The Shift - December 7th, 2023

FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Beyond buzzwords: using purpose for engagement

Frontline businesses keep the world turning, so you’ve got a strong and compelling company purpose right off the bat.

But that doesn’t mean employees feel connected to that purpose. We know that just 28% of employees can relate to their company’s purpose statement — and it’s harming employee engagement.

So how do you align company and employee values? According to the Harvard Business Review, you start by asking these four questions:

• How is our purpose expressed in the business today? - Your purpose statement needs to be crystal clear and packed with meaning. It should inspire and drive action for years to come.
• Does our purpose open up opportunities and demand change? - A good purpose statement requires you to do things differently. It forces you to leave some aspects of your business behind and embrace new ways of working.

• Does our purpose integrate long-term plans with the current strategy? - Don’t focus too heavily on the present. When crafting your purpose statement, build in growth by thinking carefully about both current goals and long-term plans.

• How can I use our purpose to make daily decisions and celebrate progress? - Involve your employees. Get their input. And connect your purpose statement to their daily activities and decisions. You can do this by using your purpose statement to support every decision you make; celebrate even the small examples of progress, and keep on celebrating.

Repeating your purpose – with the help of an employee communication and recognition tool like Blink – ensures teams keep that inspiring statement front of mind every single day.

FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE

Navigating the frontline training boom

The frontline worker training market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 16.4% between now and 2028, with the healthcare and life science sector investing the most in frontline L&D.

As frontline cheerleaders, we think this is great news. Frontline workers want learning and development opportunities, but it’s something they often miss out on.

If you want to keep up with frontline trends and supercharge your training in 2024, remember that L&D is different for frontline and office-based teams.

Frontline workers don’t necessarily have access to a desktop computer — or even a company email address. So the key to reaching these employees with L&D opportunities is meeting them where they are and removing unnecessary friction.

Try to make training available via the systems and communication tools they already use, such as their personal devices. That way, employees don’t have to download new tools or spend time away from work — they can fit valuable micro-lessons into their regular workflow instead.

FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIPS

How "work buddies" benefit your business

It’s probably no surprise that the less engaged an employee is, the less likely they are to connect with your internal messaging. But here’s a potential solution: frontline workplace friendships.

Neuroscience research has shown that work buddies share similar brain activity when watching videos that promote their organization — and both in-person and virtual (or frontline) co-workers are similarly in sync.

The science shows us that workplace bonds help get everyone on the same page. They also make work more meaningful and enjoyable, which means workers are all more likely to deliver their best.

Want to foster friendship within your organization? Blink can help. With a fun news Feed, 1-2-1 Chats, and group Channels, it’s easy for frontline teams to build connections beyond the boundaries of their shift.

SPOTLIGHT ON... MANUFACTURING

The dual-culture problem in manufacturing orgs

84% of manufacturing employees agree that their organization has two separate cultures: one among the frontline and one for everyone else.

This poses a significant challenge and risk for manufacturing outcomes. Without unity, alignment, and support, the two sides of your business could pull in different directions. Communication will break down, messages will get lost, and productivity will suffer. Not to mention the impact on key People metrics like retention and recruitment.

So how can manufacturing leaders bring these cultures back together?

• Measure employee engagement – monitor how engaged every employee is and look for trends between your employee demographics. Survey teams to get a better sense of how they see your culture and improve on a baseline from there
• Train frontline managers – train managers to make them more effective as channels for company-wide culture building and reinforcement
• Promote open communication – create an open line of communication between leaders and employees, and the frontline and everyone else. This is the single best way to bring teammates closer together and reduce the "us and them".