By Amy Shabacker Dufrane
“Research tells us that nearly 90 percent of all organizations rely on frontline workers, and yet, very few organizations prioritize the needs of this workforce,” says Luke Fryer, CEO of Harri. When you reflect on this statement, its impact is weighty. Considered to be the unsung heroes of the workforce, frontline workers convey the employer’s brand experience in ways that are too numerous to list. Think about the patient orderly who helped your aunt in the hospital; the cheery server who made your family feel so welcome for a holiday meal; and the unflappable contact center rep who handled your air travel mishap with great aplomb.
Now, ask yourself: What unique programs have we developed to support this portion of our workforce?
If the answer is nothing specific, there’s work to be done. Whether hiring to meet seasonal demands or on an ongoing basis, employers must recognize what frontline workers are looking for in terms of culture, communication, technology and training as well as connection to the company. Some of these workers are deskless and operate with elevated levels of autonomy. Others are in remote locations such as retail stores with no solid line of connection back to headquarters. Their compensation might be hourly, lending to higher turnover for even a modest wage increase.
Before we explore the possibilities, let’s examine the basics required by frontline workers:
Workplace Safety: Many frontline workers experience unpredictable workplace conditions. For example, a visiting nurse might work in a patient’s home without advance notice of its exceptional circumstances. In contrast, their colleagues in the office or working from home do not experience this same unpredictability. Giving frontline workers the training, tools and working conditions that support physical and psychological safety is paramount to providing a positive environment.
Scheduling: Frontline workers rely heavily on shift scheduling, preferably with enough flexibility and advance notice to ensure their earning requirements are met. Sudden shift changes wreak havoc – for example, for the single parent who is balancing childcare – and damage employee engagement. We are well beyond the point in time when tacking paper schedules up in the break room will suffice. HR needs to make sure workers have online access to scheduling, preferably on mobile devices.
Communications: Speaking of mobile devices, many frontline workers aren’t sitting in front of a laptop, day in and day out. They don’t have LinkedIn profiles. They’re the busy grocery store clerks, big box cashiers and quick-serve restaurant workers. Sending lengthy emails with attachments will be ignored. Communicating company updates means sending a video they can watch off hours or texting vital information. And, since their manager isn’t usually apt to be within earshot, ensure the communications include helpful checklists with deadlines.
Fryer’s organization conducted research with CGA by NielsenIQ and found that 64 percent of frontline workers say emotional support is more important than it was pre-COVID. This percentage is staggering but not unexpected. Frontline employment is the portion of the workforce that bifurcated into those who lost their jobs during the pandemic (restaurant and hospitality workers) and those who continued on under the most extreme conditions (essential workers such as grocery and healthcare). In the return to “normal,” the psychological contract between employee and employer has been reset, as evidenced by the higher levels of voluntary resignations. That represents an opportunity for HR to address the redefined dynamic with service deliverables that engage frontline workers and help attract and retain qualified talent in this critical category. Consider these possibilities:
- Retailer Macy’s plans to fill more than 41,000 full- and part-time seasonal positions for the upcoming holiday season. Sporting goods leader Dick’s will hire 9,000 associates, with Target planning to add 100,000 and Walmart welcoming 40,000 additional associates. Although these are seasonal front-line positions, qualified talent pools are being created. As a result, talent acquisition teams can source experienced candidates who have already experienced the company’s culture first-hand.
- Macy’s is also extending “trust” benefits to frontline workers that can make a significant difference. First, the company has increased its hourly wage and added earned wage access. Second, Macy’s has changed its tuition-as-a-benefit approach by partnering with Guild Education to make college a reality without restrictions or upfront costs.
- Offering higher education benefits also tops the list for healthcare providers. A poll by the professional services firm Aon found that 51 percent of hospitals are ramping up their hiring practices to include tuition reimbursement (94 percent), flexible work options (78 percent), personal leave (74 percent) and financial wellness planning and support (72 percent) to attract and retain talent.
- The Johnson & Johnson Center for Health Work Innovation joined #FirstRespondersFirst, an initiative designed to support and sustain the health and well-being of frontline workers. Through this partnership, J&J worked to co-create content, tools and resources to improve the resilience and well-being needs of this frontline population to help spur systematic change amidst the conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Worker shortages, the “Great Resignation” and shifting population demographics are increasing the need to attract and engage frontline workers systematically. Industries that languished during the pandemic have rebounded with unprecedented velocity, creating an unparalleled fervor to address the opportunities. No organization can afford to ignore its frontline workers, putting HR in the position of being both strategic advisor and savvy tactician to design programs that make a difference.
