Frontline Innovators

Sydney Henry is the Organizational Change Practitioner at Norfolk Southern Corporation. She’s an experienced and passionate change leader, and she comes from a family of railroaders. She joins host Justin Lake to talk about issues that frontline workers are facing today. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
Communication is the biggest issue facing the frontline workforce today. Constant communication is really important to keep them updated in the field. 
It’s important to ask questions throughout the year, as different issues can arise at different times with technology. 
A change manager should do a walk along with a frontline employee or talk with them in person, as it’s important to see what a day in their life is like for them.
Always make sure there is a backup plan. Not everything can be stopped until a new process is implemented, so having a backup plan is extremely important.
Observe frontline workers and how they do their job before you implement change. That way you can see if the change is necessary and how it will help.
There are many different ways of communicating with frontline workers, so it’s important to take advantage of those tools rather than using emails.
It’s important to be empathetic for those on the frontline. They are the ones facing the customers and having to answer questions while working in the field. 
Quote of the show: 
 
0:47 “I've been a victim of the same thing: communicating in the very beginning with the frontline workers to get their opinion about something, but not following up enough throughout the process. 
 
I think that initial testing, in the field or on the frontline testing, the technology or the process changes. It's very important, but even, especially using an agile methodology, that constant communication of, Hey, did something new come up or is there some special circumstance we can talk about that you didn't talk about before? I absolutely think that communication is key.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydney-a-henry/
Company Website: http://www.nscorp.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/0wK1d1V0F3s

Ken White, Change Manager at Lowe’s, shares his experience having worked for the state department of Tennessee to bring all their workers online. Ken joins host Justin Lake to discuss some of the issues that are facing the frontline workforce today and ways that we can work on solving those issues. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing the frontline workforce today is technology driven change saturation.
Communication is the backbone of change management. It helps to have a good back and forth communication to incorporate change and have it be positivity received. 
Project lighthouse was Duke energy’s flagship product to digitally transform itself. 
Never stop listening to the customer. You are there to digitally transform products to make their life easier. 
There’s no such thing as a bad idea. You want everyone in the company to feel heard and you can always learn something new from any idea. 
An empathy map is when you take a typical employee and you take how they feel about their job and what they do into account and try to make them happier. 
Every company is turning more and more to technology to get work done because of the pandemic. 
Quote of the show
 
17:57 “An empathy map is taking your typical job roles, say line technician, and we divide them up into four categories. And as the development team, we talk about the typical line technician, and we talk about what the line tech is thinking, what they're actually doing on their job on a daily basis, what they're feeling about what they're doing and what they're saying about what they do and the organization.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-white-66a98510/
Company Website: https://www.lowes.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/Lr0-y1kEvT4

Kate DeGon is the Founder and CEO at Changesync. She’s a prosci certified management consultant. She was formerly the President of the Arizona chapter of the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP). She sits down with host Eugene Signorini to discuss what some of the challenges are that frontline employees are facing. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing the frontline workforce today is time. These employees are incredibly busy and when change comes in, that adds extra work onto their plate. 
Most frontline employees are remote, so you want to make sure the change you are working on is something that can be done remotely for them and with ease. 
Most people are not a huge fan of surprises in the workforce. It’s best to take the time and slowly incorporate the change, so everyone is on the same page.
It’s imperative to use technology that is easier to use. There’s no need to use software that makes your job more complicated.
The employees are the ones who make the change stick, so making sure they are happy and they understand what is happening is key.
Change management teams are typically small, which allows them to quickly pivot to new changes and focus on what employees are saying.
You want to find people who will champion the change. They will help facilitate the change and address any issue with it. 
Quote of the show: 
 
5:15 “Readiness is really helping to prepare the employees who are impacted regardless of the level of impact, really helping to prepare them for the impending change. And this precedes the actual formal training.  Let's be honest, most people are not huge a fan of opening up their computer or getting a message somehow and hearing that there's a big change. Those surprises just really aren't welcomed in the workforce.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-tripalin-degon-bbb64046/
Company Website: http://changesync.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/yG-P74NaAV0

