How to fix the cracks in frontline communications

The organizational lethargy problem

As well as revealing the huge economic cost of a disconnected frontline, Unily’s recent research painted an equally worrying picture with regards to information speed.

On average, it takes 4.5 days for frontline workers to receive important information. If we drill down by sector, this stretches to 7.38 days in telecommunications. That’s a whole week lost before key updates reach the people who are often at the heartbeat of operations.

It appears that frontline workers are the most critical yet least connected members of the workforce. This lethargy can be costly – in terms of operational efficiency, health and safety, and the bottom line.

Disconnected and disengaged:

The economic cost of frontline friction

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The link between comms and the customer experience

One of the biggest issues is the inability (or unwillingness) of businesses to take in frontline insights. With less than a quarter (24%) of employees saying their feedback is heard by leadership, there’s a huge opportunity for the customer experience to be improved.

It’s something employees themselves are aware of – 28% believe that a better way for them to share best practices would improve the customer experience.

This is backed up by a McKinsey study which shows that organizations which actively listen and act on recommendations from frontline employees are 80% more likely to implement new and better ways of doing things.

Here are a few key steps businesses should take:

• Ensure the C-Suite communicate strategy more effectively – and in ways that resonate at the frontline level. This means using the right channels, the right tone, and using analytics to understand what workers prefer.
• Facilitate feedback from the ground. Enable two-way communication that enables employees to interact directly with HQ and with others around the business.
• Deliver messaging that’s personalized and role-relevant. 28% of our respondents said they wanted this – and the benefits go both ways. By tailoring communications to different audiences, organizations stand a far better chance of engaging their people and aligning them to the company strategy.

Connecting employees to the bigger picture shouldn’t be seen as a soft HR or IC initiative – it’s very clearly a hard business imperative.

Practical ways to enhance frontline communications

To bridge this communications gap, organizations need to reimagine how they provide information, leveraging tools that cater to the needs and realities of frontline work. Here are some steps you can take.

1. Adopt a modern Employee Experience Platform

For frontline-heavy enterprises, a modern EXP is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity. These serve as centralized hubs where frontline workers can access critical updates, policies, training materials, and announcements – all with the same ease they’re used to as consumers. EXPs are mobile-first, personalized, and often include AI-powered search, making it easy for employees to find what they need in real-time. They can also integrate with existing systems, reducing friction and enhancing productivity.

As well as improving the employee experience, an EXP can also enhance the customer one. This is because it enables that all-important two-way communication, allowing employees to provide valuable feedback from the frontline.

2. Utilize digital screens

Digital signage remains a highly effective tool to keep frontline employees informed. It provides people with real-time information in a way that’s visual and impossible to miss. Interestingly, 29% of our respondents said the use of digital signage would stop them from using unsanctioned tools, showing the value in of incorporating this within your communications toolkit.

It can also make a big difference in emergency situations. Our study showed that 35% of frontline workers believe their organization’s method of communicating critical or emergency information (such as weather warnings) was ineffective. The numbers were even higher in in industries such as manufacturing (42%) and telecoms (50%).

“It’s imperative that every worker, from head office to factory floor, gets the right information at the right time. Unily’s new research shows that’s not happening right now and there’s a problematic disparity between the desked and the deskless. Digital screens meet employees where they are – and in critical moments that can make all the difference.”

Mark McDermott, CEO, ScreenCloud

3. Leverage micro-content for impactful communication

Frontline employees often work in time-constrained settings, which means traditional long-form communications need rethinking. One option to consider is micro-content – short videos, infographics, and push notifications – to deliver key messages in digestible formats.

Bite-sized content, delivered via the frontline app, respects employees’ time while still conveying important updates, making it more likely that messages will stick and be acted upon.

The key takeaway

At a time of constant change, businesses need their people to move fast. It’s simply not acceptable for frontline workers to be waiting a week to find out important updates, and the data shows that it’s an issue draining tens of billions of dollars every year.

Through a mix of modern technology and a shift in mindset – where speed and consumer-grade experiences are prioritized – enterprises can ensure that frontline communication is given the mission-critical importance it deserves.

Ultimately, this will fuel a better experience for your employees, your customers – and your bottom line.

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