Frontline Innovators
This is Frontline Innovators. Hosts Justin Lake and Gene Signorini speak with experts who are leading the way and driving digital transformation to the frontlines. We explore how to overcome challenges and achieve success when we empower our essential workers. This podcast is sponsored by Skyllful, on a mission to help frontline workers learn and use the technology needed to succeed in their jobs.
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Episodes
Tuesday Nov 16, 2021
Tuesday Nov 16, 2021
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
Friday Nov 12, 2021
Friday Nov 12, 2021
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
Tuesday Nov 09, 2021
Tuesday Nov 09, 2021
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
Friday Nov 05, 2021
Friday Nov 05, 2021
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
Tuesday Nov 02, 2021
Tuesday Nov 02, 2021
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
Friday Oct 29, 2021
Friday Oct 29, 2021
Making sure the lights and power stay on are often things that are taken for granted, but the men and women on the frontlines are hard at work every day keeping everything going. Kurt Kidwell, a continuous improvement manager for a major electric utility, joins the host Justin Lake to talk about ways that management can listen to those on the frontline and come up with helpful solutions to their problems.
Takeaways
The biggest challenge facing the deskless worker right now is how virtual meetings impact those frontline employees. Virtual meetings make it difficult to connect with those working outside on the frontline.
The frontline workers are the most impacted and the most at risk when it comes to technology. It’s important to make sure the technology is easy enough to master and able to use it anywhere on the road.
Give the deskless workers one device and have them do all their work from that one device and limit the amount of things they are asked to do. That will allow them to be freed up to do their job.
A common problem when creating a new app or a new way of doing work for those on the frontline is that people focus on what sounds good in an office, but that often doesn’t apply to those deskless workers and it isn’t good in the field. You can't build mobile technology solutions from a conference room.
The worker is the solution, not the problem to be solved. Management often tries to find new technologies to help the frontline workers, and those workers are the most important part of the equation.
Frontline workers have been through so much change that the older workers won’t be as surprised as the younger workers will be.
Quote of the show:
17:08 In terms of developing new technology... “what sounds good in an office - most times that isn't good in the field. And a lot of times we see a transfer of responsibility of gathering information down to the field and it's not intentional. I think it's something that as this technology develops and we're learning and I'm trying to get better. It's something that kind of just happens and we have to really be careful to be mindful and watch what responsibilities and what things that are we asking of our frontline employees to do.”
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-kidwell-2a38811b/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kidwellkurt?lang=en
Company Website: https://www.aep.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/l0v1J92e1Pw
Tuesday Oct 26, 2021
Tuesday Oct 26, 2021
With technology constantly evolving, it can be difficult for deskless workers to keep up with all the change. Nikki Tollefson, Principal Change Consultant, Human Resources at C.H. Robinson, joins host Gene Signorini to give her insight on how to properly execute changing technology for those on the frontline without overwhelming them at the same time.
Takeaways
Over the last 18 months, frontline workers have been faced with so much change to make their role more efficient but at the same time it creates a challenge of trying to avoid so much change at one time.
There’s no need to make any new changes or projects overly complicated. Keeping it simple is the best way to go because that won’t overwhelm people, and it allows them the chance to ease into the change.
It’s no longer about making change the “new shiny toy”, instead it’s important to be humble about it and be mindful of how you connect the dots.
Change management is like a three legged stool. HR, Finance and Technology all need to work together in order to make sure the entire structure remains strong.
Technology isn’t necessarily the solution, it is the impetus to change.
Really strong stakeholder management, strong partnerships with those deskless workers, and a strong dose of humility is incredibly important when it comes to change management.
Quote of the show:
5:15 “Our employees, whether they sit at a desk or they're on that frontline, they're that deskless worker, have more going on than they've ever had going on before. And how I think that's shifted my approach to how I think about the work that I do is I think how do I make it less about my change really in some ways.
Because again, I think if we can get really, really excited about the project that we're working on and how do I make it more about what's going to make sense for them. And really that is my guiding principle that I've tried to use over this last year specifically is don't over-engineer it right? Like, keep it as simple as possible for people.”
