Why intranets are the secret to improving frontline employee experience

The rise of the frontline 

With the COVID-19 pandemic as an accelerant, the world of work is changing at an unprecedented clip. While many traditionally office-based staff have shifted to remote environments, their frontline colleagues continue to work in the field. Frontline units represent a significant subset of the workforce; 40% of US employees expect to perform daily tasks from a work site.

Across every industry and sector, frontline employees profoundly shape consumer experience. Enterprises with more engaged frontline staff enjoy customer loyalty rates that are 12% higher than those of their competitors. Given that a 5% improvement in consumer satisfaction correlates with a profitability increase of 25%-95%, frontline employee experience can make or break an enterprise's bottom line.

In the post-pandemic era, the importance of frontline employee engagement will climb. As workforces decentralize, leaders will heavily rely on insights from employees who engage with their customers and products firsthand. Frontline employees are the eyes and ears of every business, equipped with specialist knowledge that will shape their enterprise's success during this pivotal moment of change.

Transforming frontline employee experience with an intranet

From installers repairing cables to factory workers overseeing assembly lines, frontline staff are the backbone of every industry. However, employees frequently miss out on crucial communications; 60% of frontline staff believe their ideas for improving consumer experience go unheard. To drive customer satisfaction, leaders must devise strategies specifically tailored to their frontline.

As a decidedly mobile segment of the workforce, digital tools are needed to connect frontline staff to the head office. 31% of organizations with the highest degree of digital connectivity—involving 75% of their frontline workers or more—saw 20% growth or greater over the past year.

Leading companies are increasingly turning to intranets to launch omnichannel communications approaches devised to engage their entire workforce. With mobile responsive functionality and personalization options, these solutions facilitate inclusive messaging strategies that can be tailored to optimize end-user experience.

How intranets can transform frontline employee experience

An inspired frontline will deliver superior consumer experiences and innovative ideas on how to transform business processes. Employee experience focused Intranets can solve every industry's most pressing frontline engagement challenges through the following solutions:

Wholesale

The wholesale industry relies on several different frontline units, including tractor operators, truck drivers, and sales workers. Whether these team members are on the road or preparing shipments in a warehouse, employees are frequently mobile and rarely have desktop access.

Consequently, wholesale enterprises must prioritize a mobile responsive intranet that enables frontline employees to access crucial information from their device of choice. Push notifications efficiently communicate critical updates that will reach every segment of the workforce.

Logistics

Frontline employees play a leading role in managing the flow of products from their point of origin to their consumption point. Logistics enterprises must simultaneously manage many moving parts, from coordinating deliveries to providing consumers with estimates on product arrival timelines.

Intranets reduce segmentation between various logistics teams while updating consumers and third-party collaborators. To keep everyone in the loop, launch an external site to deliver important news and provide customers and partners with access to real-time information in a self-service manner.

Manufacturing

Frontline manufacturing employees profoundly impact product quality. Factory workers who are updated and engaged are more likely to work efficiently, troubleshoot processes, and achieve peak performance.

With most manufacturing sites separated from corporate headquarters, frontline employees may feel that their hard work goes under the radar. Leaders should make sustained efforts to recognize their factory-based employees and create opportunities for these teams to share their feedback. Badges, kudos, and blog spotlights express appreciation for frontline staff and cultivate connections between these workers and their office-bound colleagues.

Pharmaceutical 

From laboratory technicians to clinicians working in the field, the pharmaceutical industry has several frontline units, each with their own set of expertise. The COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed increased digitalization throughout the industry, with a 13% increase in plans for AI adoption in 2020 alone.

As the pharmaceutical sector continues to adapt and evolve in response to the pandemic, the need for efficient communication and centralized knowledge will reach an all-time high. With game-changing technologies breaking onto the scene, upskilling resources and efficient access to information are non-negotiable. Intranets put essential knowledge at every employees' fingertips through consumer-grade search capabilities and knowledge hubs tailored to each team's specific use cases.

Telecommunications 

Frontline employees in telecommunications must possess both technical knowledge and exemplary customer service skills. Whether installing phone lines or making repairs, these team members are product specialists who came face-to-face with consumer issues and ideate solutions on the spot.

Instead of working in silos, frontline employees should work in tandem with their office-bound colleagues and leadership team members. To efficiently sidestep hurdles and optimize consumer experience, empower frontline employees with the communications pathways needed to escalate issues and share updates. Take advantage of an intranet's social networking tools and discussion forums to facilitate knowledge sharing and reduce segmentation.

Embracing a new era of frontline employee engagement 

As workforces adapt to the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of frontline staff will only continue to rise. Leaders who wish to engage these crucial employees must take advantage of digital channels that align with their unique needs and challenges. If you are looking to launch an intranet to support your frontline teams, get in touch with our digital workplace experts.