共情与赋权：新的一线体验+Empathy+and+Empowerment：The+New+Frontline+Experience

GlobalReport

Empathy

andEmpowerment:

theNewFrontline

Experience

ExceedingEmployeeExpectations

TableofContents

ClockedOut:FrontlineStatusQuoIsGone

3

ResearchPointstoFiveKeyExperienceMakers

4

TheFrontlineTalentCrisis

5

MeettheFrontlineLeaders

8

TheBlueprintforFrontlineExperienceExcellence

1

0

FinalWord

1

4

AbouttheResearch

1

5

EmpathyandEmpowerment:theNewFrontlineExperience|2

Clockedout:frontlinestatusquoisgone.

Organizationsthatrelyonfrontlineandhourlyworkersarefacingatalentcrisis.

Withthemajorityreportingfrontlineturnoverabovethehistoricalnorm—andthecosttoreplaceeachemployeeanywherefrom$4,000to$66,000¹—the

situationisurgent.

Marketcompetition,timepressure,andthecomplexityofmanagingafrontlineworkforceareallcompoundingtheproblem.Andmanyorganizationsdon’t

havethetools,processes,orcapabilitiestounderstandandmeetevolvingemployeeneeds.

Workerexpectationsareontheriseacrossallsectors,forcingorganizationstorethinktheiremployeeengagementstrategies.Thosethatfailtotailortheirfrontlineworkerexperiencestothenewemployeemindsetwillsuffer.

Auniquetime.

“Thisisauniquetimeandit’sclearlymorethanjustthepandemic,”saysDavidMorrell,directorofbenefitsattheAlbanyMedHealthSysteminNewYork.“Itisthis‘GreatReset.’Peoplearetakingtheopportunitytoreevaluate,andsavvyemployersareadaptingtheirworkforcepoliciesaccordingly.”

Wesurveyed504seniorexecutivesacrosshealthcare,hospitality,

manufacturing,andretailwithoversightand/orresponsibilityfordecisions

regardingtheirorganization’sfrontlineworkforce—meaninganyemployee

whomustbephysicallypresenttodotheirjob.Theresearchshowsapositivecorrelationamongamoreengagingfrontlineworkerexperience,decreasedturnover,andimprovedorganizationaloutcomes.

1Gartner:

/doc/reprints?id=1-28A1YX0G&ct=211201&st=sb

Thenewfrontline

workerexperience.

Frontlineworkerexperienceisthecombinedeffectoftheinteractionsofanyemployeewhomustbe

physicallypresenttocarryouttheirrolewithintheirorganization.

Sincethestartoftheglobal

pandemic,expectationsofthisexperiencehaveshiftedandnowincludeempathy,empowerment,andcontinuousevaluationof

workers’needs.

Employersmustadapttothis

evolvedstandardforfrontline

workerexperienceorexpecttoloseouttocompetitorsthatdo.

EmpathyandEmpowerment:theNewFrontlineExperience|3

Researchpointstofivekeyexperiencemakers.

Asmallcohort(11%)oforganizationssurveyedhavecommittedtofrontline

workerexperienceasabusinessstrategyand,consequently,reportfrontlineturnoverthatislowerthanthehistoricalaverage.WecalltheseorganizationstheFrontlineLeaders.

Tellingly,theseFrontlineLeaders—whichspaneveryindustrywesurveyed—alsohaveagreaterunderstandingofhowdifficultthepandemichasbeenfortheirworkers.FrontlineLeadersenhancetheirfrontlineworkforceexperienceinfiveways:

56%oforganizationsaregrapplingwith

frontlineemployeeturnoverthatis

higherthanthe

historicalaverage

1Theyempowertheirfrontlineworkerswithmorecontrolandflexibility.

2Theyinvestinemployee-firsttoolsandtech.

3Theyrelyondatainsightstoinformandimproveemployeeexperience.

4Theyarefocusedonfrontlineworkers’developmentandwell-being.

5Theylistentotheirfrontlineworkers’wantsandneeds.

Bycontrast,themajorityoforganizationssurveyed(56%)aregrapplingwith

frontlineemployeeturnoverthatishigherthanthehistoricalaverage—and

halfoftheseorganizations(49%)expectevengreaterturnoverintheyear

ahead.Theyarelesslikelytoinvestinthefrontlineworkerexperienceandmore

likelytofocusontheshort-termgainoffillingpositions—oftenattheexpense

ofoverallorganizationaloutcomes.

Fortoday’sorganizationheads,thetimetoimprovethefrontlineworker

experienceisnow.

