Equipping Frontline Workers with Digital Tools for Success Amid Skilled Labor Shortages

Equipping Frontline Workers with Digital Tools for Success Amid Skilled Labor Shortages

Frontline workers are a key part of the workforce in the majority of organizations. Out of approximately 2.5 Billion deskless/frontline workers around the world, an estimated one billion require tailored communications and collaboration tools to complete their job tasks.

Frontline workers comprise a diverse category of workers that typically do not perform their job tasks full-time at a desk. Other characteristics that frontline workers have in common include indoor or outdoor mobility and the need for wireless connectivity, hands-free communication tools, ruggedized communications devices and integration with vertical apps and/or IoT devices.

Frontline worker communications and collaboration requirements differ widely based on the job tasks they perform. Workflows vary significantly by industry and job function, which indicates that communications and collaboration tools must be tailored for different types of frontline workers.

Most technology vendors and service providers lack clearly defined frontline worker strategies. However, certain vendors have launched vertical strategies that aim to provide tailored capabilities to both desk and frontline workers in selected industries.

This study provides an analyst perspective on the opportunity to empower frontline workers with communications and collaboration tools. It includes data from a 2023 survey of global IT and telecom decision makers to quantify investment priorities and gain insights into tools used to enhance frontline worker productivity, comfort, compliance and safety. The study also spotlights key challenges, objectives, and growth opportunities in the healthcare vertical.