Introduction

In the modern landscape of work, the deskless workforce plays a critical role in various industries, from retail and hospitality to healthcare and construction.

Axonify’s Deskless Report is based on a ground breaking study that delves into the challenges faced by deskless workers and uncovers solutions to optimize their productivity, engagement, and overall work experience. The following article pulls out some key highlights from the report to give you a flavour of the insights contained within it.
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Understanding the role of frontline managers

In today's fast-paced frontline world, the role of frontline managers in empowering and enabling their workforce has taken the spotlight. However, the report revealed the critical role these managers play as intermediaries between corporate headquarters and frontline employees. They're at the center of it all.

Moreover, the reality is that frontline managers are often overwhelmed with numerous responsibilities. Balancing staff management and ensuring employee satisfaction becomes a challenging task. In the absence of proper tools and infrastructure, they often resort to inadequate or personal tools that disrupt work/life balance.

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Bridging the communication gap

One of the significant findings, is the existing gap in information dissemination between managers and deskless workers. While corporate emphasises the importance of community and cultural initiatives, it’s revealed that workers' more fundamental needs related to livelihood and stability remain unaddressed. Without meeting these foundational needs, deskless workers struggle to fully participate, accept, or see value in peripheral initiatives.

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Empowering the deskless workforce

Recognizing the critical role of deskless workers in organisational success, its a must. By fostering stability, providing growth opportunities, and ensuring fair compensation, organisations can create an environment where deskless workers feel valued, motivated, and engaged.
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“Managers are burned out trying to act as the go-between, and organizations don’t have the tools and processes in place to truly collect the feedback that could drive business outcomes.”

Leveraging technology and innovation

There are big conversations right now around a digital transformation in frontline industries: digitising the customer experience, and, increasingly, the frontline employee experience.

From mobile apps and communication platforms to task management tools and performance tracking systems, organisations can leverage technology to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and enhance communication among deskless teams.
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“47% of frontline respondents want to use technology to improve employee training”.

Embracing technology is a vital component of frontline training. The good news is that the frontline workforce is receptive to this idea. In fact, 47% of frontline respondents express a desire to leverage technology to address the lack of employee training, ranking it as the highest problem that they believe technology can effectively resolve.

This presents an exciting opportunity for organisations to reevaluate their training programmes. By embracing technology, frontline organisations can foster a culture of continuous learning, where training seamlessly integrates into the daily work routine. This not only enhances employee knowledge and skills but also improves operational efficiency and drives overall performance. With the frontline's openness to adopting technology, organisations have an incredible opportunity to transform their training initiatives and maximise the potential of their workforce.

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The bottom line

By recognising the central role of frontline managers, addressing communication gaps, prioritising fundamental needs, and leveraging technology, organisations can unlock the full potential of their deskless workforce. The report serves as a guiding resource for organisations seeking to revolutionise their approach to managing and supporting deskless employees.

Dive into the findings and recommendations from the Axonify Deskless Report. Download the report