Without frontline workers, the economy would come to a screeching halt.
These employees — ranging from factory workers to healthcare aids, store clerks, delivery drivers, waiters and customer service agents — comprise about 80% of the workforce. But they often are taken for granted.
For example, in this digital era, while other employees use multiple AI-powered apps and a slew of technology platforms, frontline workers are often disconnected from their colleagues and their organizations.
A miniscule share of the technology budget (less than 2% by some estimates) goes to frontline workers. A Brandon Hall Group™ research study indicated that only 36% of organizations believe the frontline worker experience is very good or excellent; only 29% said the quality of digital tools for the frontline is very good/excellent.
Employers must do better — and not only with technology. Frontline workers also often lack the flexibility and opportunities they need to be fully engaged and do their best work. With employers facing a growing labor shortage in frontline roles, they must act now to create an equitable employee experience for this essential segment of the workforce.
The Frontline Worker Playbook
UKG, a leading HR tech provider that champions great workplaces, has developed a playbook to help companies build an equitable frontline worker experience. It’s a great resource, especially for employers who are just beginning to ramp up their efforts to better serve frontline workers.
To design a truly effective employee experience for frontline workers, organizations must first understand the key experiences that these individuals value most. The UKG playbook recommends focusing on:
- Flexibility: Frontline workers often juggle multiple responsibilities, including family commitments and personal obligations. Providing them with flexible work arrangements, such as adaptable schedules or the option to swap shifts, can significantly enhance their work-life balance and overall job satisfaction. Sample tip:
- Make requesting time off quick and easy, reduce time off approval times and allow employees to support one another through options such as time donations.
- Well-being: The physical and mental well-being of frontline workers is paramount. Organizations can support their well-being by offering resources for stress management, promoting healthy work environments and ensuring access to adequate healthcare benefits. Sample tip:
- Provide time for frontline manager training that teaches common standards for assessing employee well-being, developing emotional intelligence and responding to employees in crisis.
- Fair compensation: Frontline workers should be paid a living wage that reflects the value they bring to the organization. Transparent and equitable pay practices can foster trust and loyalty among employees. Sample tip:
- Track pay equity at different levels across the organization and regularly compare against industry standard benchmarks so you can proactively take action.
- Career development: Frontline workers, like all employees, aspire to grow and advance in their careers. Providing them with opportunities for skill development, training programs and clear career paths can boost their engagement and motivation. Sample tip:
- Define performance review and performance goal structures that fit the frontline workforce to connect employees with the value they bring to the wider organizational strategy.
- Meaningful work: A sense of purpose and meaning in one’s work is a powerful motivator. Organizations can cultivate this by clearly communicating the impact of frontline work on the company’s mission and goals, recognizing and rewarding outstanding performance and fostering a culture of appreciation. Sample tip:
- Coach and nudge managers to consistently share with their teams the positive impact their work is having on organizational business goals.
Understand the Frontline Experience
One of the gaps that Brandon Hall Group™ research found was management’s understanding of what frontline workers do each day and the barriers they face. Only 24% of organizations surveyed said they had a “detailed, specific understanding” of the frontline worker experience. The UKG playbook suggests several areas to evaluate before creating an action plan, including:
- Recruiting and onboarding:
- Do job listings for frontline roles clearly identify the value of these roles to the organization?
- Does the organization provide benefits options relevant to frontline employees?
- Scheduling:
- How easy is it for employees to swap a shift, claim an open shift or request coverage?
- How fairly are schedules distributed across the workforce and how sensitive is the company to people’s needs and preferences?
- Time:
- How much do time-tracking processes disrupt employees’ and managers’ ability to be successful in their roles?
- How often are employees asked about their workloads and how that is affecting their well-being?
- Pay:
- When do employees get access to their pay?
- How do we assess the fairness and competitiveness of our pay rates?
- Opportunity:
- What level of visibility do frontline workers have into career advancement opportunities?
- Do frontline workers have opportunities to learn new skills and grow over time?
Making the Business Case for Change
When HR or managers have strong insight into the frontline workers, they are in a stronger position to make the business case for change. The UKG playbook offers several proof points to use, including:
- Workers who feel supported through training and career development tend to stay with an organization longer. Key stat: 86% of people working at the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® plan to stay at their jobs.
- Developing the communication and leadership skills of frontline managers is critical. Key stat: Frontline managers comprise up to 60% of management positions and manage up to 80% of the workforce. Strong frontline leaders are critical to retaining frontline workers.
- Giving specific support to frontline employees proactively reduces several common compliance risk areas. Key stat: Employer fines and penalties due to non-compliance nearly doubled from 2018 to 2022 to $3.12 billion
Brandon Hall Group™ research shows employers are increasingly aware that they need to improve the employee experiences for the frontline — both workers and managers. Frontline development is the top priority for leadership and talent development for 2024. This is not an easy lift for many organizations, especially with so many other priorities on their plates. The UKG playbook is a valuable guide that provides specific strategies and actions in a concise and easy-to-use format. You can get the full report here.
About UKG
UKG is on a mission to inspire every organization to become a great place to work through HCM technology built for all. More than 80,000 organizations across all sizes, industries, and geographies trust UKG HR, payroll, workforce management and culture cloud solutions to drive great workplace experiences and make better, more confident people and business decisions. With the world’s largest collection of people data, work data and culture data combined with rich experience using artificial intelligence in the service of people, we connect culture insights with business outcomes to show what’s possible when organizations invest in their people. To learn more, visit ukg.com.
