Definition
Frontline workers are employees who carry out their duties primarily without a fixed PC workstation. They form the operational backbone of any business and globally account for around 80 percent of the workforce, according to BCG.
Frontline & Operations
Frontline Worker
Frontline workers are employees who work directly with customers, products or services rather than at a desk. In the UK they make up around 80 percent of the workforce in sectors like healthcare, retail, hospitality, logistics, construction and manufacturing.
Typical UK Roles
NHS nurses and care assistants, social care workers, construction tradespeople, hotel housekeeping and reception, restaurant kitchen and waiting staff, retail floor and till staff, warehouse and delivery drivers, factory operatives, security officers, cleaners and facilities staff.
Communication Challenges
Frontline workers usually have no company email, no fixed PC and often no Microsoft 365 licence. Internal communications via intranet, Outlook or SharePoint simply do not reach them. Noticeboards get ignored, WhatsApp groups create data protection risk. A purpose-built employee app fills this gap.
Related terms
More definitions from the teamly knowledge hub.
CommunicationsEmployee AppAn employee app is a mobile application that helps companies share internal communications, shift schedules, onboarding content and HR processes with their entire workforce, especially with frontline and deskless workers who do not have a fixed PC workstation.Frontline & OperationsDeskless WorkerDeskless workers are employees without a fixed PC workstation. The term originates in the US HR discourse and is used interchangeably with frontline worker in the UK and international HR vocabulary.HR & OnboardingEmployee ExperienceEmployee experience (EX) covers the full set of perceptions an employee has of their employer, from first recruitment touchpoint to exit. It includes communications, tools, work environment, leadership and recognition.CommunicationsInternal CommunicationsInternal communications covers all channels and content with which a company informs and engages its workforce. In the UK it sits at the intersection of HR, Communications and Engagement.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Frontline Worker
What HR leads, IT managers and compliance officers ask most often.
How many frontline workers are there in the UK?
Estimates put the UK frontline workforce at around 18 to 22 million people, roughly 60 to 70 percent of the working population. The NHS alone employs 1.5 million people, the majority of whom are frontline.
Which channels actually reach frontline staff?
A dedicated employee app on smartphones is the most reliable channel. Push notifications reach staff in real time and read receipts make safety briefings legally defensible. Email, intranet and WhatsApp fail on reach or compliance.
Is deskless worker the same as frontline worker?
In current UK and US HR vocabulary the terms are used interchangeably. Frontline emphasises the customer-facing nature, deskless emphasises the missing PC. Both refer to the same audience.
Considering an employee app?
teamly is the European employee app for mid-market companies. Go-live in 3 to 6 months, your own branded app, UK and EU GDPR compliant.