EmpathyandEmpowerment:theNewFrontlineExperience|4

11%

33%

49%

Thefrontlinetalentcrisis.

Forthemajorityoforganizationssurveyed(56%),frontlineemployeeturnoveris

currentlyabovethehistoricalindustryaverage.Andmanyorganizations(46%

overall)believeitwillbeevengreaterinthenextyear—asentimentthatwon’t

behelpedbyhighinflationorrecessionfears.

Breakingthecycle.

Thechallenginglabormarketandresultingcompetitionfortalentisrankedthe

topbarriertoimprovingfrontlineexperience(32%—seechartonpage6),as

employersstruggletothinkbeyondimmediateemploymentgaps.

“Whenyou’restuckintheminutia,it’shardtostrategize,”saysJudeReser,vice

president,HumanResourcesatAtriumHospitality.“We’realwaysconcerned

abouthiringforthathard-to-fillposition.”

Organizationscaughtupinacostlycycleofrecruiting,hiring,onboarding,and

trainingmaystruggletofundresourcestoenhancetheemployeeexperience.

Yetmanydon’tquantifythetruecostofthiscycle—andarethereforeunable

tocompareittothecostofinvestinginmeasuressuchasextendedbenefits,

traininganddevelopment,oremployee-firstschedulingtools,whichareproven

toattractworkersandretainthemforthelonghaul.

Frontlineturnoverishighwithinthemajorityoforganizations.

47%

Turnoverisdramaticallyor

somewhatlowerthanhistorical

industryaverage

40%

Turnoverisaboutthesameashistorical industryaverage

Turnovertoday

Expectevengreaterturnoverintheyearahead

56%

Turnoverisdramaticallyor

somewhathigherthanhistorical

industryaverage

Surveyquestion:Comparedwiththehistoricalaverageforyourindustry,whichofthe

followingbestdescribesthecurrentrateofturnoverofyourfrontlineworkforce?

Towhatextentdoyouagreewiththefollowingstatementsaboutyourorganization’s

frontlineworkforceexperience?(n=504)

EmpathyandEmpowerment:theNewFrontlineExperience|5

Competitionfortalentinchallenginglabormarket

Inabilitytoquantifythevalueofanengagedfrontlineworkforce

Inabilitytogathertherightdatatounderstandemployeeneeds

Higherpriorityplacedonoffice-basedworkerexperience

Inflexiblelegacytechnologiesandtools

Inabilitytoconnectdataacrossbusinesslines

Inabilitytotranslatedataandinsightstooutcomes

Lackofbudget/resources

Lackoftechnologyempoweringcontrol/flexibilityforworkers

Examiningthefrontlinedatagap.

Whileintuitivelyatightlabormarketsupportsinvestmentinfrontlineworker

experience,almostone-thirdoforganizations(29%—seechartbelow)sayan

inabilitytoquantifythevalueofanengagedfrontlineworkforceortogather

thedatanecessarytodosoarebarrierstoimprovingtheirfrontlineexperience.

Thiscreatesafrontlinedatagapwhereorganizationsstruggletocalculate

thevalueofthedifferentcomponentsoftheirworkforceandasaresult,

createaculturaldivideinthetreatmentofdifferentemployeegroups.Almost

one-thirdoforganizationssayahigherpriorityiscurrentlybeinggiventothe

officeworker’sexperience.

Organizationsarestrugglingtodeliveronfrontlinedemands.

32%

29%

29%

29%

27%

24%

24%

23%

22%

Surveyquestion:Which,ifany,ofthefollowingarethebiggestbarrierstoimproving

frontlineemployeeexperienceatyourorganization?(n=504;topthreeboxresponses.)

EmpathyandEmpowerment:theNewFrontlineExperience|6

Countingthecost.

Theimpactsoffrontlineturnoverincludeincreasedcostsaroundrecruitment,training,development,andlabor.Butthereisalsothecostoflostrevenue

opportunitiestoconsider,ascustomersseekbetter,moreengagingservicefromacompetitorwithamoreconsistent,knowledgeable,orconfident

frontlineteam.

“Anengagedfrontlineworkerwillgiveenergytotherolethatadisengaged

onewillnot.Iftheygetexcitedaboutthecustomerortheywanttogoaboveandbeyondforthatcustomer,thatisabsolutelygoingtoimpactourcustomersatisfactionscores,”saysReser.

Afterrisingcosts,employeeburnoutisthefourth-greatestimpactofturnover,asthosewhoremainareforcedtotakeongreaterworkloads.

