It’s 2024, and frontline workers are still feeling disconnected, discontent, and demotivated. As labor costs increase and turnover issues persist, leaders around the country are asking themselves: what’s next?
The answer can pose a variety of challenges or opportunities – depending on how you look at it.
Here are 5 significant factors that leaders will see as we continue into 2024.
Frontline Work Complexity
Frontline work's scale and complexity will be addressed by focusing on fostering employee confidence and less on hiring, emphasizing retention. 50% of frontline workers are ready to quit their jobs in search of a better experience. With that statistic in mind, leaders are investing in better onboarding and training programs for frontline staff, encouraging employees to learn and grow within an organization, creating career opportunities and fostering a loyal workforce that is invested in the success of the business.
Aging Workforce
An aging population poses a threat to labor force growth, especially in senior living and healthcare sectors. By 2030, all Baby Boomers will be 65 or older, creating exponential growth in senior living and healthcare sectors with no set plans on how to fill that industry with the labor force needed.
Healthcare Mega Trend
The healthcare industry faces challenges like high expenses, staffing issues, and a lack of access to capital and technology. Additionally, competition is forcing large health systems to deal with financial pressures and workforce right-sizing in 2024.
Cooling Job Demand
The demand for workers is starting to cool, impacting industries like foodservice, retail, and healthcare. Businesses are looking to tech solutions to help reimagine their operations, attempting to cut down on additional full-time employees, and figuring out how to keep their current staff happy.
Next-Generation Training Tools
Businesses are ditching their old-school training modules and embracing the future. Frontline industries are focusing on new-age training platforms that are not just about ticking off boxes but are all about engaging, interactive, and on-the-go learning.
As the numbers crunch and budgets tighten, teams across the board are facing the reality of running short-staffed, meaning leaders are in search of ways to do more with less. Consider this: a well-trained group of universal workers can operate more successfully with a smaller team than those that only know how to handle their own duties.
At the core of increasing employee retention and satisfaction lies knowledge. One of the main reasons employees quit their deskless jobs is because they weren’t properly trained and are sick of not having access to the information and resources they need to do their job effectively. By addressing industry-specific needs, Pineapple Academy equips frontline workers with the skills required in a changing landscape.
This not only enhances employee performance but also helps businesses navigate labor cost and staffing issues effectively. Indeed's 2024 jobs and hiring trends report further supports the need for effective training solutions as it examines demand for workers and labor force participation.
Final Thought
2024 presents both challenges and opportunities for frontline workers and their leadership teams. In order to succeed this year, leaders need a forward-thinking approach to empowering their staff.
The most important things leaders can do in 2024 to retain their current staff are:
- Provide competitive compensation
- Offer career advancement opportunities
- Recognize and appreciate employees
- Provide a safe work environment
- Encourage work-life balance
The good news? Nearly all of these can be achieved through comprehensive training and upskilling for your team.
Want to see how we’re changing frontline training forever? Click here to schedule a 15-minute demo and we’ll show you how easy it can be.
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