Incessantly, for more than a decade, the Digital Revolution has been the most important industry issue, trend, challenge and opportunity for North American manufacturers. Today’s economic reality is one of extreme churn and challenge in recruiting, developing and retaining a skilled worker base. This has led to a focus on solving tactical problems rather than strategic thinking during this revolutionary sea change. In Fort Worth, discussions frequently returned to the essential role of frontline workers. These workers are the backbone of key industries severely impacted by the pandemic, and their operational prowess goes straight to a company’s profitability.
The overall demand for these digital aides has gone a long way in informing the most helpful solutions workers are looking for. According to surveys, 32% of respondents believe that texting or online chat is the most important digital solution for enhancing their speed and productivity. Even with digital options readily available, 79% of workers are still using paper-based standard operating procedures (SOPs). This continued dependence on legacy processes leads to less transparency and missed opportunities to deliver greater productivity, quality, and safety. Companies working in more than 130 countries are realizing the promise and advantages of new digital-age tools. They are preparing their employees’ use of these tools to ultimately improve productivity, quality, and safety throughout their operations.
Bridging the Technology Divide for Frontline Workers
Closing the digital divide impacting our frontline workers is a matter of racial equity, workers’ rights, and power that is long overdue. Bridging this gap requires a smart, strategic program that acknowledges the distinct needs and burdens of these workers. To get the best productivity, customer satisfaction, and profitability, companies need to equip their employees with the right digital tools. Developing a supportive technological environment then opens up these big dividend gains even wider.
Understanding the Challenges Faced by Frontline Employees
This is because frontline labor is characterized by unique struggles on a day-to-day basis. A digital divide adds an additional layer of complexity to these challenges. These challenges may include ineffective communication, lack of standardized processes, and poor access to real-time data and training materials. Identifying these challenges is the crucial first step to crafting targeted, effective solutions that address their unique circumstances.
We’ve found that one of the biggest hurdles is unnecessarily poor communication. Without digital tools, the routine work of these critical frontline workers can too easily default to phone calls, paper memos, or in-person meetings that waste time and resources. These manual processes are often cumbersome and trigger mistakes resulting in costly delays and miscommunication. Digital tools—online chat, component project delivery platforms—greatly enhance information and relationships transfer. They empower workers to communicate their concerns quickly and effectively. This can be especially advantageous in coordination-heavy sectors, like healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics.
The second biggest hurdle, in my experience, comes from the dependence on the old way of doing things. As I wrote previously, a significant majority of frontline workers still rely on paper-based SOPs. These labor-intensive tasks are not only wasteful but introduce avenues for mistakes and discrepancies. Digital standard operating procedures, or SOPs, viewable on tablets or smartphones, will help ensure information stays current and that workers have immediate access to the most current information. Digital solutions offer the ability to monitor compliance and deliver real-time intelligence on process performance to facilitate ongoing enhancements from lessons learned. Access to real-time information is just as important for these frontline workers. When workers have immediate access to accurate information they’re better able to make decisions and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. This means everything from data on their inventory levels, their customers, even their equipment. Digital dashboards, mobile apps, and IoT sensors provide information in real time, straight to the hands of workers. This access gives them the tools to do their jobs better.
Importance of Inclusive Technology Solutions
To do this and truly bridge the technology divide, we need to put inclusive technology solutions into practice. These solutions should meet varied needs and skill levels of a diverse workforce. That starts with delivering the right tools, tools that are not just effective but easy to use, accessible, and tied into their day-to-day workflow. Inclusive technology solutions should be built with the end-user at the forefront, understanding their unique use cases and needs. This may mean doing user research, testing prototypes, and iterating on a design that has a role for those on the frontlines to shape and test solutions.
Perhaps the most important element when it comes to truly inclusive technology is how easy it is to use. We understand that frontline workers do not usually have the most technical expertise. So, it is critical to provide them powerful tools that are intuitive and easy to use. This may include everything from creating easier to use interfaces, training users, clear instructions, and providing ongoing support. Enterprise software, too, has gone through a massive metamorphosis. What used to be daunting is now much more accessible, mostly thanks to simpler, more intuitive, and purpose-built interfaces. Accessibility is another important consideration. It’s imperative that technology solutions are accessible for workers with disabilities so that these workers can lead fulfilling, productive lives to the fullest extent. This might include adding accessibility capabilities like screen readers, voice control, and large font options.
Relevance is more than just an implementation buzzword, it is core to the success of technology being used. What’s clear is that frontline workers require digital tools that directly speak to their ever-changing tasks and responsibilities. These tools need to address their unique pain points and aid them in achieving their objectives. This often means tailoring solutions to meet the specific requirements of each role and sector. It’s just fantastic to see so many new tools and technologies procured off the shelf. Workers are generally left to approach them with a laissez faire “good luck” attitude. When companies prioritize inclusivity, they’re empowering every frontline worker. This strategy equips them with the resources and guidance they require to succeed in this digital age.
