Frontline Innovators

Danyele Harris-Thompson is the Change & Transformation Senior Manager at Kao Corporation. She sees how overloaded deskless workers are and aims to fix that, as well as some of the other issues that plague frontline employees. Danyele joins host Justin Lake to talk about how new technology and change management tools can help to serve those deskless employees.
 
 
Takeaways 
The biggest challenge facing frontline workers today is that they are cognitively overloaded. That overload makes things more complicated in various different ways. 
Most projects across an organization require employees to change for it to be successful, and sometimes they can be hesitant to change.
If a change process fails, then you have to rebuild trust and that is difficult. You want to make sure that change is smooth and doesn’t hit roadblocks.
The people side of change is one of the most difficult things but is important to making change successful.
As an internal employee, you are more connected to the work going on at the organization which allows you to measure the success of a project.
An internal survey about change management is a good way to see how employees feel about changes and how to improve the process.
If you don’t have the resources to do a project, then you are setting up the organization, and all those involved with the project, to fail. 
Quote of the show
5:01 “If people don't use this tool, if they are not understanding what this tool is about or this new process change, all the costs that we're putting into this, financial, people's time, people's attention, it's all for not, what's the point?” 
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dharristhompson/
Company Website: https://www.kao.com/americas/en/
Ways to Tune In:
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/SpUc0eETHJs

Ed Kless is the Senior Director of Sage Accountants Solutions. Ed is also the host of the Sage Advice podcast, and the talk show co-host for the VoiceAmerica Talk Radio. He joins host Justin Lake to sit down and talk about some of the biggest challenges facing frontline workers and how to overcome these issues.
 
 
Takeaways 
Bringing their humanity is one of the biggest challenges for frontline workers. They have many different tasks throughout the day and they are measured by the quality of their work, not the quality of their work.
When you are documenting a workflow, don’t make changes while documenting it because you could mess up the process.
Automation isn’t something to be feared and it won’t take your job away. The whole point is that it makes your job easier and more efficient, freeing you up to focus on other tasks.
If someone is asking you how to do something over and over again, it is because they don’t want to do the task. 
People can’t be trained, they can be educated. Training can have a negative connotation with it and educating relies on drawing out the knowledge that people already have.
The system of technology should support the people, not people supporting the system.
“How” based questions are oftentimes a roadblock to change, whether it’s done consciously or unconsciously.
Quote of the show
6:13 “My brief definition of understanding knowledge workers is that knowledge workers, instead of having to bring their coffee to the office, can bring their office to the coffee.”
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edkless/
Company Website: https://www.sage.com/en-us/
VoiceAmerica: ​​https://www.thesoulofenterprise.com/
Blog: https://www.edkless.com/blog/2021/3/on-empathy-vs-compassion
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Answer-How-Yes-Acting-Matters/dp/1576752712
Ways to Tune In:
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - ​​https://youtu.be/m4sjwvMRMfA

Casi Morris is the Change Enablement Lead at MTX Group. She notices that not only is the speed of change an issue for deskless workers, but also the changing priorities that come with the breakneck speed of change. Casi joins host Justin Lake to talk about some of the biggest challenges facing deskless workers today. 
 
Takeaways 
The shifting priorities are one of the biggest challenges facing frontline workers today. With so much going on, they aren’t sure what they should really focus on.
Sometimes you have to give up a certain amount of productivity to help move change along so it is a smooth experience.
There’s been so much change within the last couple of years that people aren’t as excited or enthusiastic about change, even when it’s incredibly beneficial.
Finding out what the change brings for the person delivering change and those receiving it will help to resonate with everyone on each level.
You want people to understand that the change is what is best for the company, which can be difficult to do so timing is important. 
When it comes to incentivizing employees, focus on the less tangible benefits such as saving them time on their day. 
Communication is important when it comes to incorporating change. You want to cause the least amount of disruption of their daily job and be crystal clear about what they can expect.
 
Quote of the show
10:27 “You got to give people snacks on a go live day.”
 