Mario Aguirre is the Project Manager of Programs, Change & Analytics at a Major Electric Utility. He has over 15 years of management experience in diverse areas. He is driven by his profound desire for a positive impact on others. He joins host Justin Lake and together they talk about some of the biggest challenges the deskless workforce faces. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The deskless workforce is becoming less and less deskless. Innovation in technology is great but with it comes technology that makes those frontline workers tied to certain areas such as trucks or cars. 
Listening to employees on the frontline is a key company for management. They have some great insight into what works and doesn’t work in the field. 
If you’ve worked as a frontline employee before, you understand the impact of change and decision making and what it really means to those on the frontline.
There’s always going to be a bell curve when it comes to change, so it’s important to make sure that frontline employees are aware and prepared for any change and the challenges that come with it. 
There are opportunities for any industry to improve. Change enablement is a growing field and it’s important to take advantage of that. 
 It’s important to build a great relationship between management and those working on the frontline. 
Showing appreciation for those on the frontline is something that can motivate them and make them feel heard and understood.
Quote of the show
 
0:42 “The deskless workforce is becoming less and less desk-less as innovation is being deployed much closer and closer to those frontline employees… As leaders of innovation, we have to ensure that our leaders are engaging those frontline employees and making sure to have a process to do that. What we're deploying is ensuring that our leaders observe the frontline employees and that they seek input from those frontline employees, they solution the opportunity, then they communicate the solution.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-aguirre-782b90149/
Company Website: https://www.tampaelectric.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/2eYgOg4Q6S4

Sally Fahey, a Global Black Belt - Modern Work Specialist, and First Line Worker at Microsoft, has had the privilege and experience of working with some of Australia's most iconic brands. After graduating from school she worked with a large telecommunications company, where she discovered she really likes how technology can help organizations. Sally is also a Prosci certified change practitioner and she joins host Eugene Signorini to discuss some of the biggest challenges that frontline workers are facing. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing the deskless workforce is being understood. It’s important for management to understand the role frontline workers play in the company so they can better help.
Those who work on the frontline are multifaceted and can handle many different types of tasks, but that doesn’t mean they should be overloaded with work.
Communication is key. You need to have an open channel of communication that is effective in order to better understand and cooperate with deskless workers. 
The pandemic has created a fear among frontline workers because they are the ones facing the public which means they are likely to contract the virus.
A problem in many organizations is trying to solve niche issues. Rather than doing that, it’s better to have a frontline manager look at this issue and try and solve them.
There are many different frontline personas within an organization, and this helps to make it so that change can be incorporated into a company in a smooth manner.
Technology is an enabler, but you can’t use technology just to say you are using it. It needs to have a purpose and serve the company in a good way.
Quote of the show
 
0:54 “I think it's as simple as being understood. So it's having people understand the work that they do, the environment that they do it in, and the tools and processes they need to do the work they do today. But also how their role fits in the broader ecosystem of an organization, because these are the people that are making the products for our customers.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sally-fahey/
Company Website: https://www.microsoft.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/7_Ja7vvuXsI

Kristine Dunn is the Manager, Organizational Change and Learning at DTE Energy. She is a certified professional and talent developer with ATD. She has a background in developing cultures, leaders, and teams to create a positive employee experience. Kristine and host Justin Lake discuss some of the challenges that plague frontline employees.
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing the frontline workers today is balancing their daily work while also staying connected to the extended teams back at the office. 
Investing in technology that can make communication easier for those who work on the frontline.
You want to make sure you are interacting and engaging with those on the frontline in a way that’s reasonable to them as that will positively impact how they react to change.
Those who work in change management are shepherds of change, leading the employees to a successful transition.
There’a a two pronged approach for change managers trying to help employees handle change; one is how do you personally show up and the other is how do you take action on the work that needs to be done.
Communications have really been disrupted in the last few years because of the pandemic, and that makes the lives of deskless employees harder.
New technology is constantly being introduced, it makes the learning curve steeper and those on the frontline are going from being an expert to being novice on a constant basis.
Quote of the show
20:39 “Right now we're introducing a lot of new technology to help them work more efficiently. And with that comes this major transition of going from an expert and having that expert status to a learner or a novice… but the reality is it takes time to move back into that expert status again.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisdunncplp/
Company Website: https://newlook.dteenergy.com/wps/wcm/connect/dte-web/home
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/X5Zrk-yVoBE

