Growth beyond grind: What new Dayforce research reveals about workforce friction

If your workday sometimes feels like a never-ending obstacle course - moving goal posts, missing information, systems that don't talk to each other - you're not imagining it. In our latest global research report, Fighting workforce friction to power productivity, we set out to understand the true cost of friction: what's slowing people down, how it's impacting businesses, and what leaders can actually do about it.

Spoiler: This isn't just about the coffee machine acting up again.

At Dayforce, we believe organizations win when everyone gets to do the work they're meant to do. But too often, they're stuck wading through clunky processes, outdated tech, and change that's more confusing than clarifying. That's friction, and it's draining more than just people's patience.

Read the full report

Here's a look at some of the insights you can expect to find in the report.

What is workforce friction?

Friction is the hidden tax on productivity that shows up as duplicated work, long waits for answers, or tools that overpromise and underdeliver. It slows decisions, dulls agility, and chips away at morale. In our survey of more than 6,000 workers, managers, and executives across six countries, 88% said they experience at least one form of friction in their jobs, and 78% said processes are too complicated, which creates drag and kills momentum.

To help make sense of it all, we built the Dayforce Organizational Friction Index, a new way to quantify where and how friction shows up in a business. Think of it like a wellness check for your workforce. High friction? Time to investigate. Low friction? You're likely seeing stronger performance, faster pivots, and teams that spend less time untangling systems and more time doing meaningful work. Our Index found that in high-friction organizations, employees were 34% more likely to feel unmotivated and 19% less likely to have time for their most important work. That's more than a morale issue - it's a performance gap.

The four faces of friction

Our study specifically identified four types of friction employers need to remove to become more productive and agile.

1. Staffing friction

When someone's out, is there a plan or just a scramble? 66% of respondents said there's usually no one to step in when a colleague is absent. That leads to burnout, dropped balls, and a lingering sense of "just getting by." Contingent workers help fill the gap, with 93% of execs and managers saying they rely on them. But managing that workforce effectively is another story, as 40% of executives cite it as their top planning challenge. With better tools, this doesn't have to be such a heavy lift.

2. Agility friction

Upskilling and internal mobility are vital but often under-delivered. While 85% of executives say their training programs are effective, only 54% of workers agree. Even more telling is that only 27% of organizations use AI-powered skills tracking despite the clear need for smarter, personalized learning. Workers are asking for growth, but many employers just haven't built the pathways.

3. Change friction

Change is inevitable, but clarity is optional and often missing. Only 39% of respondents said their company is good at rolling out new initiatives, and just 25% trust senior leaders to manage change well. But here's the kicker: most organizations still rely on email as the primary communication channel, even for frontline teams who don't have inboxes. That's not just outdated, it's inequitable.

4. Technology friction

More tools don't always mean more progress. In fact, 69% of workers say their organization has too many platforms, and 66% say new technologies often slow them down. Without the right training, integration, or support, even the best tools can become just more noise.

What low-friction organizations do differently

Organizations that score low on friction aren't just lucky. They streamline systems, prioritize communication, and make internal mobility a reality. These efforts pay off in a big way, as we found that low-friction organizations were:

• 44% more likely to have employees who are open to change
• 52% less likely to say they have too many tools
• 25% more likely to say skill development is barrier-free

These aren't minor advantages, but cultural differentiators.

What now?

Reducing friction isn't about piling on another system or program. It's about removing the blockers that stop people from doing their best work.

Here are five ways to start:

• Get smarter about workforce intelligence: Use AI-powered tools to match labor to demand and prevent staffing gaps before they hit.
• Put career growth in the flow of work: Don't make development something people have to chase. Build it into everyday systems.
• Communicate change like it matters: Focus on the "how," not just the "why," to reach everyone, not just those with inbox access.
• Simplify the tech stack: Ditch the patchwork and aim for integrated tools that people actually know how to use.
• Let people do the work they're meant to do: Automate more repetitive admin tasks to free up focus for the work that matters most.

Final thoughts

Friction is real, but it's not inevitable. With the right mindset and the right tools, organizations can reduce the drag and accelerate what matters: agility, innovation, and meaningful work.

Curious how your organization stacks up and where you can make the biggest impact?

Read the full report