The Josh Bersin Company, the world’s most trusted HR advisory firm, has released new research highlighting the urgent need for a long-overdue shift in organizational thinking, embracing the needs of the frontline workforce, not just white-collar teams. Representing 70% of the global workforce, these employees are increasingly difficult to find, train, and retain—yet they remain true drivers of customer experience and business performance.  

The new analysis, produced in collaboration with UKG, reveals how the frontline workforce—the people who care for the sick, welcome guests at resorts, help people navigate bureaucracy, drive trucks, and stock shelves—despite their importance, are often overlooked. The result: 75% feel burned out and 51% feel like a number, not a person. 

Exacerbating this challenge, economic uncertainty, combined with demographic and immigration pressures, is making previous assumptions about how easily leisure, healthcare, logistics, and other essential workers can be hired or replaced increasingly unrealistic.  

To achieve firstline-first success, the study recommends CHROs urgently prioritize their frontline workforce strategy to capture significant untapped business value and address what may soon be critical retention challenges.  

The research finds that high-performing employers are adopting new “frontline-first” HR strategies to support increasingly valuable hires across engagement, retention, workforce development, recognition, scheduling, and pay. 

To better support frontline workers, the report recommends the following.  

• Adopt a frontline-first mindset. Invest in competitive pay, flexible work options, workplace safety, and clear career pathways. 
• Strengthen management. Provide targeted development, peer support, and integrated workforce planning, scheduling, and engagement tools. 
• Unify technology. Connect payroll, scheduling, HR, talent, and workforce systems rather than maintaining silos. 
• Use data-driven insights. Leverage insights to systemically improve business outcomes. 
• Harness AI. Enable conversational employee experiences, dynamic scheduling, personalized coaching, and real-time feedback tailored to frontline needs.  
• Focus on culture. Understand workers’ unique needs to attract and retain staff. 
• Measure impact. Continuously track outcomes to optimize workforce strategies. 

HR tech vendors are responding to this trend. The $40 billion global HR software industry has long underserved this segment of the workforce. While some siloed solutions exist for the 80% of deskless employees, the study notes that most HR systems are designed for office-based staff, creating a gap that was once widely accepted, but now poses real business risks. 

“Empowering frontline managers through digital HR support is not just a technology issue, it’s a fundamental cultural shift that organizations must embrace,” says Kathi Enderes, global industry analyst and SVP of research at The Josh Bersin Company. “The frontline has become a true strategic asset—and overlooking its needs will increasingly amount to a competitive disadvantage.”