The Necessity of a Comprehensive Digital Strategy
A digital transformation mission cannot succeed by simply adding new technologies. It necessitates a comprehensive digital strategy that aligns with the overall goals of the organization and addresses the specific needs of its workforce. This strategy should include everything from what technology they should choose and how to implement it to how to train, support, and continuously optimize their technology.
Aligning Digital Tools with Workforce Needs
To maximize the impact of digital tools, it is crucial to align them with the specific needs and workflows of frontline workers. To start, do some research on their day-to-day operations, challenges, and pain points. Next, choose and adopt technology that addresses these challenges directly. A generic, one-size-fits-all approach would hardly be effective, when the varying roles and industries contribute vastly different requirements.
To ensure digital tools are meeting the needs of your workforce, start with a comprehensive assessment. Take a look at your current processes and workflows for clues. This includes shadowing workers through their daily tasks, interviewing them, and digging into data to find opportunities for enhancement. Using this evaluation as a guide, firms can choose digital solutions that expedite workflow, digitize tasks, and enhance communication and collaboration capabilities. In a more controlled manufacturing environment, for example, digital tools can give you real-time visibility into inventory levels. These tools further enable users to supervise equipment utilization and directives more efficiently. In a customer-facing environment, like retail, digital tools can automate communication, monitor impacts on sales and foot traffic, and refine inventory needs.
One of the most critical elements of alignment Digital tools should be integrated with workflows and data systems already in place. This can mean integrating various software applications, databases, and hardware devices to establish a cohesive information flow. Further, integration increases efficiency and reduces errors. It provides workers with a color coded glance at the information necessary to prioritize and perform tasks within their roles— increasing overall productivity. Moreover, it trains them to be able to document successful work processes and share those valuable lessons learned with their peers on the team. Firms can better realize value for their technology investments when companies tie new digital tools to workforce requirements. This method has resulted in better employee productivity, better customer service, and more profitability.
Benefits of a Holistic Approach to Digital Integration
Adopting an enterprise-wide holistic strategy to digital transformation can provide a host of competitive advantages, ranging from enhanced productivity and customer satisfaction to profitability. Now, when digital tools are built into their daily workflows, frontline workers can be efficient, and their productivity soars. This seamless integration gives them the ability to do their jobs better. This results in increased speed, fewer errors, and higher quality.
Productivity is perhaps the biggest advantage that comes with going digital. Digital solutions increase productivity by automating time-consuming tasks and centralizing data and workflows. They give workers real-time information to help them do more in less time. For example, a delivery driver equipped with a mobile app can optimize their route, track their progress, and communicate with customers in real-time, resulting in faster and more reliable deliveries. Enhanced customer satisfaction is another key benefit. When frontline workers have the tools they need to provide excellent service, customers are more likely to be satisfied with their experience. For example, a retail associate equipped with a tablet can quickly access product information, check inventory levels, and process transactions, providing customers with a seamless and personalized shopping experience.
Higher profitability is a pleasant byproduct of boosts in productivity and gains in customer happiness. By cutting costs and cutting through regulatory red tape, boosting revenue, and enhancing brand loyalty, digital integration lays the groundwork for a more profitable bottom line. A field service technician equipped with a mobile service app will have what they need to diagnose and repair equipment in record time. This rapid response lowers equipment downtime and increases revenue potential for the firm. According to a study, 56% of companies capitalizing on frontline technologies say they yield an “excellent” customer satisfaction rating. In comparison, just 19% of companies that don’t use these technologies earn high ratings to the same level. This has ultimately resulted in quicker response times for customer questions. Today, 31% of companies using these technologies answer within 24 hours, compared to just 23% of like companies doing so without them.
Additionally, in an era of fierce talent competition, employers’ demonstrated commitment to digital tools may be an attractive feature for job seekers. More than Baby Boomers and Xers, Millennials and Gen Z are the hardest generations to keep in the labour force. In fact, a shocking 27% of them intend to leave the profession within only two years! Businesses that embrace innovative technology are able to lure the best talent. Today’s workers are attracted to home bases that encourage new ideas and foster a creative spirit through access to cutting-edge tools.
By taking a holistic approach to digital integration, companies can unlock these benefits and position themselves for long-term success in the digital age. Agility is the leading priority for manufacturers as we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting to that goal depends on ensuring that the frontline workers creating this digital universe have the tools they need, both digital and physical, to do their jobs safely and efficiently.
Giving frontline workers the technology they need to do their jobs should be table stakes for any enterprise today. This strategic play improves operational efficiency, increases customer experience, and maximizes revenue. By understanding the challenges faced by frontline employees, implementing inclusive technology solutions, and adopting a comprehensive digital strategy, organizations can unlock the full potential of their workforce and achieve sustainable success.
