Will AI replace Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale?

Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 60 official task statements scored for Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale (United Kingdom, SOC 7132), 28% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 39 out of 100 (range 34–45, band: low). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.

Which tasks in “Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale” can AI already do?

The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Generate inventory reports to manage stock levels” (93/100, very high); “Reorder stock when stock levels drop to a specified level” (93/100, very high); “Forecast levels of demand for services and products” (93/100, very high). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.

Which tasks in “Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale” stay human?

About 62% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Clean and organise shelves and displays” (0/100, minimal); “Maintain a high standard of visual merchandising, preparing garments for sale or presentation” (0/100, minimal); “Conduct stocktakes to verify supply levels in retail and service environments” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.

What should someone working in “Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale” do about AI?

Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 28% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 62% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.

How is the AI exposure score for Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale calculated?

Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 60 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

UK dataswitch to US

Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale

allocating work to staff to maximise productivity and resource, using competitor and marketing analysis to identify opportunities to improve/increase sales performance and developing merchandise displays and advertising copy to boost sales and customer engagement. If that's your week, this page is about your job.

The honest answer

AI is already taking a real slice of the routine work here: generating inventory reports to manage stock levels. That is a slice of tasks, not of you.

Your move: what you can actually do about this ↓

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 28%
changing shape: 10%
staying human: 62%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

Whole-job exposure score 39 out of 100 (34–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, across 60 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.

How we know this

What is measured: Every published task statement for sales supervisors - retail and wholesale is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

That slice is not coming back; the core of the job, selling various merchandise items to retail customers, stays yours. New tools, same person answering for it.

Your week, as this page understands it

Sales supervisors oversee operations and directly supervise and coordinate the activities of sales and related workers in retail and wholesale establishments. The job title says “sales supervisors - retail” or “wholesale”: officially one job, two names. The real job is the part underneath: selling various merchandise items to retail customers. That is the thing someone has to be right about.

The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But sales supervisors - retail and wholesale is not one task. It is 60 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is selling various merchandise items to retail customers, and the ledger below shows exactly why.

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 28%
changing shape: 10%
staying human: 62%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

How we know this

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

Your job, task by task

These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.

One row is marked low confidence, so treat it as a ballpark rather than a fine measurement.
30 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Shifting to AI

18 tasks

Tasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.

Generating inventory reports to manage stock levels
This is reading one thing and writing another: inventory reports in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Generate inventory reports to manage stock levels.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Pulling stock figures into a report is exactly what till and stock systems already do automatically.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Reordering stock when stock levels drop to a specified level
This is reading one thing and writing another: stock in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Reorder stock when stock levels drop to a specified level.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Reordering when stock hits a set level is a simple rule that systems already run on their own.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Analysing and interpreting product and service sales information
This is reading one thing and writing another: product in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Analyse and interpret product and service sales information, making recommendations for future planning.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (71–79 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Sales analysis and the recommendations that follow are data work software does quickly and well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Preparing work schedules to optimise team productivity
This is reading one thing and writing another: work schedules in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Prepare work schedules to optimise team productivity.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (68–82 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Building a rota is a scheduling problem software solves, given the team's constraints.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Changing shape

6 tasks

Tasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.

Allocating work to staff to maximise productivity and resource
The software now makes the first pass at work, but the part that matters is a person saying it and standing behind it. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 90 · 7132/00
Source: “Allocate work to staff to maximise productivity and resource use.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 53 out of 100 (46–60 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Allocating work against skills and capacity is scheduling that software handles well, though people need to accept it.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Developing marketing strategies to enhance brand visibility and increase market share
The software now makes the first pass at strategies, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 75 · 7132/00
Source: “Develop marketing strategies to enhance brand visibility and increase market share.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 58 out of 100 (51–65 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Drafts come easily, but a strategy that fits this business needs commercial judgement.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Planning and coordinating advertising campaigns and sales promotions
The software now makes the first pass at campaigns, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 75 · 7132/00
Source: “Plan and coordinate advertising campaigns and sales promotions.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 49 out of 100 (42–56 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Plans draft easily, but coordinating a live campaign means working with several teams.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Staying human

36 tasks

Tasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.

