The average frontline manufacturing worker spends 32 minutes per shift just looking for information. Multiply that across a year and it adds up to 130+ hours lost per employee – not because of machine downtime or absenteeism, but digital friction.
In fact, nearly 30% of workers say they’re wasting an hour or more per day this way. These aren't minor inefficiencies – they’re operational sinkholes.
And it gets worse.
Disconnected and disengaged:
The economic cost of frontline friction
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Manufacturing friction is leading to full stops
22% of frontline manufacturing workers report being unable to do their job for over an hour per shift due to poor access to resources.
For a 10,000 strong workforce, this would equate to over 528,000 hours of lost productivity each year – not because employees won’t work, but because they can’t. To bring this into sharper focus, it’s the equivalent working hours of 275 full-time employees.
When asked why they can’t access the info they need, the answers showed a state of organizational lethargy:
- “It takes too long” – 46%
- “It’s stored across too many systems” – 43%
- “I don’t know who to ask” – 43%
What we’re seeing is not just scattered data, but a scattered experience – a digital disconnect that leaves workers stranded.
This is systemic productivity crisis that HR, IT, and Internal Comms teams are all impacted by.
The impact on internal comms: inefficiencies can also lead to danger
It takes manufacturing frontline workers an average of 4.76 days to receive important company updates. This was the second-worst out of all the sectors surveyed, with only telecommunications workers taking longer.
In fact, 40% of manufacturing workers still rely on word of mouth to get updates. This reflects the context of a manufacturing environment, where digital access may be limited and in-person briefings are convenient.
However, today’s fast-moving world requires something more agile. Team meetings are restricted by time, location, and human flaws – meaning important details can be forgotten or miscommunicated. Those who aren’t present may miss them completely
Not only is this affecting the frontline’s ability to grasp company strategy – with 67% saying they don’t have a strong understanding – but it can also be dangerous.
42% of manufacturing workers say their company’s method of communicating emergency information is not good enough.
Often, frontline workers are the first to be impacted by things like weather emergencies or other unexpected events – but as the research shows, many companies still lack effective crisis communications channels.
This is especially prevalent in an industry like manufacturing where workers are likely to be outdoors or moving from location to location.
Organizations can close these gaps by investing in device-agnostic tools that deliver the same quality of digital experience as desk-based colleagues receive. Examples include mobile-first employee apps that deliver real-time, role-relevant alerts directly to workers.
At the same time, digital signage can play a powerful role in broadcasting urgent messages, with Mark McDermott, CEO at ScreenCloud stating:
“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.”
It’s no longer acceptable for essential messages to still be passed down the line – literally – in team huddles and lunchtime chats. That’s not just inefficient, it’s dangerous.
The impact on IT: a Shadow IT risk which is now a reality
Frustrated by slow, siloed systems, frontline workers are taking matters into their own hands:
- 83% of manufacturing frontline workers use unauthorized apps or tools to get work done
- 34% have shared sensitive information via unofficial channels
This isn't just a security risk — it’s a compliance nightmare waiting to happen. It’s also a clear signal that official systems aren’t meeting frontline needs.
To counter this, manufacturing firms should design digital experiences that are as fast and intuitive as the consumer apps workers already rely on – but crucially, these need to also have enterprise-grade security.
This is where governed employee experience platforms come into their own. Ones which are specifically designed for the needs of manufacturing firms are able to bring communication and collaboration into a secure, centralized space.
They eliminate the need for Shadow IT by giving employees what they’re looking for: real-time messaging, easy access to critical updates and a mobile-first experience. But it can also have enterprise-grade security. Some of the things IT teams should look for include:
- Secure data flows
- Granular permissions settings
- Full usage visibility
When it comes to enterprise IT, the employee experience isn’t about locking things down – it’s about opening the right doors in the right way.
The impact on HR: a costly talent treadmill
HR leaders in most industries know that retaining valuable frontline workers is tougher than ever – and replacing them can be expensive. But here’s what our research uncovered with regards to manufacturing workers:
- 31% feel stuck with no path forward
- 37% believe their corporate colleagues get better development opportunities
- 28% say poor retention is hurting culture
When workers feel disengaged like this, they leave. And that can lead to thousands in training and onboarding costs – as well as a loss of knowledge and overall morale.
So what would help these employees stay in their role?
Our research showed that:
- 40% would consider moving to a company with better compensation / benefits
- 39% would consider moving to a company with better growth opportunities
- 30% would consider moving to a company with a more modern digital workplace
While the first option is pretty much table stakes for any employee, the next two are clear indicators of how much thought these workers are putting into their career decisions. It also indicates that the level of tech sophistication they get as consumers needs to be matched within their digital workplace.
This was backed up by the responses we received when we asked what they most want in an employee app. The top features for manufacturing workers were
- Ability to view and interact with company news and updates (39%)
- Ability to access employee services such as pay slips and booking holiday (33%)
Quick access to company documents (33%)
- Ability to instant message co-workers (29%)
The key takeaway
The manufacturing frontline are your first point of value – the hands that build, move, and ship your products. But without the right systems and support, they’re stuck in place.
By designing a frontline-friendly employee experience, manufacturers can prevent the productivity drain and start unlocking a better way of working.
It’s time to close the access gap – and reclaim the hundreds of thousands of hours lost to digital friction.
Download the exclusive research here