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casimorris/
Company Website: https://www.mtxb2b.com/s/
 
Ways to Tune In:
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/B0JPUvX-URY

Tiffany Caswell is the Change Management Specialist Commercial Data & Analytics at Alcon. She’s also a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and a prosci certified change practitioner. Tiffany joins host Justin Lake to talk about change management and how we can better support frontline workers. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
Understanding the true problem that frontline workers face and getting to the root of the problem are the biggest challenges facing deskless workers today.
You want to make sure that everyone is getting the same level of training so that everyone is on the same page.
Not all technology is intuitive, so it can’t be treated as if it is easy for everyone to understand as everyone has a different background.
One of the biggest pieces of communication is making sure that everyone clearly understands what is happening. You can never communicate too many times. 
When it comes to change, you want to start small and work your way up to bigger change. 
Practice changes internally and making sure that everyone understands it before they bring it to the customers or end users. 
It’s normal for people to be hesitant to change. That’s why it’s important to make sure that the change process is smooth so they remember that and not a bad process that didn’t work.
Quote of the show
 
16:42 “Sometimes something that seems so easy and so intuitive may or may not in fact be. So we always try to, whether it's myself or someone directly going to be impacted by the change, to go in and kind of play with it… and I think that's a really important thing to always do.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-caswell-377404104/
Company Website: https://www.alcon.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/6o8Pb6getgk

Maria Fung is the Program Change Manager in the IT organization at W.L Gore & Associates. She knows how much strain is being put on the frontline workers not just in terms of workload, but also by how they are physically separated from everyone else at an organization. Maria joins host Justin Lake to talk about that and other challenges facing frontline workers. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing frontline workers is the physical distance between them and the associates in the office because of COVID restrictions.
Because of the distance between workers, it has created a ripple effect that creates a lack of trust and a lack of the sense of community amongst workers. 
You want to make sure the stakeholders are also engaged in the change, so mapping out the direction of change is a good idea. 
You have to wear the “lens of empathy” for different stakeholders and really understand where they are coming from in order to get them to buy into change.
Frontline workers have their own community and you need to be able to speak their language to get them to be interested in change.
You want to make a solid foundation for change and make the reason it is done very clear and how it affects them, so that everyone is on the same page.
To create a desire for change, you need to show frontline workers the future and the value of change. 
Quote of the show
 
15:37 “I had the chance to really see what change management actually means. And it really covers human centric solutions… how to really wear the lens of empathy for different stakeholders.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-fung-4590a689/
Company Website: https://www.gore.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/z_9jknRZh-Q

Marquell Hunter is the Change Enablement Manager at Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. She sees how deskless workers aren’t represented largely enough in an organization when it comes to the planning phase and wants to make sure their voice is heard. She joins host Justin Lake to talk about some of the issues facing frontline workers and how they can be overcome.  
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest issue facing frontline workers is representation in the organization. They don’t always get a seat at the table during the planning phase. 
Adoption is key. You want to make sure that when you introduce technology changes that you make it so that everyone will want to use it and make it easy to learn as well. 
Your employer is really the one who determines what the division is between communication and learning and development.
There are plenty of different types of frontline workers, and each of them face issues that are unique to their department and how you can reach them. 
The change network is the best tool to make sure that you are getting representation across business units or countries. 
You want to make sure that you aren’t surprising people when you begin to roll out new changes. 
Good change agents should model the behavior that they are looking to implement in an organization.
Quote of the show
 
6:13 “Adoption is key. We roll out something for a certain reason, to impact the bottom line, to improve morale, to improve the focus of the employee. And they don't adopt it. That's a key reason why I am focused on change management now, because I've seen from the technology aspect and from the communications aspect, we put a lot of thought and effort into things and they just don't hit. They don't resonate with anyone.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marquell-hunter-01907758/
Company Website: https://www.stanleyblackanddecker.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/-QU-Mz6Xs5Q

Alvin Haygan is the Global IS Change Management Leader at the Lubrizol Corporation. He used to work at Wendy’s and from that job he saw what having change done to you feels like, and it inspired him to make sure that change is done with people rather than to them. Alvin joins host Justin Lake to talk about his experience in change management and how he wants to positively impact frontline workers. 
 
Takeaways 
 
Understanding what the frontline workers go through is one of the biggest challenges that they face today. 
You don’t want to change to be something that is done to you, but rather you want to be a part of the process. 
Prior preparation prevents poor performance. If you set up any changes in a company, you should do prep work ahead of time to make sure it will be successful. 
Change managers have a “social license to operate”, or an agreement that both sides understand they are going to work on the change together.
You want everyone to have bought in on the change. You have to have the perspective that it is positive and good for everyone and then people will pay more attention to it.
Change localization is where you focus on one particular area and the change that will be occurring with that area.
Change is about empowering people. If you are empowering people, you provide them with strategies and listen to what input they might have. 
Quote of the show
 
1:50 “You don’t want change to happen to you, you want it to happen with you.”
 
