The State of the
Frontline Workforce
2024 Report
Introduction
With the cost of living on a consistent rise, inflation high, and the future of technology and AI all mixed together– it makes for an uncertain and stressful time for many frontline workers as well as businesses. Frontline workers need their pay and benefits to support them and their basic needs, as well as to feel valued at work and be given opportunities for learning and growth.
66% of frontline workers have reported they experienced work-related stress. And stressful work environments are one of the top three reasons they have considered leaving their job in the past year. Addressing these stressors –improving communication between managers and staff, improving leadership, and increasing scheduling flexibility – will help employers retain their frontline workers.
In a time when technology holds a lot of amazing possibilities, it also can create uncertainty and worry about the impact on the workforce. Luckily, there is a lot of optimism around AI amongst frontline workers in 2024, with 51% believing the future of tech will impact their jobs positively. It’s up to organizations to make sure they are supportive and transparent about how the technology will be incorporated into the day-to-day to keep the positive impressions.
The state of frontline workers in 2024 is putting pressure on employers to improve the employee experience. Businesses that find ways to support their frontline workers, and listen to what their employees are saying will be the winners.
So, what is the State of the Frontline Workforce?
- 55% have considered quitting their jobs in the past year
- 66% experience work related stress
- 51% believe the future of tech will impact their jobs
The employee experience
- One in two frontline workers have thought about quitting their jobs in the past year due to low pay, stress, and irregular working hours
- 29% expressed feeling undervalued by their employer as a reason for considering leaving their current positions
- More than 80% of frontline workers are confident that they have other job opportunities that match their skills, even though they may or may not have considered quitting
What is making frontline workers dissatisfied and looking for other jobs?
- 53% say the pay is too low
- 41% say the work environment is stressful
- 27% say poor leadership from my manager
With age, comes longer-term thinking
People over the age of 45 see their current frontline job as a long-term career commitment compared to 18 to 34-year-olds.
- 60% of 35-54 year olds consider it a long-term commitment, likely due to their established life stages and responsibilities
- In contrast to 42% of 18-34 year olds, possibly due to facing various life transitions
- Younger respondents are also more prone to considering quitting, with 58% of 18-24-year-olds having considered it compared to 53% of those aged 54 and above
When hiring, consider that you may have higher retention with older frontline workers. And Gen Z might have other expectations from you than previous generations.
What do Gen Z and Millennials look for in frontline work?
For Gen Z and Millennials (ages 18-43), higher pay, and a more flexible schedule rank higher in importance than for older Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers (ages 44-78). When asked what would make their job more attractive to them, there is a clear difference between the older and younger generations.
- About 70% of Gen Z and Millennials said higher pay, compared to about 55% of GenX and Baby Boomers
- 19% say more flexible schedules, compared to 15% for the older generations
However, when it comes to needing less stressful work environments:
- 26% of Gen X and Baby Boomers say they would like a less stressful work environment, compared to 19% of Gen Z and Millennials
Food for thought 💡
If higher pay is not on the table, more flexible schedules can be a great benefit to consider for the younger frontline workers as they place it in higher importance. What’s great, is that this will also benefit your older frontline workers.
Improving stressful working environments will also benefit all of your frontline workers – young and old – so let’s talk about what is causing stress in the workforce.
The health of the workforce
About 66% of frontline workers say they have experienced work-related stress. That’s a 5% increase from 2023.
When people get stressed, they tend to be unable to perform at their best and seek other jobs. Higher stress also correlates with lower productivity and more mistakes made. And making a mistake doesn’t help alleviate the stress you’re already feeling.
The top 3 stressors for frontline workers,
- 30% responded that their income does not cover the cost of living
- 18% feel they’re working too many hours
- 14% are frustrated with the poor communication between management and staff
On the positive side, stress levels related to schedule flexibility appear to be decreasing. In 2023, 41% of frontline workers reported stress related to lack of scheduling flexibility, and this year it’s down to only 11%.
This could be due to better technology that makes it easier for staff to swap or pick up shifts, and quickly and seamlessly request changes to schedules if there is an emergency or just a last minute change of plans. It can also be that many employers are seeing this as a way to improve retention and reduce stress for their staff and are focusing on providing a better employee experience around schedule flexibility.
Communication breakdown
- 75% are dissatisfied with the technology needed to do their job or feel there is room for improvement.
- However, employers have doubled down on providing the right tech, with 40% saying they use an app provided by their company, compared with 15% in 2023.
The top 5 platforms
frontline workers are using
The different communication platforms vary across generations. While Gen Z’s social usage is pretty evenly split across social channels, Millennials favor Facebook Messenger, and the older generations tend to use text messages.
Food for thought! 💡
Consider consolidating communication into one central location as much as possible. This leaves less room for an ineffective game of telephone, and it also ensures everyone can communicate in the same way without missing out on important information.
The future of technology
The future of technology and how it will impact frontline work is something we can’t ignore in 2024. With the pandemic came a rise in new technology such as QR codes and self-checkouts, and 2023 brought on the global accessibility of AI.
What we found is that many frontline workers are quite positive about the potential of AI being incorporated into their daily work lives. AI and other technology won’t ever replace humans, and that should not be the goal. However, it can help us automate certain tasks, and help us do jobs better and faster.
- 51% believe the future of tech will impact their jobs positively.
Technology is our friend
What we found is that many frontline workers are quite positive about the potential of AI being incorporated into their daily work lives. AI and other technology won’t ever replace humans, and that should not be the goal. However, it can help us automate certain tasks, and help us do jobs better and faster.
- 51% believe the future of tech will impact their jobs positively.
The positives frontline workers see,
- 60% believe it will help them get their work done faster and more efficiently
- 55% believe it will improve the quality of their jobs
Of the workers that feel hesitant towards the future of technology,
- 55% worry technology will eliminate their position
- 40% worry about the risk of technology malfunctions leading to frustrations rather than solutions
There is greater pessimism toward the future of technology and AI in older workers. Senior workers are particularly concerned with AI and other technologies eliminating their jobs.
- 44% of 45+ year-olds are positive about the impact of technology on their jobs
- Compared to 58% of 18 to 34-year-olds
Wrapping up
Financial concerns are even more top of mind in 2024, but we know it’s not always possible to provide pay increases. Employers can provide more flexibility in scheduling, invest in leadership programs and training, and technology that makes it easier to communicate and manage the daily tasks for frontline workers. Retention, and employee satisfaction and wellness should take a new level of importance for employers. They should be as important as revenue and profit.
Although there is a lot of positivity around technology and AI, there is still quite a bit of worry and skepticism. Therefore, businesses should consider how they can build a thriving workforce that's ready for the future but is honest, transparent, and supportive of their employees. Remembering that the goal of technology is never there to replace humans, just help enhance and help us do our work more efficiently.
Frontline workers make up the personalities your customers see and associate with your brand, and they help get your products and services out into the world for people to enjoy. They are an essential part of the equation for your business. Your frontline workers have spoken. How will you listen and respond?