Unlock Deskless Worker Potential With AI

Tech has failed the frontline.

Despite all the talk about digital transformation, it hasn't reached the 80 percent of the workforce on the frontlines in industries like retail, food service, distribution and healthcare. In fact, only 1 percent of tech budgets support the frontline (Brandon Hall Group).

The same can be said for digital training. Only 29 percent of companies deliver e-learning to the frontline (ATD Research), despite frontline workers asking for more learning and development opportunities. Instead, deskless workers rely on job coaching (75 percent) and shadowing (68 percent) for training. After all, you can’t learn how to drive a lift truck or perform CPR entirely online.

Deskless workers are asking for more help to do their jobs. Today, 35 percent of frontline workers say lack of training makes their jobs harder (Axonify Deskless Report 2024). Traditional classroom-based training doesn’t fit the fast-paced, hands-on nature of frontline work. But that doesn’t mean tech can’t play a critical role in getting workers the support they need. Organizations are already finding ways to use AI to bridge this longstanding gap and unlock the full potential of their deskless workforce.

The frontline is ready to learn and engage differently

Frontline employees are accustomed to workplace change. It’s their everyday reality. As a result, they’re not nearly as concerned about the impact of AI as their corporate counterparts. Only 4 percent of frontline employees believe AI will threaten their jobs, compared to 52 percent of US workers overall (Pew Research). Fifty-two percent of frontline managers want to learn more about using AI on the job.

This openness presents an opportunity to rethink how tech can be used to develop deskless workers. Combine this readiness with the growing availability of mobile devices, and you have a prime opportunity for L&D to reach people when and where they need help.

Start with everyday challenges

It’s tempting for L&D to kick off its AI transformation with what we know best—content creation. Seventy-three percent of organizations plan to do just that. But is more content really what the frontline needs? No matter how many courses are in your LMS, deskless workers still won’t have time to access them, especially as businesses trim labor hours to cut costs.

Instead, focus on their everyday challenges. Leverage AI to help people find information, solve problems, and make better decisions every shift. Digital assistants are already proving invaluable on the frontline. Too often, employees rely on the person next to them for help, or they’re left guessing when they don’t know the answer. This is also true for managers, with 67 percent admitting they make things up as they go (at least sometimes). With a well-curated knowledge base, AI can act as a reliable crutch, reinforcing important job knowledge long after training ends.

Focus on equity

Time is the biggest hurdle for deskless training, but scale is a close second. Frontline workers are spread across locations, and L&D has limited resources to address individual needs. Employees often receive generic training on required topics, focusing more on compliance than their personal goals.

AI is helping L&D scale personalized learning by making it more accessible and efficient. Companies are already using AI to translate training into hundreds of languages at minimal cost. Beyond that, AI is adapting content to individual needs and supporting workers with limited reading skills through voice tech.

Act now

Forty-three percent of L&D teams lack staff with AI knowledge. Thirty-six percent are unclear on how to apply AI in their practices. We know how critical frontline performance is to business success. We understand the legacy challenges that limit L&D’s reach on the frontline. AI represents a powerful opportunity to close these gaps, but we must act now. Don’t get lost in the hype! Instead, focus on how this wave of digital transformation can address real-world, everyday challenges and provide meaningful support to our essential workers.