
South African workers speak in eleven official languages and operate on a range of devices, from 5G handsets to feature phones.
Despite massive strides forward in technology, frontline workers are often left out of digital transformation conversations, says Merel van der Lei, CEO of Wyzetalk, an employee experience platform designed specifically for connecting and engaging with frontline workers.
She says championing inclusivity means tackling language barriers while also designing the experience, technology pathways and feedback mechanisms that allow every employee to perform at their best and feel valued while doing so.
Device access is no longer the problem
One of the most commonly cited barriers to digital communication as the standard in companies with large frontline workforces, is perceived device fragmentation. But van der Lei says the data disproves that.
“Feature phones are still important where network coverage is patchy, and that’s exactly why we support USSD as a channel. But 96% of platform engagement is now smartphone-based. We’re not in 2012 anymore. The question isn’t: ‘Do they have devices?’ It’s: ‘What are we doing with them?’”
And the answer, for many businesses, comes down to: “not enough”. Many still rely on printed notices or SMS channels, which offer no feedback loop, no read-receipt data, and no way to assess impact.
“Inclusion starts by recognising the devices employees already own and finding out how to make them count – both operationally and for workers themselves,” says van der Lei. Doing this right also includes speaking the language of workers – literally and figuratively.
Historically, companies shouldered the full cost of translating every notice or policy into multiple languages. Today’s technology can offer an on-demand alternative with the tap of a button.
This is an important step in bridging workplace divides. “Frontline staff gain autonomy and feel seen, while, with Wyzetalk’s solution, the employer only pays for translations that are used,” van der Lei explains.
Design matters just as much as distribution
Wyzetalk argues that interface design isn’t a fluffy “gimmick” – it often unknowingly, but seriously, undermines digital inclusion.
“Frontline workers are highly familiar with mobile apps – but those are consumer-grade, visually intuitive, and built for fast navigation,” van der Lei says. “Workplace software is often the opposite: text-heavy, clunky, and unfamiliar. If the interface looks like HR made it in a spreadsheet, no one’s opening it.”
Instead, Wyzetalk has borrowed from social media UX to ensure that updates, forms, payslips, and training content are all served in a format that feels natural to users. “If it doesn’t look or feel like anything they use outside of work, it won’t land. Familiarity isn’t just a design principle. It’s a productivity strategy.”
Smart segmentation is what makes communication count
Beyond design, van der Lei points to relevance as the next stumbling block. “Too many internal communication teams still push one-size-fits-all updates to the whole workforce, then wonder why engagement is low. Segmenting comms by role, site or shift is where we have really seen results jump.”
In industries like mining or logistics – where safety updates, procedural changes or compliance deadlines are often site-specific – the ability to target communication effectively is not just a nice-to-have, but a key risk-mitigation tool.
ESG, AI and the shifting value of human labour
The ESG lens adds further pressure on large employers to show they’re not leaving marginalised workers behind. But van der Lei believes there’s also a strong economic case to act now.
“As AI automates much of the knowledge economy, frontline work will become more valuable – not less. These are the roles AI can’t replace: human-centric, hands-on, and adaptive. If you’re not investing in that layer of the workforce now, you risk a serious skills shortfall.”
Cost-wise, van der Lei says, the ROI is clear: “Extending digital access to the frontline cannot be reduced to being ‘an expense item’. It is an investment maybe twenty times cheaper than just equipping an office workforce with standard tools and services. And then it quickly pays itself back in saved HR time, lower print costs and loyalty.”
Inclusion doesn’t require reinvention – it requires intent
With new regulatory reporting standards and global ESG scorecard scrutiny, organisations can’t afford to treat frontline engagement as an afterthought.
“Frontline workers have watched digital transformation happen everywhere but where they work,” van der Lei says. “But the infrastructure to change that already exists. Inclusion doesn’t mean reinventing systems. It means aligning them with the people who use them.
The smartphone is already in almost every pocket, and the business case for including frontline workers is undeniable.”
In sectors under pressure to do more with less – from mining to healthcare, manufacturing to retail – that alignment might be the most underrated productivity lever available.
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