How Global Frontline Workers Really Feel: Regional Trends and Differences

Our recent research found that the frontline gap is taking a significant toll on employees, causing essential workers to feel disconnected, disengaged, and disempowered. In industries from retail to manufacturing, frontline workers are experiencing this gap across five critical areas: culture, recognition, communication, technology, and career growth.

But while the report painted a compelling – and urgent – picture, we wanted to dig further into the results to discover the challenges and opportunities facing frontline employees in specific regions around the world.

Read on to discover the standout stats from over 7,500 global respondents, and download the regional recuts to learn more.

1. Frontline workers in APAC are feeling majorly disconnected

Our research revealed that only 3% of frontline workers in APAC are confident their company culture applies to them, a significant drop from the global average of 13%. In contrast, the highest-ranking cohorts (NAMER and LATAM) are over six times more likely to say their company culture “definitely” applies to them, coming in at 18% and 19% respectively.

Why are frontline workers in APAC feeling so much more disconnected from company culture? The data may hold some clues. For starters, we see that only 4% of frontline employees in APAC “definitely” know what their company’s mission and values are, which is drastically below other regions. But even when they are familiar with them, a whopping 85% don’t feel strongly connected to them – compared to the global average of 63%.

To overcome these challenges, teams need to ensure frontline workers in this region have access to key documents, like mission statements and values, by creating a centralized digital hub. But it’s not enough to simply provide the materials: use employee insights and feedback channels like pulse surveys to understand how frontline workers feel about them, so you can spot disengagement early and take action before it becomes a problem. 

2. EMEA and LATAM prove the value of praise and recognition 

Frontline workers in LATAM have the highest rates of recognition globally. Almost half (48%) say they’re “frequently” recognized for their work, compared to 35% globally and only 20% in APAC.

And yet, 59% of frontline workers in LATAM say their company cares more about office workers than them, a significant spike on the global average of 50%. Frontline workers in LATAM also cite “lack of recognition” as the number-one factor compromising their sense of belonging at work.

This underscores how important recognition is to frontline workers: even in cohorts with the highest recognition frequency, they still crave regular acknowledgement and appreciation for their hard work.

The good news is that while the recognition gap may be larger in LATAM, closing it can have an equally outsized impact. Some 42% of frontline workers in this region say being recognized for their individual contributions is one of the top ways they would feel more valued at work, compared with 35% globally.

In fact, 38% of frontline workers in LATAM say that being praised publicly makes them feel more valued than getting a bonus, with this figure rising to an impressive 44% in the UK and EMEA, highlighting the tangible impact of an employee recognition program.

3. NAMER wants meaningful communication and connection, but it has to go both ways

For frontline workers in NAMER, it’s important to be kept in the loop. Almost three-quarters (73%) would like to hear updates from their CEO, and 82% want to understand their company’s decisions better. These are the highest figures of any global cohort, suggesting that there’s a huge untapped opportunity to connect with these team members using effective, relevant internal comms.

But for this to work, it needs to go both ways. While NAMER respondents are primed to engage with company comms, they also expect to be heard in response. Nearly half (48%) of frontline workers have feedback they want to share with leadership but no good way to share it, while almost one in four (22%) say they’re rarely or never asked for their opinion on how work gets done.

NAMER is also the most likely cohort to say that much of their company’s communications seem irrelevant to them (58% compared to 48% globally). It's perhaps unsurprising, then, that 55% admit they skip reading them some or all of the time, despite clearly wanting to be informed.

If companies continue to spam these frontline workers with irrelevant comms without asking for their feedback or input, they risk causing them to switch off entirely – and losing their goodwill.

Engage global cohorts with an all-in-one platform

Across all industries and regions, the frontline gap is a major issue. If left untreated, the employee dissatisfaction it causes can lead to attrition and turnover, negative employer and brand reputation, and poor customer service and experiences.

But to truly close the frontline gap and engage your workers, you need to deeply understand them: their needs, their preferences, and their nuances. Use a powerful employee experience platform to get granular and deliver tailored, personalized experiences and communications based on specific audience requirements. 

With the right platform and data-driven insights, you can ensure every frontline employee feels connected and engaged, no matter where in the world they are.