Doug Eichhorn, Vice President of Change Enablement at Whole Foods Market has extensive retail experience with over 25 years in various leadership roles. He is both BMI and Prosci certified. Doug joins host Justin Lake to discuss what frontline workers are going through and some of the challenges they face, like the rapid pace of changing information.
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing the deskless force is making sure that they have enough time to adapt to the changes that are coming towards them. 
When we get hyper focused on a project, we think that’s the only thing a frontline worker has but they have lots of projects going on all at once.
There is an inherent resistance to change. It’s the job of those in change management to show the frontline workers that change isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
A common issue is when people are trying to solve an issue they think the end users are experiencing when that actually isn’t an issue at all.
You have to remember that some frontline workers are part-time, so dropping new information on them constantly could confuse them and slow down their average work day.
If you have a way to communicate in an effective way and cut down on the number of messages sent out, you can increase proficiency and productivity.
Change managers are looking at three big things on a daily basis: utilization, proficiency and value.
Quote of the show:
 
0:38 “I think one of the biggest challenges they face is giving those team members that desk-less workforce enough time to absorb the changes that are coming down.
So many times there are multiple originators of work or multiple originators of change requests to that team and team member that they just don't get enough time to actually absorb the change and be able to process through what it means to them, how it impacts their day to day, what it means to do work differently before the next change is hitting them all.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-eichhorn/
Company Website: https://www.wholefoodsmarket.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/0gzT-GDO_-s

Tulsi Keshkamat, Product Management Director - Modern Workplace Transformations at Microsoft has empathy for all the deskless workers and wants to empower them to be the best they can be. She recognizes that digital transformation impacts those on the frontline first and foremost. She joins host Eugene Signorini to talk about ways that upper management can better help those who work on the frontline.
 
 
Takeaways 
 
Frontline workers need to be a prominent part in the conversation about digital transformation as it affects them more than anyone else. 
Frontline workers are mobile first and they are the ones who face the customers, so they need to be up to date on all the latest technology.
Communication is extremely important when it comes to upper management trying to be in touch with those on the frontline. A walkie-talkie is a great solution to that. 
When it comes to helping frontline workers be more effective in their job, look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as an example. 
The biggest things that deskless workers need is flexibility, access to information and then connection and collaboration.
Everyone in an organization learns in different ways. It’s important to take note of this and make sure you adapt to those different ways of learning.
Quote of the show:
 
1:13 “One of the things that this pandemic has brought front and center is that digital transformation, as we think about it for an organization, Critical information workers or what we call the people who have desks, but it is also critical to frontline workers or what you described as the set of people who are desk-less, they're typically mobile first, but the pandemic really did a good, good job of showing us how critical they are.
 
The world cannot run without them. That just became immediately obvious, but also it became important for us to realize that they need to be part of this conversation of digital transformation. If we don't include them, we are going to be left behind and we can't adjust to the changes that are happening.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tulsik/
Company Website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/
Custom link: https:aka./frontline-workforce 
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/MBWGV1f_qDU

Today’s guest has been working in the natural gas industry since 1995. He worked his way from the bottom of the industry to being a foreman on sites, which is where he discovered his passion for helping people and interacting with them. Now, Brent Shoemaker is the Applications Process Improvement/Training as a Consultant at Williams. He sits down with host Justin Lake to talk about some of the biggest challenges that frontline workers face today. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing the frontline workforce today is the rapid change in technology and all different kinds of regulations to follow. 
Your company trusts you but you need to make sure that the trust is also earned and verified by your hard work.
Documenting work is important so that if there is a mistake then people go back and see where it was made and know how to fix it. 
It’s the frontline employees who make the natural gas industry what it is.
Those working on the frontline have to deal with the public, their own departments at work and maybe even public safety departments so you can use technology to make their lives easier.
Work can be like a massive puzzle, and you need to know where you stand in that puzzle, where the end user stands and how it all fits together. 
The more you pile into a frontline employee, the more they will feel overworked and will be more likely to have worse production and a negative outlook on work. 
Quote of the show: 
 
22:17 “We had this massive puzzle and everybody's a piece of that puzzle. You need to know where you're at within that puzzle and how you understand and make sure that the end user knows where they are, how they fit with all these other pieces that creates this one puzzle.
Because the work that they would do on, in their role affects somebody either positive or negative downstream, or vice versa. So it was teaching people, here's Maximo, or here’s Piqua, or here's a locus or here's GIS. Here's these applications and here's how to use it. But here's why you're asking, being asked to use them. And this is how you use it within your role.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-shoemaker-7330361a0/
Company Website: https://www.williams.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/f43FieVShD0