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvinhaygan/
Company Website: https://www.lubrizol.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/vIZIz_q5uTM

Kyle Spitzley is the OKR Coach and Change Management Professional at Amway. He has a wide span of experience within change management, using many many different mindsets to show how change can be effective. Kyle joins host Justin Lake to talk about some of the challenges that face frontline workers and how actions speak louder than words.
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The greatest challenge for frontline workers is that they are the least represented at moments of strategic planning.
Don’t build to the average means of everyone. Each employee has different needs and thoughts so change will look different to each person.
Gemba is Japanese for “Go see”, and it’s an important mindset when it comes to working with frontline workers. You want to spend time going and see how they do their job.
SCARF is a model of change that stands for - Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness
Actions speak louder than words. You want to be there with the frontline workers and go through the change with them, rather than doing change to them.
Customers have a choice to buy or work with your company. You treat that with care and cater to their needs. We need to do that with frontline workers as well.
Have empathy for those on the frontline. They are the ones dealing with customers and trying to solve problems while out in the field.
Quote of the show
 
1:05 “I think the challenge is how do we make sure the voice of the frontline worker is not only heard, but is valued, is listened to and is incorporated into the strategic decision-making that goes on at a company”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylespitzley/
Company Website: https://www.amwayglobal.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/FF4ztgjcF2c

Elliott Woyshner is the Change Management Specialist at Hallmark Cards. He spent time as an officer in the Army, and uses the skills he learned from that career to help understand frontline workers and how to communicate about changes to them. Elliot joins host Justin Lake to talk about some of the issues facing frontline workers and how to help them overcome those roadblocks.
 
 
Takeaways 
 
A lot of organizations are going through the same type of digital transformation. A lot of the changes come down to how those on the frontline are feeling with the change or adding extra steps.
Getting employees to accept change is a routine process. You need to check in with them and make sure they are comfortable with everything going on.
You need to build a space for employees to engage with the change in their way and at their own pace. 
If you are adaptable and flexible during times of change, then you are more likely to think ahead on the outcomes of a project. 
Consider who you are talking to and how you will talk to them. Your audience is important and understanding them is key to having change be successful.
To build people’s capacity for change, you need to be clear and concise. If you explain clearly what the steps are and why they are involved they are more likely to be willing to accept the change. 
You need to address concerns early on when it comes to introducing change into a company. Feedback will help make a project better.
Quote of the show
 
5:13 ​​”Getting [employees] on board is not as simple as answering some questions during a standup. It is checking back in with them, it's this routine process and it has to be a routine process of making sure people are processing the change so they'll get on board with it a lot smoother.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliott-woyshner-822a3a165/
Company Website: https://www.hallmark.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/ODqOmdl3U2g

Drey Taylor is the Director of Services at Acuity Brands. He used to be a frontline worker himself, riding in the bucket trucks. He uses his knowledge of his time as a deskless employee to be able to bring positive change that is much needed to those on the frontline. Drey joins host Justin Lake to talk about the biggest challenges facing frontline workers and how they can be overcome. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
Being human is one of the biggest challenges facing frontline workers. It goes back to communication and explaining what is in your mind and what you understand to the customers.
Everything has become digital in the last decade. It’s important to keep up with these innovations and make sure they are properly adjusted.
The frontline workers don’t typically use email, while in a standard office setting emails are the primary form of communication. It’s important to meet the frontline workers on their means of communication.
The “genba” is where the real work is done. It refers to the places that frontline workers are typically found working in.
You want to make sure the reason why change is being implemented is clear. If the message isn’t clear, it won’t be a successful change.
As a leader, you have to listen more to those on the frontline. There is a feeling or a need that is being communicated back to you. 
We carry our emotions and experiences into a conversation, so we might misunderstand someone when they are talking with us. 
Quote of the show
 
4:09 “Technology is coming at us left and right. And it's changing the way that we interact with our workspace, with our customers, with our employees, with our boss, with the company at large.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drey-taylor-9069b517/
Company Website: https://www.acuitybrands.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/emOjPfZedjA

