How to fix your frontline teams with Josh Bersin

There’s been an explosion of interest in the deskless worker experience over the last few years – maybe thanks to the pandemic showing us who really keeps the world turning. But despite the hundreds of new reports and articles that talk about why turnover is so high (and why morale is so low), I remain baffled by the fact that only 1% of tech investment goes towards this huge cohort of workers!

There are 2.7 billion deskless workers in the world. 53% of them feel burned out, and nearly half of them are actively job-hunting. It’s a sorry state of affairs… but we don’t need more doom and gloom – we need answers and good advice.

And that’s why I recently reached out to Josh Bersin – arguably the world’s leading expert on HR and the workplace – to find out what we can do to re-think frontline work, and fix our deskless teams.

The three pillars of a happy and productive front line

In speaking with Bersin, one thing became apparent straight away: most organisations are focusing on the wrong things. They tend to push things like processes, tools, or perks, which although may be a part of the puzzle, do not usually get to the heart of the issue.

Instead, Bersin suggests that what frontline teams actually need is a sense of purpose, opportunity for growth, and a generous helping of trust.

1. Purpose. People want to know why their work matters. Which is easy if you work in a strategic role with an obvious connection to the company’s bigger mission – but this can often be a hard connection to make for deskless workers, especially those engaged in dull, repetitive tasks.
2. Growth. Did you know that in some companies, deskless workers don’t even get taught how to do their basic jobs, let alone have a conversation about development or career growth? There’s no wonder people quit – the absence of development opportunities is one of the biggest causes of high turnover.
3. Trust. Frontline workers need to be able to trust their supervisors. They’re not usually connected to the wider business in the same way those in head office are – so they need to trust that what their manager says really is what the business wants. And that it’s not going to get them shot at dawn!

The good news, though, is that there are plenty of companies doing this right – and there’s a lot we can learn from them.

Purpose starts with the origin story

“Every company has a purpose” says Bersin, “and it often goes back to the origin story.”

He tells me that one way to give employees a sense of belonging, is to remind them of this purpose, or this “origin story” – for example, in the way that L’Oreal reminds their staff to “bring beauty to everyday life”.

But he cautions that purpose cannot simply be a tagline or campaign that you launch from head office and expect people to understand.

“It’s up to team leaders and supervisors to “translate” this into the work people do on a daily basis” he explains. “They must keep bringing things back to this purpose – e.g. “the reason we need to fix this broken steamer in the coffee machine is that it’s preventing our Starbucks guests from enjoying their experience.””

Done right, companies like Starbucks and L’Oreal have managed to help their frontline workers find value in their individual jobs, and take more pride in the work they do. Many of their employees see their job as less of a mechanical process, and more of a way to positively impact the lives of their customers – which, in turn, helps them to feel a greater sense of satisfaction at the end of each day.

But not all frontline teams manage that – does yours?

Growth happens in more places than just the classroom

Another frontline issue is training and development.

Many companies struggle to help their frontline teams build the skills that will eventually lead to career progression opportunities. It’s common for frontline workers to report barely even being trained on how to do their basic job, let alone the skills to advance their career!

Some organisations blame this on the fact that they are so busy and understaffed, They can’t find the time for any sort of formal training beyond what is required by law, because taking people away from their duties is practically impossible!

But Bersin says that even if you can’t find time to train people in a formal setting, there are other ways to help workers build their skills and get better at their jobs.

“There are hundreds of ideas” he says “but the simplest is to have a daily or weekly “sharing meeting” where people share what they’re struggling with and what they have learned.”

He adds that management and supervisors can also use these meetings to share what they want people to focus on – but warns that you must keep these meetings open ended and non-judgemental, if you want people to actually learn.

“That means not jumping down someone’s throat if they ask a simple question!” he says.

Trustworthy team leaders are built in three parts

It’s essential for frontline workers to trust their supervisors. And those honest and open conversations we just talked about will help massively with that.

But Bersin says that earning frontline trust really boils down to three key elements:

1. Competence. “Are leaders doing their jobs well?” asks Bersin. “If people feel leaders are incompetent, they don’t trust them.:
2. Ethics. Bersin says that leaders must be truly fair, ethical, honest, and transparent. Lose those things, and you lose the trust.
3. Listening. Leaders must be listening to what people on the frontline are saying. They may not always have a solution, but they must at least care.

