They are called frontline. But more often than not, they are behind the scenes and underrated. You won’t always find them at chic product expos or TED talks. Yet, for any business, irrespective of the size or industry, the frontline workforce stands as the backbone of operations. Thus, they need to be facilitated at all times and at all levels. One such element is the Identity and Access Management (IAM) of frontline workforces.
In this blog, we will delve into the need for identity and access management of the frontline workforce and how an exclusive offering by Scalefusion UEM can fulfill this need.
Who Are the Frontline Workforce?
Frontline workforce, frontline workers, or non-desk workers. Many ways to address them. But how do you define them?
A frontline worker encompasses anyone, irrespective of their educational background or industry, who directly engages with customers, clients, or beneficiaries of services. Whether assisting shoppers in locating groceries, tutoring children in mathematics, conducting life-saving surgeries, fixing HVAC units, or delivering packages, frontline workers typically serve as the initial human point of contact that the people have with an organization.
Let’s get some numbers crunching.
| 80%1 of the global workforce is deskless, i.e., frontline |
| %2 of businesses (industry-wise) intending to increase tech spending on frontline workforce: |
| Transportation | 100% |
| Manufacturing | 91% |
| Retail | 83% |
| Hospitality | 82% |
| Construction | 78% |
| Healthcare | 77% |
| Education | 75% |
| Agriculture | 55% |
The above numbers make one clear picture—tech empowerment is key to the frontline workforce. One of the most important technologies for the frontline workforce is identity and access management (IAM).
Why IAM for Frontline Workforce?
One might think that among all the technologies available today, what makes a strong case for IAM in the deskless workforce scenario? The reasons are plenty. To justify those reasons, we must look at some of the persistent challenges that frontline workers face.
Throughout the pandemic, frontline workers worldwide dedicated themselves to sustaining our economy by reporting to work daily. The increased demand during this period also hastened digital transformation initiatives across various sectors. Take the manufacturing industry, for instance, where significant modernization occurred through the establishment of smart factories, the integration of Operational Technology (OT) and the Internet of Things (IoT), and heightened levels of automation.
With the progression of new technologies and processes, frontline workers frequently experience a sense of being neglected. The implementation of emerging technologies is hindered by management difficulties, frequent turnover among workers, and a wish to reduce business interruptions. Consequently, a significant portion of frontline workers, about one-third3, believe they lack the appropriate technological tools necessary for effective job performance. This discrepancy poses a potential hazard by creating a disconnection between frontline workers and the overarching organization.
The frontline workforce requires seamless access to the appropriate line of business applications and essential company resources for their tasks. Moreover, this access should be reinforced by integrated security measures capable of protecting not just the frontline worker but also safeguarding sensitive business and customer data.
Therefore, identity and access management or IAM, stands as a vital security protection that companies can utilize.
OneIdP: The Essential IAM for Frontline Workforce, Powered by Scalefusion UEM
Organizations require a security access framework that guarantees the defense of devices and data, regardless of the location of the frontline workforce. OneIdP, powered by Scalefusion UEM, is a groundbreaking IAM feature. It’s available within the Scalefusion dashboard and addresses the frontline workforce management needs of organizations.
OneIdP enhances the security stance by offering a directory service, enabling organizations to establish a user directory and implement conditional login for frontline workers. Currently, there are a couple of elements to OneIdP—OneDirectory and OneID.
OneDirectory, Scalefusion UEM’s built-in directory service, empowers IT administrators to establish a OneIdP domain or a personalized domain through the Scalefusion dashboard, facilitating the addition of frontline worker IDs. OneDirectory stores, authenticates, and oversees worker identities securely. It’s a critical facet because, in most scenarios, the frontline workforce is devoid of an official ID (via a domain like Google Workspace). With OneDirectory, organizations can create their own directory containing the frontline worker IDs.
OneID serves as an access management plugin within the Scalefusion dashboard, offering enhanced verification for OneDirectory credentials of deskless workers. IT administrators have the flexibility to personalize the login screen and establish conditional access parameters such as location, IP range, Wi-Fi SSIDs, and specific days and times. OneID ensures completely secure access to devices and data every time a frontline worker logs in. It leaves no room for any unauthorized access, especially when a company device is shared among two or more workers.
The OneIdP suite is an ideal option for organizations that want to secure frontline workforce access while empowering them with technology. All of this—right from the Scalefusion dashboard without investing in a standalone IAM solution. OneIdP is the future where UEM and IAM meet.
Embrace the Frontline Workforce IAM Revolution with OneIdP
It’s time that deskless employees become part of the digital transformation with access to the right technologies to execute their tasks. IAM for the frontline workforce allows organizations the flexibility to empower the unsung heroes without any compromises on security. In accordance with that, the OneIdP suite revolutionizes the identity and access management game for IT teams within the endpoint management framework.
Contact our experts to explore the capabilities of the Scalefusion UEM-powered OneIdP suite. Get started with a 14-day free trial by signing up.
References:
1. Microsoft Worklab
2. DesklessWorkforce
3. Microsoft Tech Community