Ciprian Porutiu is the Vice President, Operations & Delivery at Marsh McLennan. He believes the most important part of a company are the employees, and that feeds into his passion for change management. He joins host Eugene Signorini to talk about some of the biggest challenges facing frontline workers and how they can be solved. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The frontline workers are the ones bearing the weight of any change. They should be trained to be the experts in the change and given whatever tools they need.
It’s important to make sure that they are able to give feedback on what they are hearing from clients and others using the new technology.
You want to be agile when it comes to change management. To do this you want to deliver small values incrementally with a lot of feedback.
When trying to reach an objective, you need to set a plan to reach those objectives. Those plans need to be adopted by someone, and everyone needs to be on the same page.
Face to face interactions allow for more of an in depth understanding rather than on video calls or phone calls.
The most important asset of a company is its employees. The more you leverage the value of a company, the company gets put in a better position.
If you want to have frontline workers accept change, then they need to be part of the process of the change and have their voices heard.
Quote of the show
 
21:26 “The most important asset of a company are its employees. So the more you're able to leverage the value and the richness that every single employee has, the better position is the company in.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciprianporutiu/
Company Website: https://www.marshmclennan.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/Bi_nhzpiOQo

Susan Evans is the Change Management Manager at Ecolab. She sees the rapid pace of change in technology and how that can present a challenge for frontline workers, and she wants to ease that burden on them. Susan joins host Justin Lake to talk about that and other issues that are plaguing frontline workers.
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing frontline workers today is that they are having to learn new tasks and processes while they are on the go.
When new technologies get rolled out it is easy to get wrapped up in deployment of the new technology but there are underlying process changes that need to take place at the same time.
Frontline workers need to help the sales team and customers adapt to technology changes and meet their needs.
Oftentimes deskless workers don’t get time to learn and develop in a way in a pace that works for them. They often have to learn it fast and that can be daunting.  
There needs to be a focus on frontline managers and help them coach the reps on integrating digital processes into their work days, so that they can understand the change as well.
Make sure that frontline workers know that it is ok to ask questions and ask for help. It can help make the process smoother and go better for the next change.
Use all the technology to your advantage. Now with virtual reality, you can use that and other tools to help support frontline workers.
Quote of the show
 
1:44 “Digital presents an additional layer of that learning. There's so much more that they have to learn faster. We are advancing faster everyday in our digital applications and how they need to integrate those into their processes. It's a lot of new content that they need to learn, but they're also changing their behaviors, how they interact with a customer, and in how they change their daily activities.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-evans-b815301a/
Company Website: https://www.ecolab.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/l8zX3wF36xE 

Karan Froom is the Director, Business Transformation Organizational Change Management at The Clorox Company. After sitting through an orientation class at a banking job, she found a passion for teaching people. Karan sits down with host Justin Lake to talk about the issues facing frontline employees and how to overcome them.
 
 
Takeaways 
 
One of the biggest challenges facing frontline workers is the lack of human connection. With being out in the field and using video calling, they rarely get to interact with others from their office.
In change management, you want to take someone from a current state to a future state that is better for them.
Change can be painful if not done right. You want to invest in a good change management team so that they can make the change painless.
Look at change management through the lens of it being a funnel. You want to start broad at the top and narrow down until everything is clear at the end.
Let people know of the change that is coming down the road. Give them a road map of what the timeline for the changes will look like and people will understand.
Look at all levels of management and leadership when executing change. They are part of the people who need to be included in this as well and their support can go a long way.
There has to be a willingness to accept the change. Make sure that people are informed of what will happen and make sure they are ok with it.
Quote of the show
 
16:29  “I use the concepts that I like to think of as a funnel. So if you think about the top of the funnel being the broad concepts of the benefits of what the change is, and then as you go down the funnel, you get more specific…It's a process, I like to talk about change as being an art and a science.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karanfroom/
Company Website: https://www.thecloroxcompany.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/gf86tn5h_q8

Trent Oelkers is the Organizational Change Management Lead at Carlisle Interconnect Technologies. He sees the gap in communication between deskless workers and those in management and aims to make that gap smaller. Trent joins host Justin Lake to talk about some of the challenges facing frontline workers and how to overcome them. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
A big struggle is how to make remote workers feel connected to the rest of the rest of the company even though they aren’t in the office. 
It can be difficult to tell those on the frontline how to do their job better. To help this, you can form a better relationship with them and then they will trust you.
It’s important to try and increase the safety standards for frontline workers. They are the ones who work to keep the world moving and we need to take care of them.
Take into account all the aspects of the job for a person on the frontline and make sure you aren’t overloading them or making their job dangerous
There is technology that can be used to accurately track the work done by frontline workers rather than estimating the amount of work they do. 
Go beyond the physical barrier to meet the frontline workers. You need to meet them on their level. 
Having a positive culture and trust amongst employees and management is something that can make a company run better.
Quote of the show
 
