The State of the Frontline Workforce

Since Day 1 I’ve been driven by the same idea: “How can we give frontline workers the tools they need to make their day-to-day life easier and better?”

The very first iteration of Quinyx started with employee functionality, and our ethos has always been to come at everything we do from the employee perspective. When we say we put the frontline first, we mean it. It’s part of our DNA.

It’s why we take the time each year to find out what matters to the frontline workforce. What do they want, what do they need, and, crucially, what would improve their work-life balance?

Now in its fourth year, our State of the Frontline Workforce report puts frontline workers in the spotlight and highlights how the frontline - the unsung heroes of our economy - really feel about work.

Once again, the insight we received from more than 13,000 frontline workers across the globe is fascinating. 

For me, one thing that leapt off the page when I was reading the report was that lack of scheduling flexibility is the number one stress trigger for the frontline. This stat becomes even starker when viewed in the context of frontline workers facing a tech overwhelm (with the amount of apps and digital tools they use in the workplace), but nearly 80% not having access to an app for swapping shifts.

Being able to do something simple like swap shifts might seem like something small but, think of it like this, when was the last time you missed a birthday? Or a celebration? Or your kid’s ball game? When you work 9-5 in an office Monday to Friday, it’s easy to take being there for these kinds of events as a given. But, for frontline workers, the stark reality is very different - over 40% have no say over their work schedules, and 45% report that their work schedule caused them to miss family and social events or holiday celebrations because they have to work on weekends or in the evenings.

And this is a problem because frontline worker churn is one of the biggest issues right now for frontline organizations. It’s easy to see things like pay rises, or bonuses, or perks as the magic bullets for retention and engagement. But they aren’t enough. 

The key to unlocking the full potential of the frontline workforce lies in addressing the issues that matter most to them. 

With a holistic approach to managing and engaging the frontline - which includes streamlining communication and technology, offering genuine opportunities for career growth, fostering a culture of recognition, and prioritizing work-life balance - your business will thrive.  

You can create a comprehensive, supportive, and empowering environment for your frontline workers by investing in initiatives that address their desire to expand their skills and grow within their careers, by implementing technology that silences the noise of an overcrowded and messy tech environment and scheduling automation that reduces stress and provides work-life balance. 

In doing so, you’ll reap the rewards of a reinvigorated and re-engaged workforce. 

Because, when work just works, everyone wins.

If you’d like to get a copy of the report for yourself, you can access it here.