Adrianne Kelly, Change Management Manager at a major CPG company, has firsthand experience as a frontline worker having worked at a grocery store for over 7 years. While there, she would watch as new people were hired and she developed them to become district managers or be very successful at other companies. Adrianne joins host Justin Lake to share her insights about the biggest challenges facing those on the frontline, such as the amount of time it takes to adapt to new technology.
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing the deskless workforce today is the assumption that learning new technology will be easy no matter what age you are. 
There is a fear that if a company becomes too efficient with new technology that it will replace those on the frontline but that isn’t the case. 
Technology in the frontline space is a real challenge because it takes time to get adjusted to the changes.
It’s a good idea to learn the new technology before you introduce it. If you don’t know how to use it then you can’t properly teach it.
Before launching new technology, you want to make sure that it's bug free. That way you don’t have to go through a painful process of constant updates. 
Repetition is a good idea. It drives home all the information and that way the employees know where to go if they have any questions.
Adrianne’s favorite part about working with technology is that it adds to the innovation.
Quote of the show:
 
15:12 “In all honesty, my first few months or so I literally got trained by the people who worked for me. They showed me everything.
 
I was like, okay, you're going to have to take, if it's a half day, if it's 15 hours, if it's 20 minutes, just take me through every app that a frontline leader uses and how they use it in the field. Take me out to the field. Let's look at product lines. Let's look at sales, let's look at everything that we need to look at.
 
And that's how I got acclimated to it. It was truly like what we were talking about earlier. It was truly like I had to get my hands on it. I had to kind of bypass my own fears and say the only way that I'm going to be able to teach this is to learn it. So I need to go learn it.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianne-kelly-65b709a/
Company Website: https://www.pepsi.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/grAOI56SXMs

Jennifer Pickert earned her degree in theater and has adapted those skills to help in her role as Manager of Change Leadership - Front Line Operations at Southwest Airlines. While directing plays in college she learned how to have interactions with people that built great relationships. Jennifer shares with host Justin Lake that sometimes the best way to solve issues facing those on the frontline is by simply asking them what you can do to better help them.
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing frontline workers today is finding a way to communicate effectively with management about what changes are happening and what it means for them.
You need to understand the struggles that everyone goes through at different locations. Not all frontline workers are going through the same issues.
There is a fear that with the advancement in technology it could replace deskless workers but that isn’t the case, and it needs to be made more clear
A solution to an issue doesn’t always have to be complicated. Sometimes the answer is simply asking how those on the frontline can be better helped. 
Not every company has a corporate email or device for frontline workers to use, and those aren’t the best method for reaching those employees.
It’s going to take time for employees to adapt to new changes, so that needs to be kept in mind because those employees will remember how it went last time. 
Jennifer likes to see the changes in technology and making employees lives easier through these changes. 
Quote of the show:
 
2:29: “Truly at the end of the day I really believe what moves that needle, are relationships. It's not going to be about the fancy newsletter that you put out with a digital sign that you show, it's really about understanding the culture and the dynamics at a specific location. Be that an airport, an area headquarters, like wherever that environment is and going there and understanding what people are up against, understanding what their days look like, understanding what's most important to them. You can't win hearts and minds without knowing their language.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-pickert-6273391/
Company Website: https://www.southwest.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/_2CgquYxQSo

On today’s episode of Frontline Innovators, the guest went to school for chemical engineering and has spent his entire life in technology. Alok Pant, the CEO at Unvired Inc, joins host Euegene Signorini. Together they go over some of the biggest challenges that deskless workers face, such as learning new apps designed to make their lives and jobs easier out in the field. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed every company to switch as much as they can to digital rather than paper, and this creates more technology for those on the frontline to learn with very little training and constant updates and changes
There are 4 challenges that frontline workers face; making sure they can do their work effectively, user adoption change management, how do you train those in these field on the new app, and how do you deploy the app.
Training and change management are not one in the same, although mos think that they are. 
Communication between everyone ranging from the vendor to the CEO is key to running a successful business, and that doesn’t stop with deskless workers.
A mobile app is a great way to stay in touch with those who work in the field. Oftentimes they might not even have an email, but you can send a notification right to them.
When developing new technology, you want to make sure it is user friendly and intuitive for those on the frontline.
Projects are more successful when an executive sponsor or somebody else on the customer’s side are heavily interested in the project.
Quote of the show
17:03 “If you think of change management, OCM, it starts with leadership. Right from the CEO to the vice presidents, everybody has to be committed to something they're trying to change, the process. And that's why digitization is happening. So I think it starts from leadership.
 