Identifying customer needs and offering suitable services and products
This work happens in the physical world: customer needs, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 90 · 7132/00
Source: “Identify customer needs and offer suitable services and products.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 20 out of 100 (13–27 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Working out what a shopper wants usually happens face to face, though online tools already suggest products well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Ensuring customer service meets retail standards to enhance customer satisfaction
This work happens in the physical world: customer service meets retail standards, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 90 · 7132/00
Source: “Ensure customer service meets retail standards to enhance customer satisfaction.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 14 out of 100 (7–21 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Keeping service standards up means watching how staff and customers actually interact in store.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Providing excellent customer service by understanding the needs and expectations of customers
This work happens in the physical world: excellent customer service, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 90 · 7132/00
Source: “Provide excellent customer service by understanding the needs and expectations of customers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 11 out of 100 (4–18 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Good service here comes from reading the customer standing in front of you.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

Show the other 50 tasks

Forecasting levels of demand for services and products
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: levels of demand in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 75 · 7132/00
Source: “Forecast levels of demand for services and products.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Forecasting demand from past sales is a task computers already do better than most people.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Reviewing sales records to prepare reports for finance departments
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: sales records in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 75 · 7132/00
Source: “Review sales records to prepare reports for finance departments.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Turning sales records into a finance report is straightforward work software already automates.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Maintaining records of requisitions to track supply requests and fulfilment
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: records of requisitions in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 65 · 7132/00
Source: “Maintain records of requisitions to track supply requests and fulfilment.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Tracking requisitions is record-keeping that purchasing systems already do.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Recording customer orders in the sales database
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: customer orders in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 65 · 7132/00
Source: “Record customer orders in the sales database.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Typing orders into the sales system is routine keying that software already does straight from emails or order forms.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Recording details of purchases made by the company in the financial system
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: details of purchases made in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 60 · 7132/00
Source: “Record details of purchases made by the company in the financial system.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Entering purchases into the finance system is routine data work software handles well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Maintaining awareness of market trends in the retail industry
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: awareness of market trends in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Maintain awareness of market trends in the retail industry, understanding forthcoming customer initiatives and monitoring what competitors are doing.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 83 out of 100 (76–90 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Tracking competitors and market news uses public information software gathers and summarises well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 4/4.
Using competitor and marketing analysis to identify opportunities to improve/increase sales performance
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: competitor in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Use competitor and market analysis to identify opportunities to improve/increase sales performance.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (71–79 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Comparing competitor and market data to spot sales opportunities is desk research software does well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Monitoring the stock management system to minimize costs and maintaining business standards
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: the stock management system in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 75 · 7132/00
Source: “Monitor the stock management system to minimize costs and maintain business standards.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (71–79 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Stock systems already flag problems automatically, leaving the manager to act on the exceptions.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Formulating pricing policies for merchandise based on profitability requirements
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: policies in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Formulate pricing policies for merchandise based on profitability requirements.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (68–82 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Setting prices from cost and margin figures is calculation and analysis software does well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Maintaining records of work hours to manage staff schedules
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: records of work hours in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Maintain records of work hours to manage staff schedules.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (68–82 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Recording hours and building rotas is largely handled by scheduling software already.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Preparing budgets for financial planning
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: budgets in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Prepare budgets for financial planning.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (71–79 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Budget preparation from known figures is routine numerical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Creating guidelines for cash and crediting management
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: guidelines in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Create guidelines for cash and credit management.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 66 out of 100 (59–73 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Cash and credit rules follow well-known templates that software can draft for a manager to approve.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Setting credit limits
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: credit limits in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Set credit limits.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 66 out of 100 (59–73 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Credit limits follow scoring rules software already applies, with a supervisor confirming the figure before it goes live.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Overseeing the use of technology in line with business policy
shifting to AI
This is reading one thing and writing another: the use of technology in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Oversee the use of technology in line with business policy, identifying and recommending improvements.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (57–71 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Reviewing how technology is used and suggesting improvements is desk-based analysis.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Checking that advertisements and labels accurately describe the properties of the products
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at advertisements, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 65 · 7132/00
Source: “Check that advertisements and labels accurately describe the properties of the products.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 49 out of 100 (42–56 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Checking that labels and adverts match the product is document comparison software does reliably.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Coordinating and overseeing the program of work
