Poor communication leaves frontline staff excluded and underappreciated
Frontline employees across the world feel left out due to a lack of engagement from employers, a new report has found.
Findings from Workvivo revealed lack of recognition is the top reason why frontline employees feel they don't belong at their company.
One in five feel that they've never been recognised for their work. Others said they feel:
"Poor communication and engagement are negatively impacting frontline workers, making them feel underappreciated and like they don't belong," the report read.
The findings come despite frontline workers being regarded as the "backbone of every industry," who make up 80% of the global workforce, according to Workvivo.
It warned that this growing dissatisfaction among frontline staff can lead to attrition and turnover, negative employer and brand reputation, as well as poor customer service and experiences.
Gideon Pridor, chief storyteller at Workvivo, said organisations need to recognise frontline contributions in real time and communicate in ways that are relevant and accessible to improve frontline workers' experience.
"When employers meet these needs, they improve engagement and create a culture where everyone feels they belong," Pridor said in a statement.
One way to connect frontline staff to the rest of the organisation is by giving them access to the same information, such as key company documents and real-time updates.
"Bring frontline team members and cross-functional colleagues together by providing a shared employee experience platform that enables them to connect and communicate across the company," the report added.
Meanwhile, providing clear and visible paths for growth is also crucial, according to Pridor, as this was cited by frontline staff as the top factor that would make them feel valued at work.
But providing career growth does not automatically mean an office job, the report noted, as 37% of frontline employees said they wouldn't want a desk job if offered one.
"This is good news, considering how valuable and essential these roles are," the report read. "But in order to keep this experience and expertise in the field, businesses need to make sure frontline workers have room to grow in the way they want."
The inaugural Frontline Gap report from Workvivo by Zoom polled 7,550 frontline workers from all over the world and various industries, including aviation, food and beverages, manufacturing, healthcare, transport, retail, hospitality, and others.