A very important component of change management is communication to all stakeholders, to all your employees, even to maybe board members, investors. the money spent is significant, and of course, to your vendors. Communication has to be key. That's what we found.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alokpant/
Company Websites: https://unvired.com, https://chymebot.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/Gvtt3WXigl0

The pandemic has had an effect on all frontline workers that we are still trying to understand today. That’s what today’s guest sees as one of the major issues that frontline workers face. Cristina Rivera, the Manager of Future Ready Workforce at PepsiCo, has a passion for finding new ways to make others lives easier. She joins host Justin Lake to sit down and talk about how not only the pandemic, but the speed of change are some of the issues that currently plague today’s deskless workforce. 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing the frontline workers today is the speed in change of skills.
Learning new skills while being a frontline worker is a multi-generational issue. It doesn’t only affect the older workers in the position. 
Those on the frontline often feel overworked, feeling like they are doing more work with less people. A way to combat this is to make sure those on the frontline are up to date on their skills and fully trained.
Those in a position of change management need to take into account the fear that frontline workers have that technology will replace them, and help them understand that it won’t take their job away. 
Frontline workers need to hear from other frontline workers who have gone through the changes to know what to expect, hearing it from someone in corporate isn’t as impactful to them. 
You would use different strategies to communicate change in a typical corporate job than you would use with frontline workers. 
The biggest question right now is how do we get more people back in the workforce and increase the amount of workers taking  frontline jobs.
Quote of the show
15:34 “​Any time we want to roll out something with the intent to make their lives easier that with the intent to make things smoother or more effective, the fear comes in. I think that fear is one of the biggest things that people who are in charge of change management and any culture shift in an organization, those human elements are the pieces that we have to tend to the most because that's what is changing much more than my behaviors and me pushing whatever buttons.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinamrivera/
Company Website: https://www.pepsico.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/cMji9_ZK-Qg

Kristi Walker, Change Management Consultant at Arizona Public Service, joins host Justin Lake to discuss the constant changes that frontline workers are seeing and what tools are out there to make their lives easier. With over 20 years of experience in change management, she was also the assistant executive director at the Arizona Exposition and State Fair.  
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing the deskless worker today is the transfer of information between people.
Always know your audience. If you are trying to sell change, you want to know what your selling can actually help those deskless workers.
Promote the “desire” piece of change. Those on the frontline should have a desire to try the new change you are promoting, and it makes it harder to accept if they don’t look forward to it.
Working from home was a difficult task for frontline workers. They still have to go out everyday while others don’t have to, so making sure they are acknowledged and rewarded for their hard work is a key to keeping them happy.
Having field workers on your change champion network is a great idea. Not only do the frontline workers feel more valued in that case, but there might be an issue they are having that upper management might not have known otherwise.
Face-to-face communication is always better than electronic communication.
Quote of the show:
 
0:43 “The biggest challenge for them right now is communications. We have such a hard time making sure that they get the information they need to be successful. We've worked with their leadership to get involved, they have these tailgate meetings before the start of every shift. You really have to get in front of them, kind of face-to-face if you can, to get the information across. So that's our main way of working with them, but we're always exploring new ways to really reach out and make sure they have what they need.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiwalsh/
Company Website: https://www.aps.com/en/residential/home
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/RESVX4nnaCA

Listening to deskless workers can provide valuable feedback for those in the management position. On this episode of Frontline Innovators, host Justin Lake is joined by Shelby Matzell, Manager, Gas Transformation Change Office at National Grid. Together they talk about how utilizing feedback from the frontline workers can make those hard workers feel heard and understood, while also answering questions that management may not have known where being asked. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing deskless workers today is being able to reach them with communication. 
With frontline workers not being in the office, it’s important to stay in touch with them. All teams should be on the same app to make that easier. 
Repetition is key. You can’t expect people to understand new technologies or new plans on the first try, so it’s important to have a process and plan in place to explain it all.
Listen to those on the frontline. They might need a refresher on an app or a tool, whatever it may be, as long as you listen to them and help it only makes everyone’s job easier. 
Video presentations are an easier way of learning to use technology rather than just sharing screenshots.
Drip-feed learning is when you provide information to those on the frontline in a slow and methodical way, rather than overloading them with change.
Quote of the show:
 
