Just a few years ago, it seemed that frontline workers — from nurses and plumbers, to grocers and baristas — were finally getting the recognition they deserved for providing essential services to the public. But according to this workforce, employers continue to fall short.
In its 2024 Global Culture Report, workforce management software company O.C. Tanner surveyed 42,000 employees and leaders from 27 countries and identified that 80% of the global workforce spends less than 40% of their workday at their desk, or lacks regular access to workplace communication tools like email or Slack in their day-to-day duties. This means surgeons and pilots as well as delivery drivers and waiters would fall into the same category. But despite the variety of professions, there was still plenty of agreement on just how poorly they’re being treated at work.
