New Award Spotlights Frontline Workers, Tackles Widening AI Divide

LAS VEGAS – April 23, 2026 – In a move to address a long-overlooked segment of the labor force, Great Place To Work today announced the launch of a new U.S. recognition: the Best Workplaces for Frontline Workers™ list. Unveiled at the Great Place To Work For All Summit, the initiative aims to put the experiences of hourly and shift-based employees at the forefront of what defines a premier workplace.

Frontline workers—the people who interact directly with customers, build products, and maintain the essential services that power daily life—represent an estimated 70% to 80% of the global workforce. Yet, they often face a significant experience gap compared to their corporate counterparts. The new list, based entirely on confidential survey feedback from these employees, seeks to spotlight the companies actively working to close that divide.

“Frontline workers are the backbone of every business and every economy,” said Great Place To Work CEO Michael C. Bush during the announcement. “When these employees are left out — whether that’s AI access, career growth, or simply being heard — it’s not just a people problem. It’s a business problem. This list exists to recognize the companies that understand that, and to hold up a standard for everyone else.”

A Recognition for the Unsung Workforce

Despite their critical role, frontline teams have historically been underserved in areas like career development, scheduling flexibility, and inclusion in company culture. This disparity is not just a perception. A recent survey from HR solutions firm UKG, which acquired Great Place To Work in 2021, found that nearly half (47%) of frontline workers believe their organization fosters two distinct cultures: one for them and another for everyone else.

The Best Workplaces for Frontline Workers™ list is designed to challenge that status quo. The methodology behind the recognition is rooted in Great Place To Work's established Trust Index™ Survey, a 60-question assessment measuring employee perceptions of credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie. To earn a spot, companies must demonstrate that their frontline employees report consistently positive experiences.

This new recognition joins a landscape where a few other awards, such as the Top Workplaces for Frontline Workers award from Energage, have begun to highlight this workforce segment. However, Great Place To Work leverages its 30-year history as a global authority on workplace culture and a robust, data-driven methodology to set a new benchmark. The list will recognize 100 large companies (1,000+ employees) and 50 medium-sized companies (200-999 employees) that excel in providing predictable schedules, meaningful work, and genuine opportunities for advancement.

Mind the Gap: Bridging the Frontline AI Divide

A pressing issue the new recognition hopes to address is the growing “AI divide” within organizations. A new global survey from Great Place To Work reveals a stark disconnect: while 83% of executives believe their company’s communication about AI is clear, only 37% of frontline workers agree. The gap in access is just as telling, with 82% of executives stating their company provides AI tools, a sentiment shared by only 48% of frontline managers.

Independent research corroborates this trend. A Boston Consulting Group report found that while 82% of leaders use generative AI regularly, only 43% of frontline workers do, and a mere 28% receive adequate AI training. This creates a two-tiered system where those closest to the customer and operational execution are the least equipped with transformative technology.

Jennifer Morgan, CEO of UKG, who joined Bush for the announcement, emphasized the urgency of closing this gap. “They are the windowpane to every organization’s customers, patients, guests, constituents, products, and overall business,” Morgan stated. “They safeguard revenue, healthcare, and essential services — yet they are often left out of employee experience and AI conversations. That’s exactly why we need to start defining what ‘great’ looks like for frontline workers.”

Interestingly, data suggests that when frontline workers do get access to AI, the benefits are tangible. A UKG study found that frontline employees who use AI are less burned out than their colleagues who do not. This indicates that AI, when implemented equitably, can be a powerful tool for improving job satisfaction and efficiency, rather than simply a threat of job replacement.

The Business Case for Investing in the Frontline

Beyond ethics and equity, there is a powerful business case for prioritizing the frontline experience. Great Place To Work’s extensive research has consistently shown that companies that earn its certification—a prerequisite for making the new list—outperform their peers. Certified companies have demonstrated stronger financial performance, lower employee turnover, and higher levels of productivity.

UKG’s strategic involvement underscores this connection between culture and performance. The company’s AI-powered Workforce Operating Platform is designed to unify HR, payroll, and workforce management, providing real-time insights that help organizations bridge the gap between executive intent and the lived experience of their frontline teams. By integrating GPTW’s cultural benchmarks with its operational technology, UKG aims to provide a holistic solution for not just measuring but actively improving the frontline work environment.

The new list will serve as a public benchmark, holding up companies that successfully invest in their hourly workforce as models for others. Rankings will be determined by hourly employees’ responses to questions on leadership, respect, pay, and advancement, making it a recognition driven entirely by the voice of the frontline.

“The best companies already know that when you invest in the people on the front lines, performance follows,” Bush concluded. “This list is our way of proving it — and making it impossible to ignore.”

The inaugural Best Workplaces for Frontline Workers™ list is scheduled for publication on January 14, 2027. Companies must hold an active Great Place To Work Certification by September 18, 2026, to be considered.