August 2025

Overall, retail employees feel unfulfilled, unsatisfied, and have a deep sense of being underappreciated. On social media, front line retail workers frequently vent about being miserable, with a common theme being that they are underpaid and overworked. Many feel they are treated like high-powered robots expected to handle a massive workload without sufficient staffing or support. Labor studies find that career happiness and fulfillment among retail managers, in particular, rank as some of the lowest in the U.S. labor market. They feel that while their personalities may be suited to the work, they struggle to find meaning in their jobs and are highly dissatisfied with their compensation. Whether consumer retail, CPG, or wholesale retail, workers are being driven to the brink with little energy to find other jobs/gigs.

The retail sector is facing a period of contraction and instability. A recent report showed that retail job cuts have spiked nearly 250% from last year, with over half of U.S. industries cutting jobs. Tariffs are weighing on businesses that employee these workers, leading to downsizing of their labor force as a first measure to cut costs. This is also fueled by general economic uncertainty, inflation, and a shift in consumer spending. The layoffs are occurring as companies close stores, restructure, or, in more extreme cases, file for bankruptcy. This trend is particularly concerning as it comes in Q3, right before the holiday season. As a result, many retailers have chosen not to announce hiring plans for Q4 this year.