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at the program of work, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 75 · 7132/00
Source: “Coordinate and oversee the program of work, ensuring all tasks are completed within the designated time frame and allocated resources.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 48 out of 100 (41–55 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Planning who does what by when, within time and budget, is scheduling work software handles well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Implementing communication strategies to keep all stakeholders
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at communication strategies, but the part that matters is a person saying it and standing behind it. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Implement communication strategies to keep all stakeholders informed, engaged, and involved.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 40 out of 100 (33–47 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Drafting helps a lot, though keeping people genuinely engaged depends on the person doing it.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Recommending personnel actions, such as promotions, transfers and dismissals
staying human
The ratings behind this row put personnel actions well outside what today's tools can do on their own.
importance 75 · 7132/00
Source: “Recommend personnel actions, such as promotions, transfers, and dismissals.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 37 out of 100 (30–44 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: A draft is easy, but the judgement rests on knowing the individual and their record, which is not written down.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Implementing departmental policies and procedures
staying human
The ratings behind this row put departmental policies well outside what today's tools can do on their own.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Implement departmental policies and procedures.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 37 out of 100 (30–44 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Software can write the procedure, but getting a team to actually follow it takes a manager.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Implementing departmental goals and objectives with organisation officials
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles departmental goals and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 75 · 7132/00
Source: “Implement departmental goals and objectives with organisation officials.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 35 out of 100 (28–42 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Goals can be drafted automatically, but agreeing them with senior colleagues is a discussion between people.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Developing strategies to promote business with company officials
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles strategies and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Develop strategies to promote business with company officials.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 35 out of 100 (28–42 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Winning support from company officials depends on relationships.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Coordinating the work of the team to ensure consistent brand/business standards
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles the work of the team and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 85 · 7132/00
Source: “Coordinate the work of the team to ensure consistent brand/business standards are delivered.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 30 out of 100 (23–37 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Software can plan and track the work, but keeping a team to standard relies on the supervisor.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Supervising staff in their daily tasks to ensure efficiency and compliance
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles staff and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 85 · 7132/00
Source: “Supervise staff in their daily tasks to ensure efficiency and compliance.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 30 out of 100 (23–37 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Task lists and checks can be automated, but day-to-day supervision means being with the team.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Carrying out administrative or managerial functions
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles administrative or managerial functions and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Carry out administrative or managerial functions, such as taking responsibility for a team's staff, budget, planning, or long-term objectives.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 30 out of 100 (23–37 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Budgets and plans are paperwork, but running a team still rests on the manager.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Developing merchandise displays and advertising copy to boost sales and customer engagement
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: merchandise displays, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Develop merchandise displays and advertising copy to boost sales and customer engagement.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 29 out of 100 (22–36 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Software writes decent advert copy, but building the display in the shop is manual.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Managing inventory through effective stock control and merchandising processes
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: inventory, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Manage inventory through effective stock control and merchandising processes.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 29 out of 100 (22–36 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Stock figures can be managed on screen, but merchandising means moving goods around the shop.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Authorising payments and merchandise returns
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: payments, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 7132/00
Source: “Authorise payments and merchandise returns.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 28 out of 100 (21–35 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Authorising a refund is a judgement someone at the till usually has to make and own.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Leading the team to achieve and exceed business objectives through forward planning and evaluation
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles the team and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Lead the team to achieve and exceed business objectives through forward planning and evaluation.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 24 out of 100 (17–31 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Planning can be drafted with software; leading people towards the plan cannot.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Monitoring the quality of the service to customers
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: the quality of the service, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Monitor the quality of the service to customers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 24 out of 100 (17–31 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Some service quality shows up in data, but much of it is seen by walking the floor.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Supervising stock management and cash receipt reconciliation
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: stock management, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Supervise stock management and cash receipt reconciliation.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 24 out of 100 (17–31 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Reconciliation is routine software work, but supervising stock and takings happens on the shop floor.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Meeting financial targets
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles financial targets and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 75 · 7132/00
Source: “Meet financial targets.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 21 out of 100 (9–33 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, low confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Hitting a sales target depends on what the team and customers actually do, not on producing a document.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Monitoring and enforcing compliance with safety rules and regulations in a workplace
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: compliance, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Monitor and enforce compliance with safety rules and regulations in a workplace.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 21 out of 100 (14–28 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Spotting unsafe practice usually means watching what people do in the shop, not reading a report.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Resolving customer complaints to maintain customer satisfaction
