Last updated on October 7, 2024 at 12:04 pm

Did you know that deskless workers make up about 80% of the global workforce? They are an invaluable asset to your company and bring with them diverse skills, perspectives, and techniques to any organization. In today’s work environment, it is significant to introduce tools and an open communication forum that can enhance their personal and professional development.

This article explores the best practices and proven strategies for receiving feedback from deskless workers and encourages them to seek effective feedback. The importance of employee coaching, mentoring, and effective implementation strategies cannot be ignored.

The Role of Deskless Workers

Given the nature of their jobs, deskless employees normally operate without a continuous feedback loop. They frequently face challenges such as a lack of corporate communication tools, limited feedback opportunities, and feelings of isolation from the broader organization.

1. Benefits of Feedback for Deskless Workers

Comprehensive Feedback offers a holistic perspective on an employee’s performance, covering various aspects of their work. This detailed feedback is particularly beneficial for deskless workers, who often lack regular interaction with supervisors.

1. Businesses Identify Blind Spots 

By gathering insights from deskless employees, 360 Feedback helps businesses also identify areas that might be overlooked in traditional feedback systems. This is crucial for personal and professional growth.

2. Promotes Self-Development

With a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, deskless employees are encouraged to take ownership of their growth. This builds a culture of continuous improvement.

3. Boosts Employee Engagement

When deskless workers receive meaningful feedback and also give relevant feedback, they feel valued and heard. This leads to increased engagement and productivity and demonstrates the organization’s investment in its development.

4. Reduces Turnover

Clear and effective communication can significantly reduce turnover by improving job satisfaction and creating a sense of community.

5. Increases Profits

Engaged employees are more productive, leading to higher profitability. Effective communication fosters engagement, resulting in a more profitable business.

6. Improves Worker Safety

Proper communication ensures that deskless employees and the organizational heads are informed about safety updates and can report concerns promptly. This enhances workplace safety.

Also Read: Effective Strategies to Boost Employee Engagement in a Remote Team

2. Implementing Feedback Effectively

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To implement feedback effectively for deskless workers, organizations should:

• Ensure feedback tools are accessible on mobile devices.
• Offer training sessions to help employees understand the feedback process.
• Encourage a culture of openness and implement regular follow-ups to discuss feedback results and create action plans.

Also Read: How to Overcome Communication Challenges in Hybrid Setup?

3. Challenges in Collecting Feedback From Deskless Workers

Deskless workers face unique challenges in interaction and feedback collection:

1. Deskless Work Characteristics

Deskless employees operate in mobile environments, often without direct interaction with coworkers or managers. This dispersal makes it difficult for these employees to bond over shared experiences or feel integrated into the company culture. Consequently, employee retention and engagement suffer, which impacts the company’s costs.

2. Global Employee Engagement

The issue of disengagement is widespread. Only 33% of the US workforce and 23% of the global workforce feel engaged in their jobs. This lack of commitment and connection to company goals and culture is detrimental to overall business performance.

3. Diverse Schedules

Deskless workers typically work in shifts, making it difficult to communicate with the team. They may need information at different times, which further complicates communication efforts.

4. Feelings of Disconnect

Deskless employees often feel disconnected from their company’s culture due to various factors when:

• Businesses prioritize customers over internal culture.
• Employees face geographical and time zone barriers
• Struggle with hierarchical communication structures.
• Have minimal direct contact with in-office colleagues.
• Lack of time to build lasting relationships.

This disconnect leads to disengagement, negatively affecting business outcomes.

5. Outdated Technology

Deskless employees may not have access to the same technology as office workers. Effective communication requires effective, modern platforms designed for deskless workforces that incorporate the right technology.

Also Read: How to Promote Work-Life Balance in a Remote Work Environment

Understanding Deskless Workers’ Needs

Here are some ways in which you can identify the needs of deskless workers:

1. Unique Work Schedules and Locations

Deskless employees can offer firsthand insights that drive organizational improvement and enhance brand image. They have specialized skills and perspectives.

Deskless workers operate in diverse and dynamic environments, often facing time constraints and limited access to traditional feedback channels. Recognizing and addressing these unique needs is crucial for their engagement and productivity.

It is important to ensure that deskless workers have access to the necessary devices, such as mobile phones or computers, to connect despite different locations and work schedules.

2. Communication Preferences

Tailoring communication methods to deskless workers’ preferences—whether text, voice notes, or mobile apps—is essential for their engagement. Direct and indirect communication channels should be optimized to keep these employees connected.

A survey revealed that 17% of deskless employees communicate with their teams but never interact with headquarters or managers. This number drops to 8% in companies using collaboration tools. Effective communication strategies can bridge this gap, ensuring deskless employees are informed and valued.

Businesses must recognize that deskless workers are not “voiceless.” Deskless workers should be kept informed about company initiatives to ensure they feel valued.

Strategies for Encouraging Feedback

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Here are some best practices that can encourage feedback from deskless employees:

1. Making it Easy and Accessible

Here are some effective strategies that you can follow:

• Utilize mobile-friendly surveys, polls, and chatbots to facilitate feedback collection.
• Offer anonymous feedback options to encourage honest input.
• Offer real-time feedback mechanisms and feedback for deskless workers to ensure a balanced evaluation of performance.
• Provide training on how to give and receive feedback effectively. This ensures the feedback is constructive and beneficial.

