Shift workers are feeling better about their jobs, Deputy survey finds

Shift workers reported slightly better feelings about their jobs over the past year, according to an annual survey released Tuesday by Deputy. For everyday investors, that is a useful read on the consumer economy: shift-based jobs are central to restaurants, retail, hospitality and health care, all industries tied closely to spending and labor costs.

Deputy, a global company that provides scheduling, human resources and related services for small businesses, said 78.9% of surveyed workers felt positive after finishing their shifts. That was up by nearly half a percentage point from last year, according to the company.

The share of workers who said they felt unhappy fell to 5.9%, down from 6.6% a year earlier. Deputy said that was the lowest negative reading in the survey’s four-year history.

The findings stand out against a weaker backdrop for household mood. Surveys from the University of Michigan, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Conference Board have shown concern about personal finances, job security and the ability to find work, according to CNBC.

Silvija Martincevic, Deputy’s CEO, tied the results to changes in who makes up the shift workforce. “This result comes at a time of significant workforce change,” Martincevic said. She added that workers at different life stages report different experiences on the job, making the generational mix part of the explanation for the survey’s results.

Hospitality and retail ranked near the top

By broad industry, hospitality had the highest positive score at 82.98%, according to Deputy. Retail followed closely at 82.62%.

Health care had the lowest positive score among the four main categories, at 72.89%. Deputy said it was the second straight year that health care landed at the bottom of those major groups, even as the industry has been a major source of U.S. job growth.

Among subsectors, gambling ranked first with a 100% positive rating from respondents. Deputy’s survey narrative said casino work may benefit from a customer-facing environment, tips and team-based work structures.

Other high-scoring subsectors included firearms stores at 89.53%, cafes and coffee shops at 89.50%, and accommodation at 84.09%, according to Deputy. Cafes and coffee shops also had the highest share of workers selecting “amazing,” at 72.64%.

The lower end of the positive rankings included fast food and cashier restaurants at 80.30% and in-home care at 73.14%. The highest negative response rates came from tobacco, e-cigarette and marijuana stores at 13.34%, animal health at 13.07%, and care facilities at 11.55%.

Rhode Island led state rankings

Rhode Island scored a 100% positive rating in Deputy’s state results. The survey narrative pointed to tight labor markets and strong hospitality and tourism industries as possible reasons for the state’s showing.

Alaska ranked second at 95.35%, followed by Hawaii at 92.89%, according to Deputy. The highest negative ratings came from Arkansas at 12.68%, New Hampshire at 12.31%, and the District of Columbia at 11.11%.

By generation, Alpha workers posted the highest positive score at 88.88%, Deputy said. Gen Z, defined in the survey as people born from 1997 through 2012, followed at 78.42% and made up the largest segment of the shift-based workforce.

Deputy also flagged a rise in workers who described their jobs as merely “okay.” That response reached 15.2% and was the fastest-growing category in the survey.

The survey said morale tends to hold up when employers focus on dependable schedules, fair pay and appreciation. It also said workers can drift toward neutral feelings or leave roles when those needs are not addressed.

This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.