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkimtollefson/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nikkitollefson
Company Website: https://www.chrobinson.com/en-us/
Peloton: MinneAppleMomma
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/y5lu52L7UhI
Tuesday Oct 19, 2021
Tuesday Oct 19, 2021
Sean Higgins, Organizational Change Manager for Insight Global, has empathy for the frontline workers after his time working at a grocery store. He uses this empathy to better relate to those deskless workers and the struggles that they face on a daily basis.
On this episode of Frontline Innovators, Sean and Justin discuss how the deskless worker can be better prepared for the changes in technology that they face.
Takeaways
The way in which the roles will be changing for frontline employees in terms of new technology being implemented is one of the biggest challenges they face.
Having empathy for those working on the frontline is extremely important. The struggles that they face are important to management and should be taken notice of.
When working for a grocery store, Sean noticed the positive change of introducing new technology into the store, such as being able to communicate with any other employee at a moment’s notice to answer any questions.
Change saturation is about assessing the changes that are happening within the organization.
Management doesn’t want to deflect you from anything that can make the frontline worker more successful.
You need to be able to stand firm on your goals and know when they are not on track, and what to do to get them back on track.
Quote of the show:
9:30 "When I went into some of the stores as part of the team to develop the training, update the communications and so forth - there was, I don't want to say equal group, but - there was a group of people, very excited about being able to use technology in their day-to-day work.
So maybe they had been in a role in that store for a few years. They'd done different things, different departments. Now they're introducing this kind of new, fresh way of working. It's got a high profile, you get a different shirt than the rest of the employees. So you also want to leverage that too.”
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanmhigginsohio/
Company Website: https://insightglobal.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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5aGz0pSWkM
Tuesday Oct 12, 2021
Tuesday Oct 12, 2021
Jimmy Alyea, Senior Planner and Change Management Specialist at Oxiteno, is a demonstrated leader in both supply chain management and marketing. After working for an oil company where he saw that there were ways to speed up general processes and make them more efficient, he decided to get into change management.
On this episode of Frontline Innovators, Jimmy and Justin discuss how the deskless worker can be better prepared for the changes in technology that they face.
Takeaways
Communication is the biggest challenge facing the deskless worker. Ever since the iPhone came out and we entered the digital age officially, we started migrating from old fashion in person meetings to phone calls, to text messages, video chatting.
There are two ways to do any job; the easy way or the hard way. Jimmy got into change management as a way to get a job done in an easier way.
The frontline workers need to be more empowered. They are the ones who are using the technology on a daily basis, they deserve to have their voices heard on any changes.
The men and women on the frontline represent 80% of the global workforce.
There are 5 outcomes for change to be successful: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement (ADKAR Method)
The change management process is a team process. You either move forward as a team or you move backward as a team.
Quote of the show:
19:39 “Frontline workers are talking to upper management and saying, Hey, we should be doing it this way. And It's interesting to see how they sell their ideas to upper management, which tends to be more effective because they're not forcing it on them.
They're telling them, Hey, we want to be more efficient. This is a better idea. As, I guess you could say as a generation X-er, I'm having to learn. Okay. That is a good idea. How do I do it? And I'm having to go to them to get taught how to work their ideas with their technology. And they have a lot of great ideas.
And if you don't empower them and listen to them and give them that microphone to speak up, then you're going to see companies fail. And the upper managers, the older, more experienced workforce is going to get pushed out.”
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlalyea/
Company Website: https://oxiteno.com/us/en/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimmymba
Personal website: http://jimmyalyea.blogspot.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/ApLb3wFTJ5g
Tuesday Oct 05, 2021
Tuesday Oct 05, 2021
Jessica Sirico, Senior Training and Change Management Specialist at Suez, is here to help the deskless worker navigate an ever changing world. On this episode of Frontline Innovators, Justin and Jessica discuss how they can better prepare those on the frontline for rapid changes.
Takeaways
The amount of changes happening at one time is the biggest challenge facing deskless workers today.
It’s more critical now than ever for companies to have change management so employees can thoroughly understand how the changes coming up will impact them.
It’s important for the frontline workers to feel connected to the people who work in corporate. Going out to the field and seeing what a day in their life looks like can strengthen those relationships.
In IT, the impact of new technology implementation often neglects the human side and how the change can make people feel.