“Thefoundationalemployeesthathavebeenloyaltoushavebeen

carryingtheburdennowfortwoyears,”explainsReser.“Amanagerwhoisshort-staffedinadepartmentmayinstinctivelyaskanewhiretocompletethreejobsversustheonetheywerehiredfor.Ifthisiswhattheyencounterduringtheirfirstfewdaysonthejob,it’snosurprisethattheywillwanttorethinkworkingwithourcompany.”

Anengagedfrontlineworkerwillgiveenergytotherole

thatadisengagedonewill

not.Iftheygetexcitedaboutthecustomerortheywanttogoaboveandbeyondforthatcustomer,thatisabsolutelygoingtoimpactourcustomersatisfactionscores.”

JudeReser

VicePresident,HumanResources,AtriumHospitality

EmpathyandEmpowerment:theNewFrontlineExperience|7

MeettheFrontlineLeaders.

WhencomparingFrontlineLeaderswithorganizationsoverall,onethingis

clear:notonlydotheytrulycareaboutthewell-beingoftheiremployees,but

theyaretakingconcretestepstohelptheirpeople.Considerthis:increased

safetyriskranksastheirhighestimpactonemployeeturnover,alongside

increasedlaborcosts(32%—seechartbelow).Butfororganizationsoverall,

thehighestimpactsarerankedasincreasedrecruitmentcosts,followedby

increasedtraininganddevelopmentcosts.

FrontlineLeadersconsiderturnoverimpactsbeyondcosts.

Overallsample

Increasedrecruitmentcosts

Increasedtrainingcosts

Increasedlaborcosts

Employeeburnout

Increasedsafetyrisk

Inabilitytoprogressstrategicinitiatives

Lowemployeeengagement

Missedrevenuetargets

Poorcustomerexperience

Declineinprofitability

Reputationaldamage

FrontlineLeaders

32%

28%

30%

28%

29%

32%

27%

28%

25%

32%

20%

18%

20%

23%

17%

18%

17%

30%

16%

28%

15%

11%

Surveyquestion:Whatarethebiggestimpactsoffrontlineemployeeturnoveronyour

organization?(n=504;topthreeboxresponses.)

EmpathyandEmpowerment:theNewFrontlineExperience|8

TheFrontlineLeadersprioritizethefrontlineworkforce:56%valuefrontline

employeeexperienceashighlyascustomerexperience,comparedwith46%

overall.And58%valuefrontlineworkersashighlyasofficeworkers,compared

with45%overall.

Theyarealsomorelikelytoconsidertheimpactofcurrentworkingconditions

ontheirfrontlineandtheircustomers.FortheLeaders,thethird-greatest

impactofturnoverispoorcustomerexperience—30%namedthisasatop

factor,comparedwithjust17%oforganizationsoverall.

Anddespitetheirretentionsuccess,FrontlineLeadersare13%morelikelythan

theoverallsampletosaytheircustomerexperienceissufferingbecauseof

gapsinthefrontlineworkforce,and12%morelikelytoadmitthatpandemic

workinghaslefttheirfrontlineworkforceburnedoutanddissatisfied.

Arealisticoutlook.

FrontlineLeadersaremorelikelytoprioritizethefrontlineworkerexperienceas

anecessityforremainingcompetitive—andtoadmittheystillhaveworktodo.

Theyaremoreinclinedtoagreethatinthecurrentmarketplace,theymust

focusmoreontheretentionoffrontlineworkers(53%comparedwith37%of

theoverallsample),andthattheirorganizationmaynotyetfullyunderstand

thevalueofanengagedfrontlineworkforce(53%comparedwith34%overall).

Theemployeevoice.

Whenitcomestothestateofengagementforfrontlineworkers,welookedforindustry-specifictrendsinthe“StateofEngagement2022”report,basedonananalysisofde-identified

WorkdayPeakonEmployeeVoice

surveydatasubmittedbynearly2.5millionemployeesacross1,500companiesthroughout2021.Ouranalysiscomparesthemeanscoresfor

overallengagementand

individualengagementdrivers

betweenQ1andQ42021,fromnearly9millionsurveyresponses.

•Healthcare:Themajorityof

•Manufacturing:Meaningful

•Retail:Withrelativelylowrankings

engagementdriverssawadrop

improvementsweremadetoa

acrossthemajorityofengagement

inrankingsduring2021—with

numberofengagementdrivers,

drivers,themostnotableincreases

strategyandworkloadseeingthe

butthisindustrystillranks

inscoresbetweenQ1andQ42021

biggestdecline.Theonlydriver

relativelylowcomparedwithmost

wereformanagementsupport

scoretoincreaseduring2021was

othersectors.Organizationalfit,

andpeerrelationships.While

environment,whichmaybedue

peerrelationships,andrewardall

numerousaspectsoftheemployee

tobetteron-the-jobprotections

sawapositiverankingschangeas

experiencecanbeimproved,the

forworkers.

aresultofmeaningfulmeanscorechangesthroughout2021.

mostpressingrelatestoreward.

