Employee engagement is defined as a measure of how committed an employee feels to their organization; how much they identify with their organization; how satisfied they feel with their job; and how energized they feel in their work. There is no doubt that employers benefit in many ways from high levels of employee engagement, while disengagement not only negatively impacts individual workers, but can easily spread. 

Feedback is the compass that guides an organization toward its true north. Particularly, feedback from frontline employees – those who are in the trenches every day – is invaluable. These individuals deal with the real-time challenges, customer interactions, and the daily mechanics of your operations. 

In any organization, particularly ones that rely on a frontline workforce, the relationship between leadership and frontline employees plays a huge role in shaping the culture, productivity, and overall success of the workplace. 

The current macro environment is challenging for businesses of all sizes. But it’s a lot less challenging if you have above average employee retention. And that’s one place small businesses are winning. 

Organizations that rely heavily on a frontline workforce (nearly 90%!) are realizing that frontline employee retention has become their topmost concern. Leaders across industries have recognized the critical role that frontline employees play in driving customer satisfaction, maintaining operational efficiency, and ultimately contributing to the overall success of the company. That’s why frontline employee retention has emerged as the number one concern of leaders in 2023 (even above hiring). 

Organizations are increasingly recognizing the immense value of frontline employees' feedback. These employees, who directly interact with customers and represent the face of the company, possess invaluable insights that can drive operational improvements, enhance customer experiences, and shape the overall success of the organization. 

Competition for talent is stiff these days, no matter which industry you’re in. But the fight to hire and, particularly, retain great talent, is especially fierce in industries that employ a frontline workforce. While attention is often focused on top-level management and strategic initiatives, hat many business leaders don’t realize is that frontline managers play a huge role in whether or not frontline employees decide to stay or go. 

Organizations who have made frontline employee engagement a strategic priority are reaping the rewards.

Frontline employee engagement isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity. So how do you add it to an already full plate?

As a business owner or a manager of frontline employees, do you ever feel like you can’t get ahead? Like you produce business results for the short term, but always find those outcomes slipping back to baseline or even below where they started? 

The numbers don’t lie: Frontline managers have a major impact on business success.

The impact that frontline managers have on an organization’s overall performance and results is significant, especially when you consider that, nationwide, they are directly responsible for 8 out of 10 employees in the workforce. Yet, in many organizations managers on the frontline feel undervalued, underdeveloped, and overworked; and their levels of engagement show it. Gallup research has found that only 35% of managers are engaged, meaning they are enthusiastic about and committed to their work, their people, and the organization.