Studies are showing that frontline workers feel burned out, disconnected, and dissatisfied. They made sure the assembly lines stayed moving. They rolled the trucks. They stocked the shelves. They tended to us when we got sick. And they tried to make life as close to normal as possible when we got better.

Frontline workers kept the economy’s gears turning. But now they’re feeling the grind.

A recent study by Workplace from Meta focusing on employee satisfaction found that two years of working through the pandemic have taken their toll. 

• 70% of frontline workers have suffered from or felt at risk of burnout in the last year 
• 45% of survey respondents say they plan to leave frontline service altogether 

Whether you want to call it the Great Resignation or the Great Reshuffling, workers have been quitting their jobs in record numbers. An astonishing 4.5 million handed in their resignation in November 2021. 

A feeling of being disconnected is driving up employee discontent and lowering employee satisfaction.

Meta reports only 14% of frontline workers feel connected to company headquarters. Meanwhile, 54% say they don’t feel they have a voice on the job.

Improving communication within your company is more important than it’s ever been before. That same survey from Meta shows more than 60% of frontline workers say having better communication technology at work would make a difference with their employee morale.

Creating a culture of better communication lowers turnover at work

In the post-pandemic era, frontline workers who feel disconnected from their jobs are more likely to look for employment elsewhere proving why employee satisfaction is important.

A special report from Microsoft surveyed nearly 10,000 frontline workers in a wide array of industries from around the world. It found that improving a company’s communications technology can be a powerful tool in preventing workplace burnout. 

Among the report’s key findings on how to improve employee satisfaction:

• Employees need leaders who communicate and care. More than 3/4 of frontline workers say they feel bonded to each other, but 60% say their company needs to do more to communicate. More than half complain they don’t feel valued as employees.
• They want better technology to help with communication issues. Improving technology ranks third on the list of factors employees say would reduce workplace stress only behind more pay and more time off.
• Nearly half of frontline workers (46%) say they value better communications technology more than mental health and wellness benefits.

The research is showing with turnover high and morale low, businesses of all sizes need to refocus on their frontline workplace culture. Microsoft’s data clearly shows building strong lines of communication and efficient workplace includes equipping frontline employees with the latest tech.

The many ways Relay can help improve communication at work

Relay turns one-way directives into two-way conversations. 

Our innovative, simple-to-use communication devices instantly connect your employees with each other and with team leaders to improve workplace efficiency while creating a safer and healthier environment for frontline workers.

They replace bulky radios and walkie-talkies with a sleek, push-button device that works wherever there’s wifi or a cellular signal.

Customers attest using Relay for their business has helped employees deal with emergency situations and enabled faster and more accurate communications with frontline workers — all while improving morale.

‘The major benefit has been the ability to easily communicate among the team,” said Rhiannon Zielinski , housekeeping manager of the Radisson Plaza Hotel and Suites in Kalamazoo, Michigan. “There are no longer multiple steps that a team member has to go through to reach the right person. This allows us to move more productively each day with less frustration.”

Relay features smartphone technology built inside a durable and easy-to-use device. With GPS tracking on every device, you can find and talk to frontline workers instantly with just a push of a button. Keeping your team connected has never been easier.

Still don’t know where to start?

The Relay team can walk you through the details of our cloud-based technology. Our data-driven approach gives you the ability to create efficient workplace operations and track performance, ultimately making an impact on your bottom line.

Sign up for a free consultation today