3 Things To Know About the Frontline Gap in Manufacturing

In manufacturing, your frontline is essential. These employees are the factory workers, machine operators, and maintenance technicians who ensure your product is made safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards – keeping your supply chain running smoothly, your profit margins high, and your customers happy.

But what happens when the well-oiled machine of your company culture starts to break down?

For our recent Frontline Gap Report, we surveyed over 7,500 frontline workers across industries, including over 780 from manufacturing, to understand the fracture between frontline and desk-based workers commonly known as the “Frontline Gap.”

Our research found that frontline workers in manufacturing are feeling disengaged and disconnected from the companies they work for, which can lead to everything from missed communications to employee attrition.

How can you close this gap and keep frontline manufacturing workers engaged and happy? Read on for three key takeaways from our findings, and download the full Manufacturing Frontline Gap Report to learn more.

1. Don't jam up the lines of communication

From sharing new safety policies to recall notices, it’s vital that you can reach manufacturing frontline workers with key communications. But almost half of frontline workers in manufacturing (47%) say that much of their company’s communication seems irrelevant to them. As a result, 61% skip over company communications some or all of the time, with one in five saying they “rarely or never” read them.

If businesses continue to spam these frontline workers, they risk causing them to disengage entirely. And in manufacturing, this doesn’t just impact company culture and employee belonging: there could be serious safety and compliance implications if vital information goes unread.

To avoid this, businesses must get laser-focused with targeted communications that tell manufacturing workers exactly what they need to know. With an employee experience platform (EXP), you can send real-time alerts to share critical information with specific cohorts (like workers in specific locations or on particular shifts), monitor who’s seen your messages to ensure nothing gets missed, and automatically translate content into over 90 languages so readers can consume information in their preferred language – so you can always reach the right people at the right time.

2. Enhance operations with built-for-purpose tools

Nearly two-thirds (62%) of frontline workers in manufacturing feel frustrated by the company communications technology they have to use, with 63% turning to personal messaging apps to communicate about work instead.

What’s behind this frustration? Almost half (47%) of frontline manufacturing employees say that their company’s communication tools feel designed for desk workers, not them. Additionally, nearly a quarter (23%) say their employer’s app or scheduling tool makes them feel micromanaged, not empowered.

Like all frontline employees, manufacturing workers are frequently on the go and have limited time to spend in front of screens. To meet their needs, adopt technology that supports them wherever they are, whether that’s on the factory floor or travelling between sites.

Using a mobile-first platform built with frontline workers in mind boosts adoption and engagement. This allows you to safeguard your employees, maintain the highest operating standards, and quickly react to unforeseen circumstances to stay resilient – even when workers don’t have access to a computer or a company email address.

3. Ensure workers don’t feel like just a cog in the machine

Growth opportunities are a top priority for frontline manufacturing workers, but over half (55%) feel they have fewer than their office-based colleagues – a slight increase on the global average (52%). What’s more, only 13% of frontline workers in this industry believe they have a clear path forward at their company.

This lack of progression could be a push factor for frontline workers in manufacturing: 55% say they would leave their current job for another company offering the same pay but better career growth.

Employee turnover is always costly, but in manufacturing it can have knock-on effects. Not only do manufacturing companies lose between $20,000 and $40,000 every time they have to replace just one employee, but recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and training all slow down your production cycle even further.

To retain your high performers and keep this wealth of expertise in your business, map out career paths that give frontline workers room to grow in the way they want. Not sure what that looks like? Ask them! Use your EXP to launch surveys and get direct feedback, then act on these insights to address any underlying issues and create action plans that support long-term careers with your company.

Connect and engage manufacturing frontline workers to keep production powered up

Your people are your most important asset. But when frontline workers feel disconnected and disengaged, productivity – and production – suffers, leading to further problems with compliance, safety, and attrition.

The answer? An engagement and comms tool that supports frontline manufacturing workers’ unique needs, meeting them exactly where they are to keep them informed, inspired, and invested.

Want to learn more? Download the full Manufacturing Frontline Gap Report now to get our actionable tips.