New report highlights gaps that employers need to address with their frontline staff
Frontline employees report stronger day‑to‑day respect and leadership than office staff, yet are far more anxious about job security, benefits, and the impact of technology, according to new research from leadership advisory firm idealis.
The survey of more than 5,000 workers shows frontline workers experience what the report calls a "striking paradox." They feel valued interpersonally but lack the structural protections that would back that up.
On core questions of dignity and respect, the report found that 84% of frontline workers are treated with dignity at work, versus 70% of non-frontline workers.
Another 82% said they feel respected by people they interact with at work, compared with 76% among office-based staff.
Leadership ratings were also higher: 72% of frontline respondents agreed their manager is an effective leader, compared with 60% of non-frontline employees.
"When you want to understand the culture of an organisation, you don't start in the boardroom, you start on the frontline," said Sumona De Graaf, founder and CEO of idealis, in a statement.
"What we see in this research is that frontline workers often experience real dignity and strong leadership, even as they worry about what comes next."
Concerns of frontline workers
According to the report, 63% of frontline workers said they are worried about their current employment situation.
While 89% rated health insurance as important, only 44% reported access to employer-provided medical coverage – a gap of 45 percentage points.
Concerns over technological disruption were also acute. The majority (85%) of frontline workers said they are worried about AI and technology displacing jobs in the US, compared with 78% of non-frontline staff.
Despite that anxiety, just 34% of frontline workers reported using AI in their day-to-day work, versus 67% of other employees.
"Frontline leaders demonstrate humanity at work more consistently than almost any other leadership cohort," De Graaf said.
"At the same time, the data shows clear gaps in job security, benefits, and AI preparation that leaders must address. You can't sustain dignity without addressing structural security."
The findings come amid a growing focus on frontline workers in recent years, a group that makes up an estimated 60% to 80% of the US workforce and interacts directly with customers, patients, products, and essential systems.
Recent studies have examined their mental health and the growing influence of artificial intelligence on their roles.
