Aptitude Research: 79% of hourly workers have abandoned applications; only 22% of employers respond to 90%+ of frontline applicants

Aptitude Research's Frontline Workforce Report 2026, sponsored by Workday and Brilliant, says frontline workers make up nearly 80% of US employment, more than 100 million people. 79% of hourly workers have abandoned an application because it took too long, and only 22% of employers respond to 90% or more of frontline applicants. 78% of workers have used an AI assistant or chatbot when applying, and 67% of them said it improved the experience. 60% of employers say talent acquisition or HR handles frontline hiring, and 74% use AI in frontline hiring.