The Benefits of Boosting Frontline Employee Engagement

There’s an old adage, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” While we don’t need to be head-over-heels in love with our work to find satisfaction in life, it’s important that we feel engaged in the work that we do.

When we’re engaged at work, we’re energized, creative, and eager to grow—and that’s a great thing, both for us and the people we work for. Unfortunately, frontline workers have been experiencing a systemic lack of engagement for a long time now.

Frontline workers are the deskless employees who physically show up to interact with the public and perform their jobs. Representing nearly 2 billion people worldwide, they are the backbone of economies around the world and the unsung heroes of industries like retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and hospitality.

In recent years, frontline workers have weathered severe labor shortages, chronic supply chain issues, and even a global pandemic. And now they’re burning out at an astounding rate. Despite renewed attention from business leaders, frontline workers continue to feel undervalued, resulting in many contemplated leaving their jobs. Clearly, something isn’t clicking.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the multifaceted nature of frontline employee engagement and share practical strategies organizations can use to keep their frontline workforce productive and engaged. By prioritizing employee satisfaction and well-being, everyone stands to benefit.

What is frontline employee engagement and why is it important?

Frontline employee engagement refers to the level of commitment, satisfaction, and emotional connection that frontline employees experience in their work. Employee engagement is influenced by four key factors:

Fulfillment and empowerment—or employees’ sense of purpose and the extent of influence they have over their work.
Trust in leadership—or employees’ confidence that their individual needs and feedback are taken seriously by management.
Learning and growth—or employees’ access to learning and development opportunities that enable them to progress in their careers.
Safety and wellbeing—or employees’ physical, mental, and emotional safety in the workplace.

When frontline employees are engaged, they go above and beyond their basic job requirements. They display passion, dedication, and a genuine desire to provide exceptional service. This is why—from a strategic standpoint—keeping your frontline workforce productive and engaged is so important.

Benefits of frontline employee engagement

Frontline employee engagement is a catalyst for unlocking the potential of your organization. With an engaged frontline workforce, businesses can cultivate a customer-centric company culture, drive business growth, and differentiate themselves in a competitive landscape.

Here are some of the primary benefits of prioritizing frontline employee engagement:

Enhanced customer satisfaction: Engaged frontline employees are more likely to establish meaningful connections with customers. They take the time to understand customers’ needs, stay up to date with industry trends, and provide personalized solutions. These positive interactions contribute to higher customer satisfaction.
Increased retention: Employee engagement is closely tied to employee retention. When frontline employees are engaged, they feel a sense of purpose, fulfillment, and enjoyment in their work. This satisfaction reduces their likelihood of seeking opportunities elsewhere and increases their commitment to the organization, leading to higher retention rates.
Greater productivity: Engaged employees are intrinsically committed to their work. They have a sense of enthusiasm for what they do, which drives them to put in extra effort and strive for excellence. This increased motivation translates into higher levels of productivity as engaged employees are willing to invest their time and energy into achieving team goals.
Improved brand reputation and resilience: Frontline workers have a direct impact on your brand’s reputation. Engaged employees deliver memorable experiences that create positive word-of-mouth and attract new customers. Additionally, when organizations go through periods of disruption, engaged employees are more committed to helping their employer navigate uncertainties and maintain stability.
More innovation and creativity: When frontline employees feel empowered and encouraged to share their perspectives, they become a valuable source of creativity and problem-solving. Plus, their unique perspective on customer interactions allows them to identify opportunities for improvement and drive innovation within the organization.

Practical ways to increase frontline employee engagement

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While the rewards of prioritizing employee engagement are certainly valuable—such as reduced turnover and increased productivity—it’s important to remember that our objective goes beyond business outcomes. The primary goal should be to cultivate a work community where every individual is acknowledged for their uniqueness, provided opportunities for success, and cared for in terms of their overall wellbeing.

By focusing on building a flourishing workforce, organizations can create a culture of fulfillment, purpose, and mutual support, benefiting both the individuals and the organization as a whole. This is why improving engagement in your frontline workforce must be a company-wide commitment—not a list of empty promises. Employee engagement is earned.

Here is some practical advice for increasing employee engagement and building trust with the frontline:

Prioritize work-life balance and wellbeing

Create a work environment that allows for work-life integration. Consider introducing alternative schedule options and mandatory time off.
Ensure employees never reach the point of overwhelm by building in numerous mental health fail-safes like mental health days and position redundancy.
Promote self-care practices that make sense in the frontline context. Ensure taking breaks is never penalized but systematized and encouraged.

Empower frontline workers with autonomy

Keep a close eye for signs that employees feel powerless. This could be the root of plummeting motivation and productivity.
Avoid the trap of micromanaging and cleanly delegate responsibilities.
Demonstrate to employees that their opinions and expertise matter by involving them in problem-solving and decision-making.
Simplify processes, unify communication tools, and ensure frontline employees are connected to essential company resources so they can be more effective.

Set up open communication channels

Mend any disconnection between leadership and the frontline by regularly connecting for feedback or knowledge-sharing sessions.
Implement a digital employee experience platform designed for two-way communication and encourage open dialogue.
Empower employees to voice their ideas, concerns, and suggestions by creating feedback loops between frontline workers and management.
Build trust by following through on feedback coming from the frontline.

Facilitate learning and development

Address frontline employees’ number one reason for leaving their jobs by providing relevant, meaningful learning and development opportunities.
Reduce stagnation by offering new job opportunities that align with employees’ unique interests and aspirations.
Provide access to learning resources, mentorship, and coaching that can help them excel in their roles.
Create space in the workday for employees to engage in educational pursuits.

Increase recognition and appreciation

Increase motivation by frequently highlighting exceptional work—for example, through a shoutout in a team meeting.
Give people a chance to nominate their teammates through a peer recognition program.
Grow frontline employees’ sense of belonging by taking the time to personally express your appreciation with a thoughtful note or online message.
Celebrate when people hit their goals and acknowledge important milestones like work anniversaries with gifts or team outings.
Consider implementing an incentives program to reward outstanding performance—for example, with an extra mandatory day off.

Keep in mind: any employee engagement program will feel hollow and insincere unless it’s built on a foundation of trust and mutual respect. Show genuine interest in the concerns of employees and build your reputation as a reliable and dependable advocate for the frontline. With his foundation in place, the rest will naturally follow.

Increase engagement in your frontline workforce

Prioritizing the job satisfaction and wellbeing of frontline workers is crucial to business success. In fact, it’s one of the best investments you can make in the resilience of your organization.

Frontline workers are the face of your company, interacting directly with customers, representing your brand, and ensuring smooth delivery of products and services. Recognizing their invaluable contributions and developing an enriching work culture is essential for your business to thrive.

By bringing your passion to the worthy cause of employee engagement you can make huge strides for both your organization and the people you represent. Start by gauging frontline employees’ engagement—gathering data that can help you better understand their satisfaction levels and identify areas of improvement—then lay the foundation for a frontline employee engagement program that will have a positive, lasting impact on your organization for years to come.

Additional resources

For more guidance on how to lower attrition and improve morale on the frontline, read the Technology Can Help Unlock a New Future for Frontline Workers report.

The Microsoft 365 team is focused on sharing resources to help you start, run, and grow your business.

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Unlocking potential: The benefits of prioritizing frontline employee engagement