Employee apps for frontline workers at a glance

What employee apps for frontline workers do

People who do not work at a computer often have neither a company email address nor access to the intranet. Employee apps close that gap: company news, chats and groups, documents, forms and surveys are available on a private or company smartphone.

Many products also bring HR processes into the app – viewing rosters, requesting leave, retrieving payslips, completing mandatory briefings. The result is a shared point of access for workforces that would otherwise rely on notice boards and word of mouth. Where most staff are non-desk, the app is often the only digital channel that reaches everyone.

What to look for in an employee app

Adoption decides whether an app succeeds. Besides features, access and ease of use matter most:

• Access: login without a company email address, simple registration, use on personal devices and shared terminals.
• Scope: communication only, or also forms, tasks, shift information and learning content?
• Languages: a multilingual interface and translation of posts for international workforces.
• Integrations: connections to the core HR system, rostering, time tracking and payroll documents.
• Data protection and co-determination: GDPR-compliant hosting, rules for the use of personal devices and early involvement of the works council.

Frontline Worker, Workforce Management or Employee Experience?

Workforce Management creates rosters and shift plans; employee apps make them accessible but usually do not do the planning themselves. Employee Experience lists surveys and feedback tools for the whole workforce. Learn & Development supplies learning content that can be delivered through the app.