Change management is really a collective effort. It’s not just the managers themselves that are leading it, but middle managers and frontline employees all need to be a part of it.
When you are training frontline workers on new technology, the goal is to make the training as simple as possible and work your way up to the complicated steps.
Jessica’s favorite part of change management is when she can see the employees she has trained are comfortable and prepared for the changes they will soon face.
Quote of the show
50:15 “I always say that learning a new technology for work is like breaking in a new pair of workboots. You are very comfortable in your current pair but maybe they are falling apart, maybe they aren’t safe anymore, so you have to change, you have to get a new pair.
It might take a week to break them, you might get some blisters, you might not feel comfortable but it’s going to get better. That’s the message I always have to portray.
It’s going to be rocky the first couple of days and that’s expected, no one expects you to come out of the gate perfect but you will get past all those bumps and all those hiccups and we are here to support you as well.”
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-sirico-pmp-shrm-cp-658ba633/
Company Website: https://www.suez-na.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/xUZfBAiYEVk
Tuesday Sep 28, 2021
Tuesday Sep 28, 2021
Andrea Johnson, Senior Manager of Change Management at Sprouts, is passionate about continuous learning and empowering change. She improves customer and employee experiences through human-centered design and technology enablement.
On this episode of Frontline Innovators, Andrea and Justin discuss how change management professionals can help deskless workers understand new changes and how it benefits them.
Takeaways
The speed of change is one of the biggest challenges facing deskless workers today. It’s a lot easier to digest change if you understand why it’s happening, but the message doesn’t always get down to frontline employees.
Andrea started her career in digital product marketing with huge teams that developed products for customers, but the systems they used didn’t line up with what they needed
You can invest millions of dollars into a system but at the end of the day if people aren’t using it then the residual income is zero. People still need to use the system to make it worthwhile.
You need all hands on deck and everyone needs to have bought in so that they can tell you what can work and what might not work.
If leadership hasn’t bought in, that rolls down hill and eventually the end-user won’t buy-in.
The fact that technology is always changing is something that is exciting to Andrea. It makes each day different.
There are many different learning styles in any given workplace that each span different generations, learning to teach to each one is beneficial.
Quote of the show:
18:53 “You have 5 generations in the workforce. There’s not a one size fits all OCM plan, rinse and repeat. You have to, one, account for all the generations and learning styles, how readily they are to embrace technology and respond in different ways.
Some people want to get help in different ways. Some people don’t want to sit in an instructor-led training, they’d rather just have some bite-sized video online. It’s really understanding the audiences and their pain points with the current state and figuring out how to make that case for them that it might be a little painful at first, nothing is going to be without its hiccups but at the end of the day when we get through this.
We’re going to make your job easier, be more productive, whatever those benefits and they have to believe it.”
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreaannjohnson/
Company Website: https://www.sprouts.com
Personal website: https://www.andreaannjohnson.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/SmbM_SvU6pw
Tuesday Sep 21, 2021
Tuesday Sep 21, 2021
Blanca Nieto, Change Management Specialist, joins host Justin Lake on this episode of Frontline Innovators Change Management Leadership series. They discuss keeping up with the rapid pace of technology and how to facilitate these changes for employees with different levels of understanding and comfort.
Takeaways
We grow in community, we don’t grow in isolation.
Change is inevitable, but it’s not easy.
Don’t make assumptions. For you, one thing might be easy. For me, it might be hard.
Use QR technology as a resource.
Don’t wait for customers to tell you what they need. Understand the future for them.
There will always be diversity in the level of adoption and comfort with technology.
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blancagnieto/
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 - Full video - https://youtu.be/FhRxVxOmgu8
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
On this episode of Frontline Innovators Brett Broadrick, Senior Organizational Change Consultant at Cerner Corporation joins host Justin Lake to talk change management!
Change causes a lot of anxiety and frustration. But--just like gravity--we can’t fight it. We can leverage it, and we can know how to work with it, but we know that technology is ultimately going to change frontline workers’ experiences. Instead of glossing over this reality, what can we do with this reality? What can we do for the frontline worker? Change management doesn’t erase the transition a company goes through when implementing change, but it can shorten it and shallow the curve.
