June 22, 2026 — U.S. businesses may be leaving operational inefficiencies, safety risks and process failures unresolved, not because workers aren't speaking up, but because their ideas aren't being heard.
New U.S. research from global technology company SafetyCulture, conducted in partnership with YouGov and based on a survey of 1,019 U.S. middle managers across frontline industries, shows that while workers regularly identify issues and suggest improvements, almost half are being left on the cutting room floor.
The latest Feedback from the Field report reveals that while most middle managers are actively submitting improvement ideas, only 54% of those say their ideas are implemented.
When these suggestions are not followed through, the impact is visible. 51% of managers say that inefficient or ineffective processes continue, leading to repeated mistakes, wasted time and unresolved issues.
Idea loss is weakening workplace feedback loops
The consequences also extend beyond operational inefficiency; the breakdown is also affecting employee behaviour.
When improvement ideas are not acted on, managers report that they:
- stop putting forward new ideas (38%)
- feel disempowered (38%)
- and are more likely to quit (25%)
Together, the data points to a weakening feedback loop inside organizations, where frontline insight is gradually reduced rather than reinforced. This means businesses lose not only operational improvements, but the visibility needed to prevent recurring issues from escalating.
Where frontline insight gets lost
Frontline employees are often the first to identify inefficiencies, risks and safety concerns because they are closest to day-to-day operations. However, Avril Henry, leadership expert and founder of Avril Henry & Associates, noted that frontline insight is often lost in layers of hierarchy, outdated processes and resistance to change.
Henry said, “In many organizations, ideas stall before they ever reach decision-makers. When employees repeatedly raise concerns without seeing action, people stop contributing altogether because they no longer believe their feedback will lead to change. Over time, that creates a serious risk for businesses, where the people closest to the problems do not feel heard.”
Tom Murdock, Global head of Go-to-Market, SafetyCulture, said: "Improving how organizations capture and act on frontline insight is one of the most overlooked drivers of performance. When employees can see their ideas moving forward and making a difference, it strengthens the feedback loop across the entire business. That's exactly what SafetyCulture is designed to do: give frontline teams a simple way to raise issues, track progress, and see outcomes, so the same problems stop resurfacing and leadership gets the visibility they need to make better decisions."
About the research
The study was conducted online by SafetyCulture in conjunction with YouGov from August–September 2025 with 1,019 U.S. middle managers aged 18+ in frontline industries (construction, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, transport/logistics).
About SafetyCulture
SafetyCulture is a global technology company that helps frontline teams find a better way of working. Its mobile-first workplace operations platform gives more than 2 million workers around the world the knowledge, tools and confidence they need to meet higher standards, work safely and improve every day.
Analysis by Forrester found SafetyCulture’s flagship products provide a 214% ROI and $3.6M in cost savings from operational improvements.