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: customer complaints, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 7132/00
Source: “Resolve customer complaints to maintain customer satisfaction.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 20 out of 100 (13–27 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Unhappy customers in a shop are usually dealt with in person, though systems can suggest a fair resolution.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Training personnel in sales or marketing establishments
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: personnel, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 7132/00
Source: “Train personnel in sales or marketing establishments.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 20 out of 100 (13–27 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Training shop staff is mostly done alongside them, though written and online material covers the basics.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Activelying support team members to maximise potential in their role and identifying opportunities for development
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles support team members and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 85 · 7132/00
Source: “Actively support team members to maximise potential in their role and identify opportunities for development.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 18 out of 100 (14–22 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Developing colleagues depends on knowing them and earning their confidence over time.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Directing employees in sales and specific service tasks
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles employees and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 85 · 7132/00
Source: “Direct employees in sales and specific service tasks.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 18 out of 100 (11–25 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Directing staff day to day depends on the manager's standing with them.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Managing and motivating teams to increase sales
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles teams and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 85 · 7132/00
Source: “Manage and motivate teams to increase sales.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 18 out of 100 (14–22 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Motivating a sales team depends on trust built with those people.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Managing sales team to achieve sales targets
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles sales team and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 85 · 7132/00
Source: “Manage sales team to achieve sales targets.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 18 out of 100 (14–22 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Leading a sales team to hit targets depends on relationships and motivation only a person can carry.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Investigating and addressing performance issues within the team
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles performance issues within the team and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Investigate and address performance issues within the team, adhering to professional standards.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 18 out of 100 (11–25 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Notes and procedures can be drafted, but tackling someone's performance depends on the working relationship with that person.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Coaching and empowering teams to deliver first-class retail performance
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: teams, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 7132/00
Source: “Coach and empower teams to deliver first-class retail performance.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 14 out of 100 (7–21 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Getting a team to perform depends on a manager they know and see every day.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Examining merchandise to identify items
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: merchandise, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Examine merchandise to identify items to be reordered or replenished.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 14 out of 100 (7–21 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Reorder levels can be calculated, but looking over the merchandise means being there.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Promoting a culture that upholds dignity
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles a culture and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 70 · 7132/00
Source: “Promote a culture that upholds dignity, diversity, and inclusion.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 13 out of 100 (9–17 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Culture is set by how a manager behaves with people day to day.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Demonstrating knowledge of the organization's brand values and core values in service delivery
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: knowledge of the organization's brand values, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Demonstrate knowledge of the organization's brand values and core values in service delivery.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 11 out of 100 (4–18 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Showing what the brand stands for happens through how staff behave with customers in person.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Leading and motivating a team to deliver exceptional customer service
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: a team, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 7132/00
Source: “Lead and motivate a team to deliver exceptional customer service.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 9 out of 100 (5–13 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: A team is motivated by a manager they know and see, not by software.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Selling various merchandise items to retail customers
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: various merchandise items, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 90 · 7132/00
Source: “Sell various merchandise items to retail customers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 7 out of 100 (0–14 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Serving customers on the shop floor means being there with them.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Ensuring effective merchandising set up
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: effective merchandising set up, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 7132/00
Source: “Ensure effective merchandising set up, monitoring, and maintenance in own business area.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 7 out of 100 (3–11 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Setting up and tidying displays is physical work on the shop floor.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Greeting customers and promoting products in a retail setting
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: customers, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 7132/00
Source: “Greet customers and promote products in a retail setting.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 6 out of 100 (2–10 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Greeting shoppers and talking up products happens face to face in the shop.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Conducting stocktakes to verify supply levels in retail and service environments
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: stocktakes, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 7132/00
Source: “Conduct stocktakes to verify supply levels in retail and service environments.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Counting stock on shelves is done by walking the shop with a scanner.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Maintaining a high standard of visual merchandising
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: a high standard of visual, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 7132/00
Source: “Maintain a high standard of visual merchandising, preparing garments for sale or presentation.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Preparing and presenting garments means handling the actual stock.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Cleaning and organising shelves and displays
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: shelves, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 7132/00
Source: “Clean and organise shelves and displays.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cleaning and tidying shelves is physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