Takeaways
The biggest challenge facing the deskless workforce: sacrificing quality for efficiency
How a company can be a “change architect”
Why you must not leave your frontline workers out of the planning process
Change management and the William Bridges transition model
What is ADKAR and where does training fall in this process
Pathways to recovery are numerous, but they all boil down to the same change management methodology in the way that our brains work
Links
LinkedIn: brett broadrick 1
Company Website: https://www.cerner.com
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cerner-corporation/
IBM Study - making-change-work
Bridges Transition Model: https://wmbridges.com/about/what-is-transition/
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 - Full video - https://youtu.be/LAOcY2q88v8
Tuesday Aug 17, 2021
Tuesday Aug 17, 2021
Scott Kameron, President & COO of EVS, LLC, joins host Eugene Signorini to discuss how impactful having a change management system is when implementing new digital technology. Focusing on the people behind the process is crucial to the success of digital adoption.
Takeaways
“People are struggling with software that was built to accommodate business processes but wasn't built to accommodate people.”- Scott
It's critical to comprehend the entire procedure and truly comprehend the ultimate objective and how you may accommodate that without having to add a macro level just by developing software and functionality to deal with each checkbox.
When it comes to bringing anything new, from a technology and process standpoint, a lot of the things holding firms back are just the complexity and the general organizational nervousness.
Organizational change management is a fantastic tool, and there is no substitute for being able to comprehend how technology will interact with people and process great technology, amazing user experience, screens, and hardware to solve organizational challenges.
“One of the things that we've seen in overcoming some of these challenges is the gamification metrics.” - Scott
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottkameron/
Company Website: https://www.evssw.com/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evs-llc/
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 - Full video - https://youtu.be/77Qdzsy2edQ
Wednesday Aug 11, 2021
Wednesday Aug 11, 2021
Chris Grubbs, Program Manager at Southwest Airlines, joins host Justin Lake to discuss how to bridge the gap between frontline workers and management. He also discusses how Southwest Airlines have adapted to technological changes and have created successful teams
Takeaways
Engage frontline leaders by getting them to share feedback to bring to management which will in turn lower their frustration and stress levels.
Keep frontline workers involved by having mechanics and inspectors participate in pilot testing gathering their feedback electronically.
It's beneficial to have frontline employees become evangelists so that when returning to their team they feel that their feelings have been heard by the management.
“There's always multiple opportunities to enhance customer service to provide more capabilities to our operational team on the ground as they service those customers.” - Chris
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisgrubbs/
Company Website: https://www.southwest.com/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southwest-airlines/
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 - Full video - https://youtu.be/xEoFM0Cqn3g
Tuesday Aug 03, 2021
Tuesday Aug 03, 2021
Sarah Nicastro, Vice President of Customer Advocacy at IFS, joins host Eugene Signorini to share her insight on technological advances that can affect company operations and business practices.
Takeaways
The pace of change, whether in corporate strategy or technology, is one of the greatest challenges.
“Change is not always easy, it can be very challenging even if it is a good change.” - Sarah
Technology and client expectations are mutually reinforcing. Technology evolves, shifting and changing the customer expectations. As a result, those expectations become more demanding, and the cycle continues.
Companies can set themselves up for success if they regard change management as a necessity and approach it in a different way.
“A little bit of reassurance in the form of articulating to those frontline workers, how they fit into this new world, and this new vision can make a world of difference.” - Sarah
The failure of a company to recognize how knowledgeable their frontline employees are, causes a sense of dissatisfaction, which is not conducive to change initiative.
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahhowland/
Company Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ifs/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.futureoffieldservice.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 - Full video - https://youtu.be/t3jfCm7sXOI
Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
Shari Christofferson, President at Mobile Systems Intelligence by Connect Inc, shares her unique expertise as well as solutions to typical problems seen facing deskless workers.
Christofferson with host Eugene Signorini, discuss new technology and the disconnects between corporate workers and today's frontline workforce and how it can influence workflow.
Takeaways
Both decision-makers and front-line workers are trying to improve mobile adoption and digital transformation as it occurs in the field.
There is a disconnect, certain gaps that prevent the front-line workers from having a voice and expressing themselves and this is a bit of a mismatch for both ends.
