The frontline workforce is the backbone of industries ranging from retail and hospitality to logistics and healthcare - and those who don’t sit at a desk make up 80% of the workforce. Training this vital segment—whether onboarding new hires, reskilling/upskilling current employees, or ensuring safety and compliance—comes with a unique set of challenges. Advancements in AI and automation are opening new pathways to address these issues effectively.
Key Challenges in Frontline Training
Time Constraints
Frontline workers often need to be productive immediately. High turnover and fast-paced operations leave little time for comprehensive onboarding or continuous training. 40% of organizations report that frontline staff struggle to comprehend compliance requirements, which compounds the issue of time constraints during onboarding.
Diverse Skill Levels and Learning Preferences
Frontline employees come from varied educational and experiential backgrounds, making it difficult to standardize training content and pace. Speakers of other languages account for 20% of today’s frontline workforce and 88% of the population growth, highlighting the need for training that accommodates linguistic diversity.
Access to Training Resources
An estimated 83% of “non-desk employees” don’t have a corporate email address, and 45% lack access to company intranets at work, making centralized training delivery challenging.
Engagement and Retention
Repetitive tasks and physically demanding roles can impact morale. Engaging, relevant, and personalized training is critical for retention but is often deprioritized. Only 12% of employees apply skills from compliance training to their job, reflecting a significant gap in engagement and practical learning.
Compliance and Safety Standards
Ensuring that all employees meet compliance and safety requirements can be resource-intensive, especially in environments with high turnover or diverse languages and cultural backgrounds. 30% of compliance officers cite employee engagement as a major obstacle to effective compliance.
Potential Solutions with AI and Automation
The integration of AI and automation technologies offers transformative solutions to these challenges to make training more accessible, engaging, and effective for frontline teams.
Automated, Personalized Onboarding
Generative AI can create personalized learning journeys that cater to individual skill levels and learning preferences. At Anthill, we have used our automation platform to help organizations streamline onboarding workflows, delivering content via mobile-friendly formats and in employees’ preferred languages. For example, a distribution center provides role-specific onboarding content tailored to each new hire’s experience level, ensuring they’re productive from day one.
Just-in-Time Microlearning
Microlearning modules allow employees to access bite-sized, role-specific training during downtime or between tasks. This minimizes disruption to operations while fostering continuous learning. An example in action: a logistics company can deliver short, interactive lessons on safety protocols, accessible even during shifts.
Multilingual and Inclusive Training
With AI-powered translation and adaptation tools, training materials can be seamlessly localized for diverse linguistic and cultural needs. This ensures that non-desk employees receive equitable access to training content in their preferred language. At Anthill, we are working with a telecommunications company to deploy multilingual compliance training modules, improving comprehension and adherence among a diverse workforce.
Real-Time Feedback and Adaptation
AI-driven analytics can provide real-time feedback on training effectiveness and employee performance, enabling managers to adapt content dynamically. This ensures that training remains relevant and impactful for a continuously evolving workforce. For instance, a manufacturing company analyzing quiz results and adjusting training modules to focus on areas where employees struggle the most, improving overall skill retention.
Scalable Compliance and Safety Training
AI-powered analytics help organizations identify gaps in compliance training and measure effectiveness. Automated reminders and assessments ensure ongoing compliance without burdening managers. Seen in action, a healthcare provider can deliver training modules, track completion, and maintain assessment records with minimal administrative overhead.
The challenges of frontline training are significant, but AI and automation offer a pathway to overcome them. Organizations can ensure their frontline workforce is equipped with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to thrive. From streamlining onboarding to ensuring safety compliance, AI is redefining how companies approach frontline training. With tools that prioritize accessibility, scalability, and engagement, AI can support a future where technology enhances human potential and economic opportunity for all.