What this job pays, and how many people do it

Median pay: £29,200a year, before tax, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.ashe-t14, 2025 · ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
How we know this
Source: ashe-t14
Reference period: ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)
Rounding: Shown to the nearest £100. The exact published figure is in the downloadable dataset. We do not render pounds the survey cannot support.
People doing this job: 152,900in the UK, 2026.nomis-aps · Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period)This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.

What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.

Why this is shifting

The reason is boringly specific. Most of what is shifting here is reading one thing and writing another: inventory reports in, a record out. The rows above are exactly that shape: generating inventory reports to manage stock levels and reordering stock when stock levels drop to a specified level. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where various merchandise items get done. Which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.

Your move

Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend

Your week is splitting in two, and which half fills it is the whole question. Generating inventory reports to manage stock levels is going; selling various merchandise items to retail customers is not.

So, given all that: 28% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 10% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 62% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 60 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.

The occupation is an average and you are not, so the first job below is finding out where your own week actually sits.

This week: one thing

Print the task ledger above and put your own hours next to each row. Roughly, in pen, in one sitting. Then look at which group your hours actually pile up in. Twenty minutes, this week.

What you end up holding: your own week, on one page, sorted into what is shifting and what is not
How long it takes: about twenty minutes

If printing it isn’t practical: Read the rows off this page and write the same list on the back of an envelope. Same twenty minutes, same page, and it works just as well said out loud to someone who knows the job. The point is your hours next to the rows, not the paper it is on.

Over the next 90 days

Volunteer toward the durable end, visibly. Over the next ninety days put your hand up for the work in the bottom group (selling various merchandise items to retail customers) and let people see you doing it. Not a new project: the same job, with your mix deliberately tilted. The point is that when the rota or the reorganisation comes, the version of you people picture is the one doing the part that stays.

Over the next 12 months

Claim a specialism at the durable end and let the other end go. Over a year, deliberately become the person who handles selling various merchandise items to retail customers, and deliberately stop being the first choice for the rows in the top group. That trade costs something, because the exposed work is often the comfortable work. Decide it on purpose rather than by drift. Before you pay for anything, spend an hour with National Careers Service. It is free and government-funded, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.

The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them

I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.

I checked the 12 nearest UK occupations to sales supervisors - retail and wholesale (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was managers and directors in retail and wholesale: only about 32% of its durable work is work you already do. And on the numbers you do not need one. This job scores 39/100 here, with only 28% of the task list in the top band, and “allocate work to staff to maximise productivity and resource use” is not work that hands over cleanly. None of them beats deepening what you already have.

How that was checked: this job was compared against all 412 UK occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.

3 moves I checked and rejected

These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.

Managers and directors in retail and wholesale
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “ensure effective merchandising set up, monitoring, and maintenance in own business area”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 32% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: It is closer than most, and still not close enough: about 32% of that job's durable work is already yours, against the 35% I want to see before I will call something a route.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Hire services managers and proprietors
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “sell various merchandise items to retail customers”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 28% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: It is closer than most, and still not close enough: about 28% of that job's durable work is already yours, against the 35% I want to see before I will call something a route. And it is a narrow door: about 8,700 of those jobs against 152,900 of yours (ONS via Nomis), 6% as many seats.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Shopkeepers and owners - retail and wholesale
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “clean and organise shelves and displays”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 13% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 13% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on.
Look at that job’s page anyway →

What I’d stop worrying about

A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.

The headline number you read somewhere
The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 28% of its task weight, across 60 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.
The whole-job doom story
Nothing on this page says this job ends. It says the mix inside it moves. Half the rows above are unchanged or changing shape, and the plan is about which half your week sits in. That is a very different problem, and a solvable one.
Panic-buying a course
Do the twenty-minute sorting exercise first. Most people who buy a course before they have done it buy the wrong one, and the free services listed below will tell you the same thing without charging for it.
The “obvious” next job everyone suggests
I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.

If you run a team doing this job

If you run a team doing this job, the conversation you owe them is the one on this page, and sooner than feels comfortable. Show them the ledger rather than a reassurance: the rows moving toward the software are generating inventory reports to manage stock levels, and the rows that are not are where you want your people visible. Ask each of them to do the this-week move and bring the list to your next one-to-one. It turns a rumour into a piece of work, and it tells you which parts of your team's week are actually at stake. And say the thing out loud that a team lead usually leaves unsaid: a shrinking team is your exposure too, so do the move yourself as well.

You are reading the United Kingdom figures

The United States splits this work across more than one official group, of which First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.

Switch to the United States page →partial match

In US official statistics this job is counted as First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers. Pay and employment stay on this page’s own group; the task list and the scores do not cross over.