EmpathyandEmpowerment:theNewFrontlineExperience|9

Theblueprintforfrontlineexperienceexcellence.

1.Championamorecollaborativeapproachtotime.

39%ofleadersincompanieswheredataisfullyaccessiblesaytheyarewellequippeddigitallytoensurebusinesscontinuityintimesofcrisis

Inthenewworldofwork,flexibilityisamust-haveforallemployees—andthetop-downapproachofemployeeshavingzerocontrolovertheirworkinghoursisbecomingarelic.

ForFrontlineLeaders,providingworkerswithcontrolandflexibilityovertheirschedulesisahighpriority,secondonlytosalaryincentivesasaworkforce

managementstrategy.Theyare10%morelikelytohaveintroducedgreater

schedulingcontrolforthefrontlineinthepasttwoyears(39%comparedwith29%oforganizationsoverall).

“UpuntiltheonsetofCOVID-19,manyemployershadbecomeincreasingly

aggressiveinschedulingfrontlineworkerstosuittheirforecastdemand,”

saysMarkCohen,directorofRetailStudiesatColumbiaBusinessSchool.“Butpeoplecannotbelivingona48-hourcycleofchange.Now,employersare

doingeverythingtheycanpossiblydotomakeitconvenientfortheirworkerstoremainemployed.”

Upuntiltheonsetof

COVID-19,manyemployers

hadbecomeincreasingly

aggressiveinscheduling

frontlineworkerstosuittheirforecastdemand.”

MarkCohen

DirectorofRetailStudies,

ColumbiaBusinessSchool

2.Investinemployee-firsttechtoempowerindependence.

42%ofFrontlineLeadersuseemployee-firstschedulingtoolsto

giveworkersmorecontrolandflexibility

TheFrontlineLeaderswanttoempowertheirfrontlineworkerstobemore

independentandinformed:65%sayself-servicedataforemployees—suchas

accesstopolicies,accrualofpaidtimeoff,andbenefitsportals—willimprovethe

frontlineworkerexperience,comparedwithjust45%oforganizationsoverall.

Theyarealsosignificantlymorelikelythanotherorganizationstouse

employee-firstschedulingtoolswiththeirfrontlineworkforce(42%compared

with27%overall).

“Employee-firstschedulingisoneofthebigthingsforustofocuson,”says

AlbanyMedHealthSystem’sMorrell.“WhereI’veintroduceditinthepast—

includinginhospitals—therehavebeenstunninglylow[levelsof]problems.Alot

oforganizationshavesomefearandreluctancetodoitbutthatismisplaced.”

EmpathyandEmpowerment:theNewFrontlineExperience|10

FrontlineLeadersarealsomorelikelytohaveadedicatedemployeeportalorintranetforthefrontline(37%comparedwith24%overall).“Communicationiscritical—makingsurethateveryoneisloopedinandthatthereareenoughopportunitiesforpeopletointeract,”addsMorrell.

3.Harnessdatatoimproveexperience.

60%ofFrontlineLeaderssaydataguidestheirevaluationofthefrontlineworkerexperience

FrontlineLeadersrecognizetheimportanceofdata.Themajority(60%)saydataguidestheirevaluationofthefrontlineworkerexperience,comparedwith46%oforganizationsoverall.And65%saybetteraccesstoqualitydatainsightswillimprovetheirfrontlineworkforcemanagement,comparedwith48%overall.

Thechallengesofthepasttwoyearshavebroughtemployeeexpectationsandsentimenttotheforefront.Resersaysthat,atAtriumHospitality,thereisincreasedawarenessregardingtheimportanceofcollectingdataon

employees’experiencestomakeinformedchanges.

“Wearenowtrackingdeclinationreasons,”saysReser.“Ifweofferajobtoacandidateandtheydecline,whyisthat?Ifit’sduetowages,weneedtolookatouroffer.Now,jobdescriptionsarebeingreevaluatedconstantlybasedonthefeedback.”

4.Focusonemployeedevelopmentandwell-being.

65%ofFrontlineLeaderssaythatthepandemichasimprovedmanagers’awarenessoffrontlineworkers’mentalwell-being

Whenemployeeshaveopportunitiestobuildnewskillsandprogress,theyfeelmoreconnectedtotheirworkandtheiremployer.Almosthalf(49%)ofFrontlineLeadershaveinvestedinonlinetraininganddevelopmenttoolsforthefrontline,comparedwithjust36%oforganizationsoverall.