“There's a space there where the users have something they're trying to use and when it's breaking down, it is referred to as a disconnect.” - Shari
Frontline workers are often hesitant to embrace technology due to frustration, nervousness, or a lack of understanding of how to use it.
Understanding what frontline staff are going through and being able to provide support so they can fulfil their obligations and jobs more efficiently is critical.
“There are so many far reaching implications of this disconnect between what the users are experiencing with the technology and what the intention is.” - shari
The challenge is to develop a feedback loop between the user, the support team, and the IT team that needs to assist them.
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shari-christofferson-9a85979/
Company Website: https://mobilesystemsintelligence.com/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect-incorporated-connect-rf/
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 - Full video - https://youtu.be/6v3NVYS8Ufo
Tuesday Jul 20, 2021
Tuesday Jul 20, 2021
John Wirthlin, Industry Principal of Manufacturing, Transportation & Logistics at Zebra Technology, shares with host Eugene Signorini that how to empower the frontline workforce is about getting them the most information where they are, in the field. These frontline workers rely on their mobile devices for the most up to date, real time information as possible.
Takeaways
Providing as much real time information as you can from a mobile device into that workers hands is key
There is a need to marry silo data sources such as an order management system, transportation management system & other factors into one system for ease of access
Increase in demand, but decrease in labor post-COVID
Use new technology (such as augmented reality) to train new employees quickly especially in warehouses, which simplifies and cuts down on nonproductive hours
“Solution first - and the right hardware is there that will fit into the right solution,” John Wirthlin
People make projects successful, not technology; involving the frontline workers in the process of creating new technology will help increase adaptation and pride
Automation can take on less productive work to make room for workers to leverage their time in more productive ways
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncwirthlin/
Company Website: https://www.zebra.com/us/en.html
Company Twitter: https://twitter.com/zebratechnology
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 - Full video -https://youtu.be/bBIS5yuxd0A
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Mike Smola, Vice President of Strategic Mobility Team at Panasonic, is a leading advocate for helping frontline workers grasp mobile technology. Mike shares with host Gene Signorini his take on the greatest challenge facing the frontline workers and how it’s changed in a post pandemic world.
Takeaways
The biggest challenge facing frontline workers is enabling the frontline worker to be productive in the environment in which they work
Being outside of the 4-walls of the corporate building creates an obstacle for frontline workers, they can’t access tech support by walking down the hall
When developing any product it’s critical to understand the use case and where the product is being used - take a walk in the customer's shoes, understand what they are doing so the product can be built to support that
There is an expectation/requirement from millennials that technology be small, smart and simple
Deployment of technology increased exponentially during the pandemic which had a drastic effect on the frontline workforce
With Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G, high data throughput through the cloud gives frontline workers tremendous insight, better functionality to do their job and empowers them to make better decisions at a job site
“One day is different from the next… There is always a new challenge. There are so many great things you learn listening to the customer,” Mike Smola
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-smola-7a2a279/
Company Website: https://www.panasonicfa.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 - Full video - https://youtu.be/RmWmMdqYd4M
Tuesday Jul 06, 2021
Tuesday Jul 06, 2021
On this episode of Frontline Innovators we talk with Daniel Schumacher - the Director of Global IT Applications and Digital Innovations. Daniel talks about how important the wellbeing of the frontline workers is and how to familiarize them with modern, innovative technology.
Daniel Schumacher shares his unique insights gained by putting himself in the shoes of frontline workers to investigate the issues they encounter with technology.
Takeaways
“... The challenge is the fundamental shift of thinking of the frontline workforce first and foremost, when it comes to technology enablement.” - Daniel
Only once you have a thorough understanding of how the work is done, what is working and what isn't, can you begin to address the issues.
When firm executives involve frontline workers in the process, a positive relationship develops between them and the headquarters, increasing the adoption of technology once it is available.
It is only when you talk to the frontline workers that you can understand what could have been done differently if they had the appropriate tools.
“I think the biggest challenge is getting the technology that we put in their [frontline workers] hands to work the exact same way as any other tool that they pick up.” - Daniel
You can have the most advanced technologies available. However, if you don't know how to make it relevant to the person, you won't be effective.
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-schumacher-05984b3/
Company Website: https://mining.komatsu/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/komatsu-mining
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 - Full video - https://youtu.be/LBARvhkLi8A