Your route through this

Where to go next, and what it costs

Free, and complete

The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.

In England:
National Careers Service
A free hour with a government-funded careers adviser is worth more than another evening of reading. In England that's the National Careers Service.
Free, government-funded
- Discover your skills and careers (the skills assessment)
In England:
National Careers Service - Find a course
Search what's actually running near you before you spend anything.
Free to search; individual courses vary
In England:
Free courses for jobs (Level 3 qualifications)
A free Level 3 qualification you already qualify for beats a paid course you don't need.
Free for eligible adults
In England:
Skills Bootcamps
Free, up to 16 weeks, and you get a job interview at the end. In England these are Skills Bootcamps - search what's running near you.
Free for eligible adults in England
- Skills Bootcamps - what they are and who can do them (DfE, Skills for Careers)
- Skills Bootcamps - JobHelp (DWP)
In Scotland:
My World of Work (Skills Development Scotland)
In Scotland it's My World of Work, from Skills Development Scotland.
Free, publicly funded
- Skills Development Scotland
In Wales:
Careers Wales
In Wales it's Careers Wales.
Free, Welsh Government-funded
In Northern Ireland:
Careers Service Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland it's the Careers Service on nidirect.
Free, Department for the Economy-funded

No Space for this job, but one for what is happening to it

Nothing Collab365 runs is built for sales supervisors - retail / wholesale, and we are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.

There is one that is not about a job title at all. The AI Authority is about being the person who directs these tools at work rather than the person they get compared to. That is worth saying here, because 28% of the work on this page is already inside what they can do.

Try The AI Authority free →

7 days free, no card needed. Explore up to 2 Spaces before you choose a plan: you pick a plan later, not now.

The AI Authority is a general community about working with AI, not a course for sales supervisors - retail / wholesale. You do not need it to act on anything here: the moves above cost nothing and stand on their own. The data on this page is the same either way.

Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for sales supervisors - retail / wholesale launches. Nothing else.

That did not look like an email address, so nothing was saved. Have another go below.

We could not save that. The fault is ours, not yours, and your address was not stored. Please try again later.

No Space for sales supervisors - retail / wholesale yet. Should there be one?

Collab365 Spaces is built by the same people as this site. We find the problems that AI and automation are creating inside one kind of work, then solve them as short courses, briefings and Blueprints. Each Space is the community too, so the research and the people doing your job are in the same place.

What a Space actually is, in full

Collab365 launches new communities where the need is real. If one for sales supervisors - retail / wholesale existed, with researched problems, courses and people in the same boat, would you want in?

Your email

We use your email address for one thing: to tell you if a Space for sales supervisors - retail / wholesale launches. We never sell it, never use it for unrelated marketing, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe. Our privacy policy has the full version.

This unlocks nothing. Every figure, every row and every step on this page is already yours, whether you fill this in or not.

No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.

Questions people ask about this job

Will AI replace Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale?: Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 60 official task statements scored for Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale (United Kingdom, SOC 7132), 28% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 39 out of 100 (range 34–45, band: low). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
Which tasks in “Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale” can AI already do?: The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Generate inventory reports to manage stock levels” (93/100, very high); “Reorder stock when stock levels drop to a specified level” (93/100, very high); “Forecast levels of demand for services and products” (93/100, very high). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
Which tasks in “Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale” stay human?: About 62% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Clean and organise shelves and displays” (0/100, minimal); “Maintain a high standard of visual merchandising, preparing garments for sale or presentation” (0/100, minimal); “Conduct stocktakes to verify supply levels in retail and service environments” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
What should someone working in “Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale” do about AI?: Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 28% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 62% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
How is the AI exposure score for Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale calculated?: Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 60 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

Where these numbers come from

About the data on this page

Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.
One row is marked low confidence, so treat it as a ballpark rather than a fine measurement.
The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
30 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Task statements: gaisi-indexProcessing: catalogue-bridge → ssc-relatedness-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
Task weights: gaisi-index (relatedness)
Scores: Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-05.
Pay and employment: ashe-t14 (ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025))nomis-aps (Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period))

Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.

The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.

The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.

How we score a job Download this release Look up another job

Using these figures?

Cite this

Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.

Plain text

Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).

BibTeX

@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
  title        = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
  author       = {{Collab365}},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
  note         = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}

Permalink

https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1

Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.