Our latest State of the Frontline Workforce report offers a treasure trove of insights, spanning from the frontline employee experience to workers’ sentiments regarding the integration of AI. Among the more concerning findings, two-thirds of frontline workers reported experiencing work-related stress, marking a 5% increase from 2023.
Here’s what we found:
Identifying top stressors
With the cost of living outpacing the growth in salaries and wages, many frontline workers are feeling the crunch. Near one in three (30%) of those polled responded that their income doesn’t cover their living expenses, raising awareness of the financial challenges many deskless workers face.
It’s not always possible to provide pay increases, but alternative methods exist to support frontline staff. For example, employee assistance programs (EAPs) can provide resources such as short-term counseling, basic legal assistance, and financial advice. The idea being to nip personal stressors in the bud before they interfere with work performance.
Flexibility empowers workers
It’s not all doom and gloom. There has been some improvement in stress levels relating to schedule flexibility. In 2023, 41% of frontline workers experienced stress due to a lack of scheduling flexibility, but this year, that number dropped to only 11%. This improvement could be thanks to advancements in tech, making it easier for staff to swap or pick up shifts and seamlessly request schedule changes.
Bulldoze communication barriers
Poor communication between management and employees ranked third among work-related stress factors for frontline workers. Additionally, 75% expressed dissatisfaction with the tech provided for their job tasks, indicating room for improvement. Organizations currently rely on text messaging and apps including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Snapchat to communicate with staff.
Better communication can significantly improve employee satisfaction and increase retention. Consolidating all contact between management and frontline workers in one platform ensures nothing is overlooked.
Quinyx Frontline Portal, for instance, offers a user-friendly interface where frontline staff can access all communications, task assignments, and company updates in one central location. By streamlining communication and task management, frontline workers stay connected, informed and engaged, easing stress and cultivating a sense of belonging.
Wellbeing across age groups
Some food for thought is that Gen X and Baby Boomers (26%) report preferring a less stressful work environment than Gen Z and Millennials (19%). This could stem from the distinction between life stages; Gen X and Baby Boomers, who might have families to provide for or are nearing retirement, value a less pressured work atmosphere, while Gen Z and younger Millennials may prioritize a more fast-paced corporate culture with opportunities for career development.
Takeaways
While financial burdens and long hours emerge as some of the greatest stressors for frontline workers, offering schedule flexibility and accommodating generational preferences lays the foundation for a more positive frontline employee experience.
Effective communication is key to your organization running like a well-oiled machine. Streamlining contact between managers and employees through a centralized platform keeps workers engaged and in the know, fostering a stress-free environment where every voice is heard and valued.
Learn more about the health of the frontline workforce in the full State of the Frontline Workforce report.
