Behind the dynamic environments of bustling retail stores, busy distribution centres, and vibrant logistics hubs are the unsung heroes known as desk-free workers. These individuals, who power sectors like retail, wholesale, and facilities management, play a pivotal role in the seamless functioning of businesses worldwide.
They are the people who get the job done, often for low pay, anti-social hours, in testing conditions, and with little recognition. To top it all off, they’re doing this while facing a significant disconnect between themselves, managers, and the back-office of their organisation. This communication gap often leads to operational hiccups, affecting both the employees on the ground and the overall efficiency of the business.
Our recent webinar, 'Connecting the disconnected: Desk-free workers and the back-office' (which was streamed on July 16th), brought together industry leaders, desk-free champions, and innovative minds to delve into this crucial issue. They didn’t just scratch the surface either, they did a deep dive into the intricacies of this topic. Our knowledgeable panel consisted of:
- Anwen Robinson, SVP of the Accelerator Business Unit at OneAdvanced
- Paul Ridings, Global Director of Growth for People at OneAdvanced
- Mark Reddy, Global Director of Growth for Finance, Spend, and Governance at OneAdvanced
What is meant by a disconnected desk-free workforce?
Understanding desk-free workers
The webinar introduced the concept of desk-free workers, highlighting their impact on organisational success, with examples from specific roles and industries. They are the backbone of many sectors, driving success through their dedication and hard work, and this webinar celebrates the invaluable role they play.
Addressing the information gap
The session addressed the prevalent disconnect and information gap between desk-free workers and back-office leaders, showcasing the implications of this issue on workforce dynamics and operational success. By acknowledging and bridging the disconnect, organisations can unlock new opportunities for efficiency and productivity.
Empowering change through technology
The focus wasn’t just on identifying the gap, but also on crafting practical solutions using technology as the enabler. These technologies can enhance communication, general processes, and collaboration between desk-free workers and managerial teams, while also empowering these frontline employees and making them feel like they’re part of a more cohesive team.
Noteworthy quotes and stats
Throughout the discussion, our speakers highlighted some eye-opening stats and quotes, helping to underscore the urgent need for businesses to address this disconnect across the workforce. From staggering economic costs to frontline worker attrition rates, each revelation helped to paint a vivid picture and emphasise the scale of the challenge at hand. One such stat brought up was that employee benefits & rewards platform Perkbox have estimated the disconnect costs the UK economy over £340bn annually!
How do organisations go about bridging this disconnect?
During the session, our participants shared actionable tips and strategies on how organisations can improve communication, optimise processes, and foster better collaboration between desk-free workers and managerial teams. The goal? To ensure every worker, from the frontline to the back-office, feels recognised and valued. Each speaker zoned in on their particular area of expertise, ensuring the conversation was loosely broken up into the following sections:
1. Introduction – Serving as the host of this webinar, Anwen Robinson set the scene for the topic, providing some context and discussing the latest industry trends for companies employing desk-free workers. She also introduced the concept of the desk-free worker, explaining who they are and what they do. During the discussion, Anwen made the interesting point that organisations often spend too much time investing in the back-office at the expense of frontline processes. They would achieve much better outcomes if they invested in both sides equally, while ensuring all interdependent processes (from the front to the back) are integrated.
2. People focus – The first section focused on the people aspect of this disconnect, looking at the effect on employees when a communication gap exists. Paul Ridings took the lead with this topic, as this is an area of expertise for him given his substantial experience within the realms of both retail and HR. He explored the differing perceptions between desk-free workers and managers, in terms of what desk-free workers want and what their managers think they want. He mentioned that organisations would do well to pull on their people lever more effectively. Paul also explained that the companies achieving the most success are the ones investing in desk-free people technology.
3. Operational focus – The next part of the chat moved on to look at the operational repercussions if this disconnect were to be left unresolved. In this area, Mark Reddy was well positioned to take the lead, due to his vast expertise with the likes of finance, spend, and governance. Not only did Mark discuss the negative impact on a business’s longevity/prosperity if these inefficiencies weren’t to be ironed out, he also made the excellent point that it works two ways, because a solid back-office foundation is absolutely necessary if front-office workers are to shine.
4. Outro – As the host, Anwen wrapped up the webinar, summarising the key takeaways for viewers and thanking Mark and Paul for their contributions. She also highlighted OneAdvanced's integrated product suite as a valuable tool for those looking to bridge this communication gap. These composable and modular software solutions can be stitched together as businesses see fit, ensuring they’re able to take what they need for their particular workforce management requirements.
Final Thoughts
By addressing the challenges faced by their desk-free workforce and acknowledging the importance of effective communication and technology integration, organisations can unlock new levels of efficiency, productivity, and profitability in today's competitive business landscape.
This webinar aimed to empower leaders so that they can create an environment where every worker is listened to, kept in the loop, and able to progress. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to take a big leap forward with your workforce management strategy. Watch the full webinar on-demand now.