There’s nothing like a global pandemic to highlight poor employee communication. Especially in industries where workers need to physically show up for work.
Frontline and hourly workers make up 80% of our global workforce, and for industries like restaurant, retail, and manufacturing, they represent the largest percentage of the workforce.
Communicating effectively with a large team of desk-less workers has its challenges. But the pandemic did an excellent job of highlighting just how critical frontline workers are to a company's success. And the mass job walkouts have taught us that frontline employees are no longer interested in being treated like second-class workers.
The work world has experienced drastic changes over the last few years. The pandemic has influenced how businesses operate, from hybrid schedules to company policies, practices, and procedures.
Dubbed The Great Resignation, 2021 was officially the year of quitting. Thanks to severe job dissatisfaction, workers in retail, hospitality, accommodation, and food services were among the top employees to lead the walkout.
And while 2022 has turned a corner with unemployment currently hovering around 3.9% — down from 2021 — all business who have frontline and deskless workers are struggling to retain existing employees and fill open positions.
Every industry has its own unique challenges in communicating with its various constituents - prospects, customers and their employees.
Senior living communities are certainly no different. And, their communication challenges are unique and heightened in two ways:
1. Like most industries that have a large number of frontline employees who don’t have company issued email, they struggle with how to effectively communicate with those employees; and
2. they have an added layer of complexity because they need to communicate (in real time in a lot of instances) with their “customers”, who in a lot of cases are both their residents AND the family members of those residents, and they are not tied to a desk/email during the day.
To say that we have enjoyed working with these companies is an understatement - we have LOVED working with them and seeing all of the different ways in which they’re using the goHappy platform to solve for those challenges. Below are a few examples of those just in case it can be helpful to anyone else out there who has similar challenges - we hope it can get your wheels turning! In all of these instances, they are using goHappy to send text messages directly through our software to their frontline employees, residents and family members.
Studies show frontline employees feel undervalued and disconnected from their leaders, causing a lack in commitment, engagement and contributions to the workplace. However, companies that invest in engaging frontline team members have seen positive results like higher revenues, productivity and lower turnover. HBR Analytic Services reported that 87% of nearly 500 business executives said they will be more successful when frontline workers are empowered to make important decisions in the moment.
A federal court has lifted a stay on the Biden administration’s rule that forces business owners with 100 or more employees to require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing.
If there is one thing employers have learned over the past few years, it's the critical role frontline staff play in the economy's stability. Frontline workers came to realize their value, as well.
The holidays are upon us. And while many of us are looking forward to a little rest and relaxation – and maybe some travel – away from the office, most frontline workers will be at work throughout the holiday season.
Despite legal challenges, employers across the United States have been preparing to adhere to OSHA’s vaccine mandate, which calls for business owners with 100 or more employees to require their workers to be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. According to OSHA, companies must have a policy in place by Dec. 6 and begin implementing those plans by Jan. 4.
