The real key to keeping frontline workers engaged

If companies want to boost engagement and lower turnover among frontline workers, one of the best things they can do is turn every manager into an excellent communicator.

A new report from employee communications platform goHappy shows frontline workers are 2.4 times more likely to feel supported on the job if they have a manager who communicates well. On the flip side, frontline workers are four times more likely to quit if they don’t have a supportive manager.

“The frontline leader is so critically important to the experience of that frontline team member,” said Shawn Boyer, founder and CEO of goHappy.

The research, which is based on survey responses from more than 52,000 frontline workers across several industries, indicates the best way managers can communicate involves using a combination of authenticity, appreciation and coaching.

Boyer noted that many frontline workers simply aren’t getting any feedback on whether they’re doing well. They don’t know how to improve what they’re doing because no one tells them.

Ben Eubanks, chief research officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory, which worked with goHappy on the report, added that managers often overestimate how much they are communicating and what employees know about a given policy or corporate update.

A focus on clarity and ongoing transparency, even around basic questions, such as how to get promoted or request time off, can increase perceptions of trust and fairness.

“Companies sometimes think that this type of communication has to be something that no one’s ever thought of before — something wildly innovative,” said Eubanks. “In reality, many companies don’t do the basics well. There’s a very real cost to that gap.”

Indeed, separate research from Lighthouse reveals stark differences between frontline workers who say their employers communicate well and those who don’t. Overall, 88% of frontline workers with employers who communicate well say they feel accepted, respected and appreciated. The same is true for just 17% of frontline workers who say their employer is poor at communication.

For Jeremy Edmonds, executive vice president of people and culture at Snooze Eatery, a breakfast and brunch restaurant chain that employs around 3,000 frontline workers in more than 60 locations across 10 states, consistency matters more than perfection. Regular touchpoints through pre-shift huddles, one-on-one conversations, and real-time recognition, in addition to corporate emails or text messages, can help set a familiar cadence.

“Frontline teams can quickly sense when communication only shows up during times of change or crisis,” said Edmonds. “The most effective managers build communication into the daily culture of the workplace.”

Edmonds added that managers communicate more effectively when they translate what company priorities mean for frontline workers in their day-to-day activities.

Snooze Eatery sends managers an email each week outlining the restaurant chain’s priorities for the next seven days. Each month, the company also articulates a specific hospitality-related goal for managers to focus on.

For Edmonds, managers serve as message reinforces, making sure they stick.

“When you think about the best way to communicate with someone, you want them to not only receive the information, but they need to hear it in two or three different ways,” he said.

Ultimately, goHappy’s report notes that fewer than half of frontline workers (45%) say their managers communicate effectively. This suggests there’s plenty of room for growth.

Companies that seek to establish a healthy culture of communication, Boyer added, benefit from a robust feedback loop. Employees trust that their thoughts and opinions matter when their manager asks for them. Likewise, managers trust that frontline workers will engage with surveys and share concerns and ideas for improvement.

“When we look at the organizations that have the lowest turnover, highest engagement levels and best financial performance, it’s those companies,” said Boyer. “They’re just maniacal about that.”