For media and telco, there’s a healthy appetite for new tech on the frontline, yet communication and training gaps persist

As we enter year three of the pandemic, I can’t help but think of the 2 billion global frontline workers who have been asked to do the impossible to protect our health and keep businesses of all shapes and sizes afloat. They’ve kept our communities going despite being asked to overcome insurmountable odds and depleting resources, including a lack of basic technology to do their jobs.

It's true, when it comes to tech, the closer you look, it becomes clear that frontline workers have been traditionally underserved. At Microsoft, we’re always looking to inform the ways our technology solutions can support our customer’s needs and we recently dove deep into the frontline.

New data from Microsoft’s Work Trend Index suggests we’re at an inflection point on the frontline where tech adoption is exploding in industries ranging from media & communications to healthcare – yet communication and training gaps exist, limiting the potential benefits of tech even when placed in the right hands.

We’ve all struggled with technology – just ask your family. Imagine not having the right tech or being asked to learn it in a high-stress environment. Forget it. Simply put, frontline workers are already facing enough pressure and stressors. Technology, when in the right hands with the proper training, can play a critical role in improving their wellbeing and deepen connections to their organizations culture and mission.

I encourage you to read the full report, but if you only have a few minutes to spare, here are some highlights – a perfect read for your next coffee break.

A culture of caring is the new currency on the frontline: Seventy-six percent of workers feel bonded to each other, yet over 60 percent say their company could do more to prioritize culture and communication from the top.

For media and telco frontline workers, communication gaps persist. In fact, according to the survey, 70 percent of media frontline workers and 60 percent of telco frontline workers say messages from leadership do not make it to them. Additionally, 55 percent of media and 51 percent of telco frontline workers surveyed believe that that work stress will either stay the same or worsen in the coming year.

Frontline workers are at an inflection point: Amid the Great Reshuffle, frontline workers, including media and telco cite better pay and benefits, work-life balance, and flexibility as reasons for considering a job change. These needs rank high among media and telco frontline workers.

Optimism for tech is high: Sixty-three percent of frontline workers are excited about the job opportunities technology creates, and technology ranks third on the list of factors that workers say could help reduce workplace stress.

For media and telco frontline workers, technology adoption, especially around tools like Microsoft Teams is accelerating. Survey data shows that between March 2020 and November 2021, the monthly use of Microsoft Teams on the frontline for media and communications grew by an astounding 545 percent! Additionally, when it comes to ways media and telco frontline workers are looking for tech to help support their day-to-day responsibilities, scheduling ranked among the highest (38 percent and 41 percent, respectively) as did streamlining approvals and automation.

There’s an opportunity to bridge the tech and training gap: Forty-six percent of frontline workers feel pressure to adapt to new technology over fear of losing their jobs—and 55 percent say they’ve had to learn new tech on the fly, with no formal training or practice.

Our research shows that telco and media, entertainment and communications have lagged in training employees before rolling our new digital tools. In fact, data shows that 21% of media, entertainment and communications frontline workers, and 30% of telco frontline workers feel that they are not equipped or adapting to digital tools, tech or solutions. Not surprisingly, many frontline workers are forced to learn on the fly. With the right training, organizations can mitigate these unnecessary concerns.

It’s true, businesses of all sizes are feeling the pressure to adapt amidst the pandemic, but perhaps nobody is feeling it more than our frontline workers. So, what can organizations do? Here are a few recommendations:  

1: Rebuild culture on the frontlines. This starts with compassionate and innovative leadership, committed to connecting regularly with employees, especially frontline workers. They must adapt a listening model, supported by the best technology and digital tools to ensure workers feel seen, heard, and empowered. Then implement changes informed by those conversations to alleviate stressors and build support.

2: Empower frontline workers with the latest tech. The popularity of tools like Microsoft Teams has already helped so many businesses on the frontline. What else can be done to help ease the daily burdens exacerbated by the past few years? From scheduling and automation, to streamlining the approval process, leveraging the right digital tools can not only help make front line workers’ jobs easier, it can help keep them centered and focused.

3: Prioritize and modernize training. Survey data shows there’s a healthy appetite for new technology on the frontline, yet communication and skillset gaps persist. Training – at all levels, but especially frontline workers – must be made a priority so learning on the fly doesn’t remain the norm and teams can rest assured that they are getting the most out of their tech and tools. This can start by listening to employees

For our clients to transform and succeed in their industries, they must have the right tools and technology. I am so proud of the bold leadership and innovation at Microsoft for exploring the frontline so we can better understand their challenges – and potential technology solutions.

The survey data shows we’re at an inflection point, and by making these challenges visible and giving workers a voice, we have a starting point to supporting frontline workers like they’ve supported us.

To learn more about the latest research from Microsoft’s Work Trend Index, featuring perspectives from the front lines, read the full report here.

Francesco Venturini is the CVP of Media and Comms industry at Microsoft and an industry leader in the media and telecommunications space. Reach out to him here on LinkedIn.