21:10 “I think that sincerity and acknowledgement of their, you could call it a sacrifice, but at least of their work environment is very important. And so one thing I hope that at least we, as people who are spending less time away from our desks, we can acknowledge their sacrifice and try to hopefully drive safety as one of the major things.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trentoelkers/
Company Website: https://www.carlisleit.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/Hdmg1t_sv3E

Jon Kent is the Director, Global Telematics at Yanmar. He is passionate about music and making sure that employees on the frontline are ready for any change in technology. Jon sits down with host Justin Lake to talk about how management can better prepare deskless workers for the issues of today and tomorrow.
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The lack of feedback from constituents and stakeholders is one of the biggest challenges facing companies today.
Create a feedback form to hear from the frontline workers. They are the ones using the technology and their input is very important.
Companies are steering away from product focused environments and more to a consumer focused environment.
Do a month to month review of how things are going. This will allow you to take time and go over things that are really important.
When you are in a change management role, you aren’t just solving problems for today but also for problems 6 months from now.
The testers of products are the real advocates. They will go out and mention what works and they will promote a product for you.
There are regional differences and you have to be prepared for that. Be ready to change tactics depending on where people are located. 
Quote of the show
 
5:54 “A lot of companies and organizations are moving away from a product focused environment and more to a customer focused environment,  internal and external customers. And that draws out the empathy. You can't hide from the feedback of the folks that are using your application, your technologies, or, otherwise. I'm not saying long gone as the days across all companies, but certainly there's a lot less ivory towers around today than there were yesterday.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentjon/
Company Website: https://www.yanmar.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/RluZz8yX4mk

Todd Gernady is the Senior Manager Process Improvement, Business Architecture, and Organizational Change Management at United Airlines. After he discovered his passion for consulting, Todd went on to become a Lean Six Sigma belt and used that to share his passion for making a process run smoothly. He joins host Justin Lake to talk about the issues facing frontline workers.   
 
 
Takeaways 
 
Getting the right information for the frontline workers to do their job is one of the biggest challenges that they face today. 
Having all the knowledge and information on a tablet or an electronic device can help mitigate the need for employees at airports to run all over the place.
Technology can help to streamline a process and make communication easier. This works for airports as well.
You want to catch mistakes when they happen. Don’t just continue to go through the process because that mistake will threaten the integrity of the change. 
Start with the process. You want to make sure that the process is solid before you bring it to people and find out that it doesn’t work.
You want to make sure that all instructions given to frontline workers are clear and make sure it’s presented on a device where it is easy to read and understand the information given to them.
Sometimes the simplest ways to reach frontline workers are through older techniques rather than technology. Leave signs in the break room or bathrooms or other public spots.
Quote of the show
 
18:41 “We built a roadmap and it allowed us to remove some of those obstacles and avoid potholes down the road versus things that we would have stubbed our toe on. And reworking, I will guarantee you will often take you longer to resolve than it is to catch it in the moment. If you've ever built a Lego set with your kids, if you screwed up something on step 12 and you are on step 32, it is very painful to take those Legos apart. So you can fix that one piece and go back and do it again.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-gernady-0069831b/
Company Website: https://www.united.com/en/us/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/A7CkOLN1T98

Steve Acuna is the Director of Organizational Enablement at a leading healthcare insurance company..  He sees the importance of change management and how much of a positive impact it can have on a company. He sits down with host Justin Lake to talk about some of the challenges that frontline workers are facing today and how to overcome them.
 
 
Takeaways 
 
Frontline workers are the case study for how change management can change the future for how we interact with employees.
You can affect the mindset of people and how they operate based even off of how prepared they are for change coming down the line. 
The metric side of change management helps because it shows people where the opportunities are to improve. 
Make sure that everyone involved with the change is on the same page. Make sure they know who to talk to and that they have a solid support system underneath them.
There is a retention issue with frontline employees, so you want to make sure you are meeting their needs and be on the same playing field as them.
Change management can help prepare you for things outside of work that might happen as well.
As a change leader, there will be struggles along the way but it is your job and responsibility to make sure that everyone trusts what you are doing is in their best interest.
Quote of the show
 
0:58 “I feel like frontline workers are really the case study for how change management can change the future of how we operate and how people interact with change management in general. I do believe that frontline workers are really the reflection of how change management is actually working or not working in an organization.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveacuna/
Company Website: https://www.premera.com/visitor
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/SBpWIivYR4I