11:51 “I would say if we could just take their feedback from any form that we're able to get that from, whether it's a survey, live feedback, anything that they're requesting more info on, or just like we talked about a tool.
If it's a tool that they need a refresher on, whatever it is that they're asking for. And if we have the ability to deliver that for them doing the best we can to meet them where they need to be. Because I do think if we were able to take their feedback or their suggestions and deliver, then they would be more receptive to anything else that we bring to them in terms of communication or in terms of what they need to know for their role, and being able to deliver that as well.”
 
 
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelby-matzell-22b35122/
Company Website: https://www.nationalgridus.com/Default.aspx
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/avPhMNGadf4

Corbin Kimberling, the ITSM Change Manager at Sage Therapeutics, knows that the process in change management and being proactive is key to change management success. Along with host Justin Lake, they go over ways that successful change can help those on the frontline, as well as the role empathy plays in understanding the struggles of the deskless workers.
Takeaways 
 
The biggest issue facing the deskless workers today is the communication gap between those in upper management and the frontline workers themselves. 
The people who create changes to new applications and infrastructure have the best intentions for helping those on the frontline but they don’t understand what they really need.
Companies that don’t have a change management department are often being more reactive to change rather than being proactive. 
Frontline workers greatly appreciate communication in the field. It makes their lives and jobs easier and better.
You need to have processes in place to have successful change, but you also need a process in place in case of emergencies.
Incomplete Testing is when a change in a product is tested but only to see if the change works, not how it interacts with the rest of the product. 
Quote of the show:
 
4:33 “People that create these new changes to applications, new changes to infrastructure, their intention is to help out and to make it better. A lot of times what's causing these changes are the people that are on the frontline. They're sending in a ticket saying, ‘hey, it'd be better if it worked here.’
And I think the assumption is, well, if I go out there and change that everyone's going to celebrate me and I'm going to be great. It's gonna be awesome. And they forget exactly what they've asked for. But that was one person and that one person, may be in a specific place where they may not understand what all the other people are going through.”
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corbinkimberling/
Company Website: https://www.sagerx.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/xYtyLvG8a6Y

After working at companies like eBay and Sports Authority doing business and system analysis, Ashish Nangia, Program Manager II of Configuration and Change Management at Amazon, Inc. went back to school to learn about something he is passionate about; management information systems. Ashish, joins host Justin Lake to discuss ways that upper management can show their appreciation for deskless workers and come up with solutions for everyday issues that they face. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge facing the frontline workers right now is making sure they feel more valued and wanted. 
Safety is the priority with frontline workers. You want to make sure they are able to do their job safely but you also don’t want to diminish their abilities for incentives with all the change.
The pandemic has changed a lot for the frontline workers, but the biggest change is the mental aspect of it that is added to what is already a physically demanding job.
One way to help frontline workers understand the technology better is to offer a daily learning session where they can spend a certain amount of time asking questions and trying out different things on the new technology.
It’s better to explain why the process of new technology works rather than explaining how it works because everyone is at a different step with technology.
Changing technology is good, but it is changing at such a rapid pace that those on the frontline are struggling to keep up with it. 
Quote of the show: 
 
1:06 “What has not been taken into consideration is the thought process and the feelings that somebody who's at the front end, who doesn't have that flexibility goes through. And I think as a leader and as bigger companies, I think those thought processes are now being thought of at the front end. And some of the changes are coming through.
You see companies offering education, or funding, college tuition, and so on. So the biggest challenge is how do you make them feel more valued? So it's a level playing field for everybody in the organization.”
 
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishnangia-solution1/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nangiaashish?lang=en
Company Website: https://www.amazon.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/YjRjQxcfP3E

On this episode of Frontline Innovators, Michelle Pacilli, the Change Adoption Manager at Echo Global Logistics, joins host Justin Lake to talk about the biggest challenges facing frontline workers today and how a sense of community amongst deskless workers and management can help those on the frontline get through issues they are facing. 
 
