Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages continue to add to pressure on frontline workers

A new survey from SafetyCulture finds life is getting tougher for frontline workers in many essential industries, with almost two in three (64%) saying the challenges and pressure they face at work have increased in the last 12 months.

Nearly a third of those surveyed said they’re under ‘intense pressure’ at work, and almost three in four (73%) frontline workers feel they have been under increased pressure at home during the last 12 months.

SafetyCulture’s Feedback from the Field report represents the views of American, British and Australian frontline workers defined as individuals who must physically show up to their job, including the likes of hospitality, retail, manufacturing, healthcare and logistics workers.

Alarmingly, more than half of this frontline workforce (54%) said if they had the opportunity they would leave frontline work altogether.

"Against the backdrop of ongoing supply chain issues, rising inflation and the soaring cost of living, it's clear that frontline workers feel like they’re under increasing pressure on multiple fronts. Tooling and technology can do more than just help keep pace — organizations can use it to help alleviate the load," says Kylie Uvodich, General Manager, America at SafetyCulture.

Feedback from the Field revealed US frontline workers are facing unnecessary pressure due to:

Funding their own safety: almost four in ten (39%) US workers had to spend their own money to stay safe at work during the last 12 months. It is estimated they spent $46.68 billion on this in the last 12 months (an average of $872 per worker).

Avoidable workplace injuries: one in five (21%) US frontline workers said they have experienced workplace injury due to inadequate processes or communication, while one in four (25%) know a colleague who has.

Bad processes, tech and tools: four in ten (40%) US workers said they’d like to see greater investment by their employer in technology to improve processes, efficiency and safety. While 51% said they don’t have a say in the technology and tools they use at work.

“While the pandemic is still ongoing, we're moving further and further away from the global devastation we saw back in 2020-2021. Life should be getting easier, not harder. Unfortunately, many frontline workers are under more pressure than ever before and there’s a growing expectation for them to do more, with less,” said Uvodich.

The good news for businesses is that it’s not too late to address these issues and prevent more exits. Small investments in technology can do more than just help businesses keep pace — organizations can start taking steps today to become more efficient and help alleviate the load on their frontline workers.

“We hope this report will help businesses and employers of all kinds to engage with some direct feedback from the field, so they can better engage with their frontline workers — giving them the right tools and the support they need to do their best work, every day,” said Uvodich.