Zachary Jedamzik is the Senior Change Manager at Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. Everyday he sees the need for change management and how important it is to a company. Zachary sits down with host Justin Lake to talk about the changes that frontline workers experience and how to better prepare them for all the changes.
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing the frontline workforce today is communication. They need to understand the decisions that are being made and why they are being made.
Those working on the frontline are the ones that interact with the customers the most, so they are the ones that hear about how the customers are feeling about certain things.
A change management professional can look at an issue from different perspectives and come up with solutions that work for everybody.
The leaders at a company also need to be educated in change. Once they are educated in change they can also speak better on any future change. 
Change management is like math. You start with the simple equations and you keep moving up and solving bigger problems and the basics help build on that.
The failure of technology solutions is not about the technology, it’s about the way humans are using the technology.
With better technology, you can make a small investment now to help frontline workers do their jobs more efficiently in the future. 
Quote of the show
 
6:28 “As a frontline worker or as a maker, as a person just answering the phone, nobody's really taking our opinion on What we need to do our job, to help the customer. And at the end of the day, we're your first line of defense or first line of success with a customer. And we don't have the tools that we need because nobody really asked us. And I always found that really interesting.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-jedamzik-199784b2/
Company Website: https://www.stanleyblackanddecker.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/CJbfSvgcoqU

Monique Jordan is the AUX Lead at First Republic Bank. She brings with her a unique perspective and compassion for making sure that frontline workers are included as part of the change in the workplace, not just experiencing the change. She joins host Eugene Signorini to talk about some of the biggest challenges that frontline employees are facing today.
 
 
Takeaways 
 
At the core of digital transformation is the need to meet customers with the best way to use technology for them.
The biggest challenge facing the frontline workforce is that change is often done to those on the frontline, rather than with them.
Frontline workers don’t have the same access to technology as those working in the office do. This means that some new technology changes might be a challenge for frontline workers.
Because of the pandemic, things are constantly changing. One of those changing aspects is how change management is being delivered.
The point of view from headquarters is pretty limited. Bringing crews in to really sit down and talk through the issues of those on the frontline.
You want to digitize your data so it is usable and accessible when it comes to creating a good customer experience.
People want to do meaningful stuff and be valued in the company. To do this, make sure that the voices of those are the frontline and what they say.
Quote of the show
2:28 “I think what's different about the deskless worker is frequently change done to them. They're not really seen as a partner in digital change. They are seen as sort of the target of change. So those people way down there at the end of the process are going to start doing this differently. And as long as we just let them know what's happening, train them, it’s going to be perfectly fine.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniqueajordan/
Twitter: @Jordanmaj
Company Website: 6centsPartners.com
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/85siQg0aILQ

Samvel Lazaryev is the Senior Manager, Organizational Change Management at Sony Pictures Entertainment. He is passionate about storytelling and making sure that frontline employees are being led properly. He sits down with host Justin Lake to talk about some of the challenges facing frontline workers and how they can be overcome. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
We are going through the great resignation right now, and it’s important to see how management will adapt to this and how agile they can be.
To have a consistent, strong culture in your company then there needs to be authenticity. Employees respond better to authenticity from management. 
Be honest with your employees. You don’t want a culture of fear amongst your workforce as that lowers morale and productivity.
You want to demonstrate the behaviors that you want your frontline employees to follow. This way they can take after your example. 
Storytelling is an effective way to communicate to your employees. You can provide stories to them of how to properly handle situations.
Create a level of connectivity with the staff. You want them to feel comfortable coming to you with issues or questions.
Don’t wait until things go wrong, you should be reaching out to OCM professionals along the way and making sure everyone is on the same page.
Quote of the show:
 
2:10 “What's interesting to me is as we come out of this great resignation and the pandemic, how agile will leadership be in understanding what led to this and what are some fundamental changes that the leadership will do, and organizations will do how cultures change and this kind of stuff.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samvellazaryev/
Company Website: https://www.sonypictures.com/
Ways to Tune In:
 
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f4ecd92-6468-4769-b0bf-254e236510b7/FRONTLINE-INNOVATORS 
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontline-innovators/id1572329402
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/29m3wnK8pbFjdSvJ9wjmyS
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/frontline-innovators
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnJvbnRsaW5laW5ub3ZhdG9ycy5jb20vZmVlZC54bWw
YouTube - https://youtu.be/t0OoitG2MVQ