HBR Webinar

1. Engaging Frontline Workers
Prof. Alessandro Lanteri

5. O-Ring Jobs
multiple tasks product
source: Autor (2016), Kremer (1993), Lanteri & Gallo (2018a,b), Rogers Commission (1988)

6. O-Ring Jobs
source: Autor (2016), Kremer (1993), Lanteri & Gallo (2018a,b), Rogers Commission (1988)
multiple odd quality tasks poor quality product

7. O-Ring Jobs
source: Autor (2016), Kremer (1993), Lanteri & Gallo (2018a,b), Rogers Commission (1988)
multiple odd quality tasks poor quality product

8. O-Ring Jobs
source: Autor (2016), Kremer (1993), Lanteri & Gallo (2018a,b), Rogers Commission (1988)
multiple high quality tasks high quality product

9. O-Ring Jobs
source: Autor (2016), Kremer (1993), Lanteri & Gallo (2018a,b), Rogers Commission (1988)
single low quality tasks Low quality product

10. O-Ring Failures
source: Autor (2016), Kremer (1993), Lanteri & Gallo (2018a,b), Rogers Commission (1988)

11. “In many jobs, humans are the O-rings.
— David Autor, MIT

12. Frontline Workers are the Backbone
source: Microsoft (2022)

13. Frontline Workers are Unhappy and so they Quit
source: BCG (2021), HBR (2018)

14. Global Talent Shortage
source: Manpower (2022)

15. source: Lanteri (2018)

16. source: Lanteri (2018)

17. Changing Jobs
source: McKinsey (2016)
jobs can be automated by 30+%
60%
tasks can be automated
45% jobs can be automated
5%

18. “Any kind of job is going to have a digital
component. It doesn’t mean everyone’s got
to be a computer scientist.”
— Satya Nadella, CEO Microsoft

19. From the New Division of Labor to Collaborative Intelligence
source: Daugherty & Wilson (2018)
Peer
Manager

20. Roles for Machines
source: Malone (2018)
Tool
Tech performs the task
Humans monitor tech
Assistant
Peer
Tech with some supervision
Tech takes some initiative
Tech/Humans perform similar tasks
Humans solve complex cases
Manager
Tech assigns tasks, evaluates, trains humans

21. https://youtu.be/6KRjuuEVEZs?t=37s

22. Collaborative Intelligence
source: Lanteri (2017, 2019), Malone (2017)
Humans and machines should be coordinated so
that collaboratively they act more intelligently than
any person, group, or machine can
Input Output
Machines Humans

24. Deskless Workers Dissatisfaction
source: BCG (2022)

25. Deskless Workers Retention
source: BCG (2022)

26. Some Takeaways
Frontline workers are essential for high performance
It’s harder than ever to recruit and retain them
Tech can risk decreasing engagement hence
performance
Tech can help them increase performance (through
Collaborative Intelligence)

27. Thank you!
Alessandro Lanteri