“There’snoquestionthatretailersaretryingtoattractskilled,ambitiouspeopletojointhematentrylevelandthenstickaround,”saysColumbiaBusiness

School’sCohen.“Trainingandvisibilityofopportunitiesareenormousissues.”

Leadersarealsomorelikelytosaythatthepandemichasboostedmanagers’awarenessoffrontlineworkers’mentalwell-being:65%agree,comparedwithastillimpressive58%oforganizationsoverall.

Communicationiscritical—makingsurethateveryoneisloopedinandthatthere

areenoughopportunitiesforpeopletointeract.”

DavidMorrell

DirectorofBenefits,

AlbanyMedHealthSystem

Ifweofferajobtoacandidateandtheydecline,whyisthat?Ifit’sduetowages,weneedtolookatouroffer.Now,

jobdescriptionsarebeing

reevaluatedconstantlybasedonthefeedback.”

JudeReser

VicePresident,HumanResources,AtriumHospitality

EmpathyandEmpowerment:theNewFrontlineExperience|11

“It’saboutasking,‘HowcanIhelpyou?HowcanImakeacomfortable

environmentforyoutoworkin?’”saysAlbanyMedHealthSystem’sMorrell.“Youwanttohelptheemployeetobeassatisfied,comfortable,andhappyastheycanbe.Happyemployeesmakeproductiveemployees.”

5.Listentofrontlineneeds.

44%ofFrontlineLeadershaveincreasedinthepasttwoyears

pay

forfrontlineworkers

FrontlineLeadersaremorelikelytohavetakentangiblestepstoaligntheirworkplacepolicieswithfrontlineworkerneeds.Asindicatedbythesurveyresults,thetopactionsFrontlineLeadershavetakeninthepasttwoyearsrelatetothemostcommonreasonswhyemployeesquit.

Forexample,thethird-most-commonreasonwhyemployeesleaveistocareforafamilymember,andFrontlineLeadersaremorelikelytohaveintroducedextendedleaveofferingsandgreaterflexibility—givingworkersmoretimeforresponsibilitiesoutsideofwork.

It’saboutasking,‘HowcanIhelpyou?HowcanImakeacomfortableenvironmentforyoutoworkin?’”

DavidMorrell

DirectorofBenefits,

AlbanyMedHealthSystem

FrontlineLeadersareintunewithworkerneeds.

Topreasonsemployersreportwhyfrontlineworkersleavetheirjobs:

•Seekinghigherpay(33%)

•Seekingbetterincentives(28%)

•Tocareforfamilymember(26%)

TopactionsFrontlineLeadershavetakentoretainworkers:

•Increasedpay(44%)

•Greaterschedulingflexibilityandcontrol(39%)

•Extendedleaveofferings(37%)

EmpathyandEmpowerment:theNewFrontlineExperience|12

28%

30%

25%

26%

24%

25%

FrontlineLeadershavebroughtinmoremeasurestoimprovefrontline

experienceinthepasttwoyears.

Overallsample

FrontlineLeaders

29%

39%

Greaterscheduling

flexibilityandcontrol

Resourcestosupport

mentalwell-being

25%

37%

Extendedleaveofferings

Supportcaringfor

familymembers

Expandedhealth

andsafetyprotocols

23%

44%

Increasedpay

22%

28%

Aclearprocessto

reportdiscrimination

Surveyquestion:Tothebestofyourknowledge,whichofthefollowinghasyour

organizationimplementedtoimprovethefrontlineworkerexperienceinthelasttwo

years?(n=504,frontlineleaders=57;topthreeboxresponses.)

EmpathyandEmpowerment:theNewFrontlineExperience|13

Finalword.

Employeesarereassessingtheirrelationshipswithworkandtheiremployers.Thefrontlineworkforceisnoexception.

Organizationsthatignorethisfundamentalshiftwillcontinuetoloseouttothosethattakeamoredata-drivenandempatheticapproachtothefrontlineworkerexperience.

“Thepandemichasledsomanypeopletothinkdeeplyaboutwhatismost

importanttothem—and,formany,it’sthedesiretomakeadifferenceatworkandathome.Thereisahugestrategicadvantagetonurturethatbalance,

too—employerswillsavemoney,improvemorale,andincreasetheirabilitytorecruitandretain,”saysAlbanyMedHealthSystem’sMorrell.

OurFrontlineLeadersofferablueprintforsuccessthatothersshouldfollow;however,eventheypredicthigherturnoverinthenextyearas