While companies race to perfect their hybrid work policies, millions of employees struggle to join the conversation. They’re stocking shelves, caring for patients, and keeping supply chains moving — and they’re often missing from our digital workplace strategies.
In recent years, we’ve become obsessed with the debate around hybrid vs. remote work, mostly in the context of those of us who sit behind a laptop most of the day. Online search interest for “hybrid workers” indicates where the spotlight has been.
In contrast, search interest for deskless workers — roles that require physical presence on the job, such as retail, healthcare and logistics — is much lower, despite the fact that they represent 70–80% of the global workforce. These stats reflect how hybrid work has become the priority in workplace discussions, while the needs of deskless workers are often an afterthought.
This discrepancy raises crucial questions about workplace equity. As organizations invest in the digital employee experience, do we risk widening the digital divide? Shouldn’t equal access to company news, information and resources be just as important for deskless workers as it is for the rest of our teams?
Let’s examine how organizations can build truly inclusive digital strategies that serve all workers, wherever and however they work.
The digital divide in the workplace
Organizational news cycles can shift as rapidly as regular news cycles. In today’s diverse workplace, inclusive employee communication is a must-have, not a nice-to-have.
While technology has improved companywide communication, access remains uneven. For example, 67% of deskless employees receive most of their work-related information in person rather than through digital or integrated platforms (The Deskless Report 2023).
This reliance on face-to-face communication limits the timely dissemination of information and creates a barrier to companywide alignment, especially for dispersed and on-the-go teams. Deskless workers can end up feeling out of touch with company culture, programs or initiatives, putting them at a real disadvantage. We need to realize the impact this has on business outcomes.
Organizations that have the highest degree of digital connectivity and empowerment — that involves 75% of their frontline workers — saw more than 20% bottom-line growth (Deloitte).
Insights like these are accelerating investment in workplace technology for deskless employees, which is crucial for bridging the digital divide and improving overall productivity and retention.
Digital equity for essential resources
Deskless workers often face challenges in accessing the same resources available to their desk-based counterparts. This is especially true when it comes to online training, employee resource groups, and health and wellness programs.
A 2018 CGS survey found that deskless workers have limited access to learning and development programs — a key contributor to attrition — and many lack regular computer access. Research also shows that deskless employees often miss out on crucial communication and engagement tools accessible to desk-based workers at the office or at home.
Key solutions to the digital divide include mobile apps, digital signage and microlearning platforms, as they offer deskless workers on-demand access to training and company information. However, these workers are still at a disadvantage when it comes to the broader company culture. This disconnect further exacerbates the challenge of providing equal opportunities for career development and ensuring that all employees feel visible and appreciated.
Technology solutions to bridge the digital divide
Bridging the digital divide should lead us to evaluating the employee technology we’re adding to our tech stack. The mobile experience for frontline employees has to be the same as the online experience. Digital signage capabilities have to be a requirement if you have deskless workers who would benefit.
Equitable access to information and resources is a boost for fostering a more inclusive, engaged and cohesive workforce. Leveling the playing field for deskless workers is not only a matter of fairness but a business imperative for productivity and engagement.
A mobile-first intranet forms the foundation for solving these challenges. We need one central platform where every employee — whether they’re in a store, a warehouse or an office — can tap into company life. It shouldn’t be a separate “lite” version for workers who access information primarily on mobile devices. It has to work brilliantly on phones from the start, then scale up to desktop.
The platform needs to handle everything from quick updates to training modules, and it should integrate with digital displays in break rooms and common areas. Most importantly, we need to see where we’re reaching people and where we’re missing them so we can keep improving how we connect.
3 ways to bridge the digital divide
As with any challenge, there isn’t a single solution, but there are things we can do to help bridge the digital divide. Technology access and digital literacy remain significant barriers for many deskless roles. Creating an equitable digital workplace requires deliberate planning and sustained commitment.
Here are three ways to bridge the digital divide:
Evaluate software for inclusivity
As we evaluate employee technology, we need to have a deep understanding of the needs of different user groups. You definitely want to kick the tires of any software provider on their mobile experience to ensure their current capabilities and future roadmap are aligned with the needs of every worker type within your organization.
Create a digital work hub
In our personal lives, we’re used to finding what we need online. We use our phones for, well, just about everything! Yet workplace technology often lags behind in simplicity and ease of use, which reduces engagement. Clunky tech especially hampers deskless employees, which is why investing in a modern employee experience platform is now table stakes.
Listen for continuous improvement
Employees’ needs are continuously evolving. We need simple and real-time ways to understand what’s important to them, as well as how they engage with different types of content. Employee-facing applications need to have strong listening capabilities and built-in analytics so you can easily see and serve up what employees want and need.
Digital equity for every worker
The conversation about hybrid work has taught us a valuable lesson. Location shouldn’t determine an employee’s ability to fully participate in company life. But we need to expand this insight beyond office workers. When we talk about digital workspaces, we must include everyone who makes our business run — from our manufacturing floor teams to our delivery drivers to our field service technicians.
Building genuine digital equity means giving every employee real-time access to company information and resources. They need equal opportunities and inclusion in the wider company community and culture. The technology exists to bridge the digital divide. Now we need the will to implement it thoughtfully and completely. Our deskless workers deserve nothing less.
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