI enhances efficiency and reduces stress, it cannot replace the human empathy that defines meaningful work.
Key Findings:
- AI adoption is widespread but often invisible: 48% report AI is used in their workplace, but only 25% personally interact with it; 42% believe AI isn’t used at all.
- High satisfaction, low long-term optimism: 96% of AI users are satisfied with the technology, and 94% of people say it makes their jobs significantly easier, but only 37% feel optimistic about its long-term impact on their work.
- Empathy matters most: 68% of workers – 99% in healthcare – say the human touch is “very essential.” Globally, 94% agree that AI cannot replace empathy.
- AI helps, but can’t fix burnout: 40% of users report reduced stress, yet chronic challenges like understaffing and low pay remain.
- Trust gaps are critical: Just 17% say their employer is transparent about AI use, and only 15% report being consulted when new AI tools are introduced.
- AI Adoption Worldwide: National culture shapes how workers view AI, with the United States leading in optimism (41%), followed by Australia (36%) and the United Kingdom (35%).
“AI isn’t about replacing people, it’s working alongside them. It takes on the complexity and the mundane, while people bring the judgment, empathy, and connection that no technology can replicate. That’s what Better Together truly stands for,” said Silvija Martincevic, CEO of Deputy. “Too often, discussions about AI focus on desk-based workers, while 60% of the U.S. workforce – nurses, retail associates, restaurant staff – work on their feet, not behind screens. These are the people who keep our economy moving, and they deserve technology designed with them, not merely for them. AI’s greatest promise lies not in substitution, but in amplification. The internet, mobile, and cloud each took years to reach the frontline, but this moment is different, with smartphones in nearly every hand and consumer AI already integrated into daily life, frontline workers are poised to leapfrog into the future faster than ever before.”
Adding to that perspective, Dan Schawbel, Managing Partner at Workplace Intelligence, emphasized that the key to success lies in how organizations introduce AI:
“AI has tremendous potential to make work more efficient and less stressful, but our research shows that technology alone isn’t enough to create a thriving workplace. Employees are sending a clear message: they want to be part of the conversation about how AI is used and introduced in their organizations. When workers feel informed and included, trust grows – and that’s what unlocks the full potential of AI. Empathy, transparency, and inclusion aren’t just soft skills; they’re the foundation of successful AI adoption. The future of work will belong to companies that combine smart technology with genuine human connection.”