 
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge that frontline workers face today is how they can make working from home easier on themselves.
The sense of community that has occurred during the pandemic is helpful for frontline workers. It helps them to feel connected to management and not alone.
During the pandemic, many companies switched from making their typical products to help those in need, which influenced how those on the frontline do their work.
The frontline workers are the ones that speak directly to the customers, so they need to be up to date on all the latest technology and information.
Letting the stakeholders and frontline workers try out new technologies is a great way to get realistic feedback on what works and what doesn’t.
TMS is a Transportation Management System; it’s how companies like Echo Global Logistics manage their day to day tasks such as billing and invoicing.
Quote of the Show: 
 
1:34 “The silver lining of everything that's happened over the last two years is that we've developed a community in a sense, in any aspect, whether that be at work or at home frontline workers.
 
We've developed this sense of 'got to get through this together and what are you doing to help you get through this?’ And so it's very interesting.” 
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-pacilli-0636946a/
Company Website: https://www.echo.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/michellepacilli?lang=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/Ex4IILopYiw

Maddie Neuman shares her admiration for the bravery and courage of frontline workers - particularly during the pandemic. Neauman, is the Manager, Learning & Development & Organizational Change Management Office within the Technology organization at T-Mobile. She joins host Justin Lake to give her insight on how upper management can show appreciation for those deskless workers.
Takeaways 
 
The biggest issue facing the deskless worker is the lack of communication. Sometimes communication can be like a game of telephone tag and the meaning of the message gets lost on the way to those on the frontline.
There isn’t one certain way to do change management. There are plenty of different strategies and it’s worth trying a few different ones to get the one that works for you.
Those on the frontline are the ones who have the best perspective of what the customers want or need.
With everyone working remotely, it’s important to think of ways to have employees be engaged, and a great way of doing that is by listening to the questions deskless workers have.
Frontline workers were the ones keeping the stores alive during the pandemic, going into the store everyday and answering the phone and providing anything customers need.
Change fatigue is what happens when humans reach their limit of how much change they can handle.
Quote of the show:
 
1:28  “I think sometimes even if communication is trickling down, it changes and morphes as it moves along. And so I think sometimes the issue is the lack of communication.
And sometimes the issue is the changing of the communication as it makes its way through. So I think that's a really big challenge. And I would also say an opportunity for organizations to look at how to get that right, and how to make sure that employee voices and sentiment from the frontline is heard and taken seriously.”
Links
 
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddieneuman/
Company Website: https://www.t-mobile.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/HlZ3n7ypFsQ

Today’s guest is a former frontline employee, and uses his past experience to help make life easier for other deskless workers. Lee Goldstein is a Change Manager at a major energy corporation, and he joins host Justin Lake to give his insight on how to help those frontline employees and make their lives easier through the use of new technology.
Takeaways 
 
The biggest challenge that deskless workers face today is communication. Often these employees are working odd hours, holidays, and weekends which makes it difficult for them to reach someone in management with any issues or questions.
Those in management can go out in the field or ride in a truck with those frontline workers to understand what their daily life is like and the struggles they face, and have a better understanding of how to solve any issues they face. 
It’s difficult to get frontline workers to adopt new technology. These employees are keeping the lights on and their job depends on understanding how the new technology works, if it’s too complicated there could be major issues. 
If you leave the frontline workers out when thinking of new technology, that isn’t helpful. Their input is incredibly valuable as they are the ones that will be using the technology all the time.
The buy-in for your organization starts with asking “why?”. Just asking why you are doing something can determine if it is something that is necessary or not. 
Getting to know the frontline workers in your company is a valuable thing. They are people with their own hopes and dreams for the company, it’s worth listening to them.
Quote of the show:
 
12:04 “There's two real parts to project management, change management, if you will. There's the technical side and then there's the people side. So I was on the technical side, so if you're creating a product or you're introducing something, building something, whatever, just call it technical. And then there's the people side of it. 
So I really made that jump from the operations technical side over to the people side because I've tried to tell people, it's just that altruistic jump that you make at some point. You really want to help people. And it might not make sense, but it's a path to get to the people in a new and special and impactful way. And so for the past couple of years, I've been in a change management role and it's been incredible.”
Links
 
LinkedIn:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-goldstein-7756ab30/
Company Website: https://www.duke-energy.com/Home
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/ZZdqTGjuJ1U