Frontline Employee Generational Change on the Horizon

Companies must rapidly adapt their approaches to talent management to cater for all generations of frontline employees, particularly Millennials and Gen Z. 

It’s estimated that by 2030, there will be a global human talent shortage of more than 85 million people and industries relying on frontline workers will be at the epicentre of this skills shortage maelstrom.

The Frontline Employee: A Perfect Storm

A confluence of factors continues to place significant human talent pressures on companies. These include:

  • Slowing birth rates
  • Falling immigration rates
  • Ageing populations
  • Rapidly evolving workplace technologies

As a result, future-focused organisations are turning their attention to attracting and building future talent amongst Millennials and Generation Z.

The Connected Generations

The first generations to be raised in environments where technology as we know it today was prevalent, are Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2015) and Millennials (born between 1981 and 1997). Often viewed as difficult, unattached and erratic colleagues, these generations are in fact a product of society’s evolving values and norms.

Frontline Employee Generational Expectations

These generations are impacting organisational cultures and want their employee experience to reflect the following:

  • Purpose – work must have meaning.
  • Development – ongoing career development is critical
  • Coaching – command and control approaches are out, in its place: understanding and empathy.
  • Ongoing conversations – real-time and continuous communication is paramount.
  • Personal strengths focus – minimising weaknesses and maximising strengths.
  • Values – that a job should be good is a given, more importantly, worker and company values must align.

Delivering on these expectations requires a transformative approach. By utilising digital solutions like an employee engagement mobile app, companies can take the first steps in creating an attractive environment for these generations.

Driving  Frontline Employee Engagement for a New Generation

These two generations have well-established reputations for digital disruption of the status quo and are demanding workplace solutions that reflect this. Mobile employee engagement solutions provide one of the ways to connect with and manage them effectively. As such, the Wyzetalk solution helps business leaders take steps to keep this generation engaged.

These are just some of the features:

  • Provide frequent, clear communication – an employee engagement mobile app opens up two-way communication channels.
  • Prioritise development and growth – address career aspirations via micro learning on digital platforms.
  • Empower them with independence – remote monitoring solutions provide frontline employees with increased work freedom.
  • Connect with why – the big picture purpose of work can easily be shared via mobile communication solutions.
  • Facilitate and enable – ongoing technological innovation, which increases ease of collaboration, and promotes deeper engagement.
  • Ask and involve them – surveys and polls can quickly be deployed online, providing employees with a voice on matters thereby building internal stakeholder capital.

Key Takeaways

Companies will need to become increasingly tech-savvy by providing, for example, digital employee engagement tools in order to draw future talent who are completely at ease with the world of technology. Attracting and keeping this talent will not only hinge on technology but a willingness by companies to embrace new attitudes to employee engagement, future of work and business.

Talk to an expert to help connect with a new generation of frontline employee.