Bersin says that if those three things are strong, then trust amongst your frontline teams and their direct supervisors will also be strong. And from there, you are better able to engage in the other two pillars of a happy and productive frontline team.

Inclusion isn’t optional – your frontline workers must be considered

One of the most common complaints I hear from frontline workers is that policies and benefits are all designed to suit office workers who sit at desks – they tend to exclude the busy frontline, who ironically tend to be the ones in greater need.

I asked Bersin how companies can make environments more inclusive and flexible for frontline workers, despite the fixed shifts and rigid schedules these workers often face.

“Everyone matters, regardless of age, ability, education, gender, etc.” he tells me. “I hate to bring up DEI, but DEI programs are vital and still needed, so managers are aware of their blindspots.”

And including everyone means including your deskless workers.

Alright, so you can’t always include frontline workers in the same way you can other staff – you can’t just tell a nurse to work from home or to simply fit their hours in where possible. But Bersin says that there are ways of being inclusive with things like flexibility, even if you have to approach it in a slightly different way.

“Many hospitals which have nursing shortages now have daycare” he says, “meaning nurses can bring their kids to work.”

Reducing isolation through listening, flexibility and belonging

There’s another challenge with many frontline teams, too – and that’s the challenge of isolation.

Many deskless workers feel isolated from company communications or software systems, which is one problem. But there are also those who work remotely – meaning they miss out on the social side of work, too.

Bersin says that there are three things you can do to fix this.

“It comes down to listening (managerial competency), flexibility (work schedules), and belonging (teamwork)” he says. He adds that  “everyone feels isolated at times, and when a team mate asks you to coffee or checks in, it creates enormous warmth” – emphasising the need to ensure you’re bringing isolated workers into the fold.

But this needs to be more than just a video call or an email check-in – he says that face to face meetings are critical, regardless of location.

“Remote only teams should have face to face meetings at least twice a year” he says, adding that more is better. And yes, if that means flying in your most remote workers to ensure you get that face time, then do it!

The two things most frontline managers get wrong

Despite all of the advice that’s out there, many frontline teams still seem to be chaotic and unhappy places. Especially if discussion on reddit are anything to go by.

So I asked Bersin what companies are getting wrong most often with their frontline teams.

“There are many problems” he says, “but our research shows that the real “problem” is two things: first, deskless workers need tools and systems to make their work more “top of license.” Second, is “giving them an opportunity to grow.””

1.  Making work more “top of license”

Making work more “top of license” means removing blockers that get in the way of our work.

“It means fixing obstacles that get in the way of the “real work” we want to get done” Bersin explains. “Physical environment, heat, light, tools, etc.”

Have you ever felt too hot to work because the air con is broken? Or struggled to clock in? Or been unable to unlock a machine because IT hasn’t reset the password yet? Or found no hairnets in the kitchen? Or been short on uniform? Or identified a risk that would make it unsafe to work?

These are all the types of blockers that make “real work” impossible, which is not just a massive productivity drain, but it can be incredibly demotivating when you feel like your workplace is in a constant state of “broken”.

2.  Giving them an opportunity to grow

According to Bersin, 75% or more of front-office workers have never had a conversation about a job promotion or a new opportunity.

And this is likely because “they get almost no communications from corporate on the company’s mission, direction, or strategy”, he explains.

This kinda goes back to what we’re saying about finding opportunities to teach people, but it also ties in with making sure that your communication tools are designed for everyone – and not just your office workers.

Treat people like humans – it’s good for business

Ultimately, Bersin’s advice boils down to treating your frontline workers like humans. That means communicating with them on their terms, recognising that they have ambitions and morals, and giving them reasons to trust you and your team of leaders.

For all the noise about digital transformation and the future of work, perhaps what we need to start is something a little more simple – and that’s to treat frontline workers as the core of our business, not some detail around the edge.

About Josh Bersin

Josh Bersin is one of the most influential voices in the world of work. As founder of The Josh Bersin Company and the Josh Bersin Academy, he’s shaped how global organisations think about HR, leadership, and the employee experience. A pioneer in talent research and a former Deloitte partner, his insights are trusted by Fortune 500 leaders and regularly featured in Forbes, HBR, and The Wall Street Journal. You can learn more about his work here.