Frontline teams are often overlooked because of the fact they don’t always work on the premises of the company. Well, it’s worth noting that according to a report by DesklessWorkforce, frontline teams make up 80% of the organization and, without them, companies will find it hard to go about accomplishing their targets. And that’s why it has become very important for you to look for ways in which frontline teams can feel very supported and valued in your organization.
Employee retention is a crucial aspect that’s important for the success of businesses. Have you ever thought that high turnover from frontline employees can lead to unwanted situations that include low productivity and decreased customer satisfaction? This is why you need strategies to bolster frontline team retention. Going further, we’ll look at some ways to bolster your frontline team retention.
Discussing Frontline Employee Retention
You may have come across businesses that tend to keep their best crop of employees because they believe that they can continue to ensure that the organization moves forward. Well, that can be simply described as employee retention, and it’s the type of effort being put in place by companies to keep their workers who are currently working in a bid to reduce the level of turnover. Retaining top talented frontline employees is not always an easy task as you have to make use of different factors that include flexible work arrangements, growth and development opportunities, and excellent company culture.
Going further, let’s take a look at some of the following statistics that speak about frontline team retention:
- Frontline teams that feel a lack of support are four times more likely to exit a business than those who do (Broadleaf Results, 2023)
- Most frontline workers leave an organization because they aren’t able to grow in their careers (Workstep, 2021)
- 89% of frontline teams will stay in a business if their leaders listen to their feedback (Workstep, 2021)
- 33% of frontline teams do exit their jobs due to not having the right digital tools to execute their jobs efficiently (Microsoft, 2022)
If you are aiming to achieve long-term success and growth in your company then it’s highly essential to retain frontline teams that can make that happen. Going through an endless process of hiring, firing and rehiring employees can be stressful, expensive and detrimental to your business. This is why you need to keep frontline teams happy in business to stay competitive in the industry.
Bolstering Your Frontline Team Retention
Today’s world is a fast-paced environment which means that for businesses to continually remain relevant within the industry, they need smart strategies. Bolstering your frontline team retention is crucial to ensuring that you can meet targets and be a thought leader in the industry.
That being said, let’s discuss some ways through which you can bolster your frontline team retention.
1. Provide Teams With Latest Tech Tools
One of the things that you should put in place to retain frontline employees is to provide them with the latest tech tools. For instance, providing apps for delivery drivers can help them navigate their routes properly and avoid delays in getting packages across to customers. Teams with the latest tech tools can always increase their efficiency and overall performance.
2. Ensure Team Safety
Nobody wants to work in an environment where there’s a lot of danger and that’s why, ensuring team safety is vital to keeping them for a long period. Training frontline teams about working safely on site can ensure a better construction safety protocol. This helps them to perform their work effectively since there’ll be no fear of having injuries or even losing their lives.
3. Simplify Workflow Procedures
In a business where the workflow process is difficult, frontline employees can struggle to perform their jobs and this can affect your business progress. That’s why, providing teams with tools that can help automate tasks that consume time does go a long way in keeping frontline teams in business. For instance, there are some benefits of field service automation which include effective asset management and improved accuracy from teams.
4. Use Effective Communication Channels
Do you know that one of the new manufacturing trends in industries is the usage of communication to keep every employee on the same page? When frontline teams are aware of changes ongoing in the company, they have a feeling of value and support. This often helps them to remain and ensure they can contribute significantly to the success of the business.
Key Thoughts
Frontline teams are more or less like the heartbeat or foundation of every business and that means, it’s important for you to provide them with every available support. Investing in the retention of frontline teams is synonymous with investing in your business’s sustainability and overall resilience. Bolstering your frontline team retention strategies is possible by providing them with the latest tech tools, simplifying work processes and using effective communication channels.