2. Emphasizing the Value of Feedback

Communicate how feedback will be used to improve processes and working conditions. Sharing success stories of how past feedback led to positive changes can motivate employees to participate actively. Here are some tips:

• Create an easily accessible central hub for information and communication and offer access to resources like company updates, product knowledge, and HR policies.
• Offer regular check-ins, virtual team-building activities, and professional development opportunities.
• Ensure that communication is not one-sided. Deskless workers should have opportunities to share their ideas and feedback, facilitating a two-way flow of information.
• Coaches help employees understand the relevance of feedback in context.
• Coaches guide employees in developing action plans to address feedback and provide a clear roadmap for improvement.
• To promote honest feedback, ensure the process is anonymous, making participants feel more

3. Fostering a Culture of Open Communication

Organizations need to listen to feedback and address concerns promptly and actively. Here are some best practices:

• Recognize and appreciate employees who provide valuable insights.
• Implement processes to gather and listen to feedback from deskless teams, asking for their input on preferred channels and tools.
• Direct communication features such as polls, surveys, or secure chats can make it easier for deskless workers to provide their input.
• When workers see their feedback being implemented, they become more receptive to future engagement strategies and communications.
• Ensure each employee is paired with a coach who can guide them through the feedback interpretation and action planning process.

Also Read: 7 Benefits of Microlearning for Frontline Employees You Need to Know

Beyond Traditional Methods – How to encourage employees to seek feedback?

Here are some modern ways in which organizations can encourage feedback from employees and give constructive feedback to them:

1. Encouraging Peer-to-Peer Feedback

Utilize buddy systems or mentorship programs for feedback exchange. Implement anonymous peer recognition programs to foster a supportive environment. Effective recognition can include:

• Cash bonuses
• Team member shoutouts
• Spot awards
• Peer bonuses

2. Leveraging Technology

Use instant messaging platforms for quick check-ins and open communication. Explore voice-enabled feedback tools for hands-free participation. Invest in technology that supports and engages deskless teams, as it can help them connect with employees, managers, and executives. It also provides easy access to vital information and enhances overall communication and engagement.

Despite many deskless workers using technology, satisfaction with these tools is often low. Effective technology solutions should:

• Connect employees, managers, and executives using AI-powered tools
• Provide easy access to vital information and updates
• Offer communication opportunities beyond traditional methods
• Integrate with the rest of the tech stack

Also Read: 7 Benefits of Microlearning for Frontline Employees You Need to Know

Addressing Challenges and Maintaining Momentum

Some ways to combat challenges related to feedback for deskless employees are:

1. Overcoming Low Response Rates

To improve participation in feedback initiatives, consider offering incentives or small rewards. Customize surveys and questions to specific roles to make them more relevant. Evaluate your current platform’s performance by examining team alignment, information deliverability, and engagement levels. Key metrics to monitor include:

• Email open and click-through rates
• Read and response times
• Survey response rates
• Event registrations
• Platform engagement levels

Survey team members to understand their experiences with the tools they use and identify any issues in accessing information. Streamlined communication and a central hub for deskless workers can significantly reduce the time needed to access essential information.

2. Keeping Feedback Actionable

Regularly analyze feedback and share key findings with deskless workers. Communicate the steps taken based on their input to demonstrate the impact of their feedback. Key metrics to consider include:

• Employee retention levels
• Absenteeism rates
• Employee satisfaction scores
• Task completion times
• Software user adoption rates

Establish a focus group of deskless workers to provide direct feedback on current tools and suggest improvements. Offering market-rate compensation and flexible benefits can help retain employees.

How to Reach Deskless Employees?

Here are some strategies to enhance communication and engagement with deskless workers:

1. Equip managers with tools that facilitate easy, effective communication with their teams.
2. Engage with deskless workers where they are most active.
3. Leverage the strong emotional bonds employees have with your brand.
4. Create channels that allow deskless workers to share their thoughts and feedback.
5. Arrange meetings between senior executives and employees two levels below them to gather direct insights.
6. Regularly survey employees to gather feedback on various aspects of their work environment and experiences.
7. Use exit interviews to understand why employees are leaving and gather actionable insights.
8. Set up a confidential line for employees to voice their concerns without fear of retribution.
9. Regularly review workplace conditions and gather feedback to make necessary improvements.
10. Encourage employees to share their ideas for improving processes and workplace conditions.

Also Read: Building a Culture of Appreciation for Recognizing Frontline Employees

Conclusion

Effective feedback and coaching can transform performance management for deskless workers. Organizations must offer a comprehensive and balanced view of their performance and empower them to learn, grow, and excel.

Deskless workers, as frontline employees, play a crucial role in creating a positive customer experience. They generate innovative ideas which makes formal communication streams essential for improved customer experience and business growth. It is the leader’s responsibility to ensure that deskless workers feel heard, valued, and recognized. This eventually leads to lower turnover, increased commitment, and higher productivity.

By collaborating with professionals at theEMPLOYEEapp, you can learn everything about real-time, ongoing, and anonymous feedback mechanisms and apply appropriate measures to address issues promptly and maintain a motivated and engaged workforce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is a deskless worker?

A deskless worker is an employee who does not have a fixed desk or office space, often working in roles such as retail, healthcare, or field service.

Q2. How to encourage regular feedback?

Use mobile-friendly communication tools, engage with them in their work environment, and create channels for regular feedback.

Q3. Why is feedback important for deskless employees?

Feedback helps deskless employees feel valued, understand their performance, and contribute ideas for improving processes and customer experiences.

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