Understaffed frontline workers struggling with growing pressure

Our frontline workers have seen enormous pressure through the pandemic. This stress has had an impact on employees’ feelings towards their jobs, as outlined in a report by Qualtrics.

According to the research, frontline workers are stressed, and 31 per cent consider quitting every month.

Furthermore, over the past year, 44 per cent said their workloads have increased, and a third said customers have become harder to deal with.

Qualtrics head of customer experience product Fabrice Martin commented on the findings: “Frontline employees are aptly named, often acting as the first – or only – point of human contact between a customer and a company, so their impact on the overall customer experience cannot be underestimated.”

“It’s essential that organisations provide their human frontline with resources to support their well-being and help them be more productive so they can consistently deliver excellent service and develop loyal customers.”

Qualtrics highlighted the importance of customer experience in the report, stating that poor experiences can put up to 8 per cent of sales at risk. This equates to around $3.1 trillion worldwide each year.

This places added pressure on stressed and overworked frontline workers. According to Qualtrics, 38 per cent of frontline workers are stressed half of the time they’re at work, and 41 per cent feel mentally drained.

Pay increases may not be the way to deal with these issues, as 60 per cent of respondents said they received a pay rise in the last year. This shows that money can’t solve all issues, and employers may be able to increase employee satisfaction by helping them deal with stress and anxiety caused by work.

Qualtrics noted that the best ways to ensure the retention of frontline workers are:

• Demonstrate that leadership is investing in customer-facing teams
• Be aware of the toll of being understaffed
• Streamline responsibilities to boost frontline productivity
• Give employees the opportunity to provide feedback

Putting in the time and effort to listen and support employees could make all the difference. The data showed that 40 per cent of staff are asked regularly for their feedback, while 34 per cent aren’t.

Of those who aren’t asked for feedback, 37 per cent are considering leaving their job. This figure drops to 28 per cent when they are asked for feedback, showing that putting in the effort to listen to staff can make a massive difference.

Meanwhile, Qualtrics said over half of frontline workers who don’t feel supported by their employer are considering quitting.

Getting staffing levels right can be difficult during talent shortages, which is why retention is crucial. Qualtrics research showed that 11 per cent of workers in understaffed teams consider leaving their job daily.

Qualtrics gathered the data from over 1,400 frontline workers across the world. To read the full report, click here.

Jack Campbell

Jack is the editor at HR Leader.