Eighty percent of the global workforce don’t sit at a desk. Instead they care for others, police the streets, construct buildings, drive lorries, prepare food, work in factories, and so on. This deskless majority are critical to every economy on earth and touch our daily lives – we couldn’t function without them. However, all too often they feel overlooked, dismissed and unappreciated for who they are and the contributions they bring to the workplace. And the organisational impacts are considerable – low engagement, high instances of burnout, poor productivity and high staff attrition. It’s therefore time to allow the 80 per cent to thrive and this means making them feel important and valued every single day.

Latest Global research* has uncovered the struggles of the world’s deskless workforce. Many live paycheque-to-paycheque, having to borrow money from family and friends to pay bills. And these financial hardships are often exacerbated by inflexible and uncompassionate employers who don’t allow time off for personal emergencies, forcing workers to choose between their work and home life.

Plus, despite the vital roles they play, deskless workers are often made to feel subordinate to their desk-based colleagues with more than half – 51 per cent – admitting that they feel expendable at work and 32 per cent believing that the people in the corporate office see them as inferior. Almost a third (30 per cent) say they’re often talked down to by their corporate office peers, with the same percentage admitting that their work is not taken seriously by senior leadership.

It’s striking how the majority of the world’s workforce feel unappreciated, without a voice and powerless to influence change at their organisations. So what can be done?

Real change requires a fundamental shift in attitude and approach from leadership. If the organisation is traditional in its leadership approach with managers having all the power, this needs an overhaul. A progressive modern leadership approach is about leading with understanding, compassion and collaboration. And when this model is adopted, managers are better able to build strong relationships with their people, taking the time to understand their individual needs, challenges and aspirations, and how they can be best supported. Providing regular opportunities for workers to use their voice is also important here, and this could take the form of one-to-one meetings where opinions can be sought and feedback provided.

Recognition is also crucial for ensuring everyone, including the 80 per cent, feel valued and appreciated every single day. Above and beyond the occasional “thank you!”, the organisation must implement a robust recognition strategy in which appreciating others becomes integrated into the workplace culture. And although some businesses will have recognition programmes in place, on further inspection, the recognition rarely reaches deskless workers, further exacerbating their feelings of being overlooked and dispensable.

Leaders must therefore prioritise recognition, ensure managers understand its importance and put processes in place so that meaningful recognition effectively reaches deskless workers. Where possible, this must include appreciating others publicly such as in team meetings and recognition ceremonies. Peer-to-peer recognition must also be encouraged, and as well as enabling it to be given via a mobile-enabled recognition solution, it should also be encouraged through offline methods such as on noticeboards in breakout areas or via ‘recognition suggestion boxes’. Plus, awards for employees ‘going above and beyond’ must be suitable for deskless workers, ideally providing them with a wide variety of awards they can choose from. When organisations recognise deskless workers in meaningful ways as part of their everyday culture, these workers are 349 per cent more likely to stay with the employer another year and are 440 per cent more likely to deliver great work.

Furthermore, deskless workers must be given greater access to technology and resources including tools for HR processes, recognition, and connection. Without the right technologies, they will always struggle to stay connected to their colleagues, managers and the organisation, and their voices will go unheard. From company tablets to mobile-enabled recognition software, deskless workers need to be given higher access and enablement in the workplace.

Organisations simply can’t ignore the crucial contributions of their deskless employees – their work keeps production lines moving, food on the table and roofs over our heads. And in times of need, they are our first port of call. It’s therefore key for leaders to take big steps to support their needs, understand their viewpoints, and reward their contributions – or face some dire but predictable consequences.

*Reseatch by the O.C. Tanner Institute