Frontline Employee Experience: Addressing the Confidence Gap

A clear and compelling vision of the future is essential for engaging employees and the employee experience. It helps people understand not only what the organization is doing, but why it matters — and how their work fits into that larger story. But recent benchmark data, highlighted in research from our in-house consultants, reveals a growing disconnect: the further employees are from the top of the organization, the less confident they feel about the company’s future direction.

This gap in future vision is more than just a matter of perception. Frontline employees, in particular, are frequently excluded from standard experience initiatives — “Frontline employees are often marginalized and left out of ‘normal’ employee experience programs.” It’s a signal that many employees, particularly those on the frontlines, feel left out of key conversations about where the business is heading and why. And if that disconnection goes unaddressed, it can have real consequences for engagement, retention, and performance.

What does the data show about confidence gaps by job level?

Executives express far more confidence in the organization’s future than managers or individual contributors. Our research shows a striking pattern. When asked survey items related to company vision, executives, on average, have a favorability rating that is 14 percentage points higher than individual contributors (87% vs. 73%). Managers land in the middle, with an average favorability of 78%. This means that as you move down the organizational hierarchy, optimism about the company’s future steadily declines.

This trend shows up across a range of items:

• Motivation by Mission and Values: Nearly all executives (92%) say they feel motivated by the organization’s mission and values, but that figure drops to 81% for managers and just 76% for individual contributors. When employees lose sight of what the company stands for, it becomes harder to feel invested in the work.

• Clarity on How Work Connects to Company Objectives: While 92% of executives see a clear link between their work and the broader company strategy, only 84% of managers and 77% of individual contributors agree. This disconnect can leave many employees wondering whether their efforts truly matter.

• Optimism About the Future: Optimism is a key driver of engagement. But here again, there’s a gap: 83% of executives feel optimistic about what lies ahead, compared to 77% of managers and 74% of individual contributors.

• Understanding Organizational Goals: Executives (91%) report a strong understanding of where the company is headed, but that clarity drops among managers (to 84%) and dips again for individual contributors (80%). This widening gap between executives and the rest of the organization suggests that strategic intent may not be cascading effectively, raising concerns about alignment and execution across levels.

• Confidence in Senior Leadership: One of the largest divides appears in confidence in senior leaders. While 83% of executives say they have confidence in senior management, just 72% of managers and 67% of individual contributors say the same. Confidence is a critical foundation for buy-in, and when it falters, it often affects how employees interpret change or uncertainty.

• Leadership Communication of Vision: Finally, only 67% of individual contributors and 70% of managers believe that senior leaders communicate a clear vision for the future — well below the 81% of executives who feel their peers are sending a strong signal. If employees don’t hear a consistent message from the top, it’s no surprise they begin to feel disconnected.

Why does closing the clarity gap on the company’s future matter?

These differences in perception by job level carry serious implications. When employees don’t feel aligned with the company’s future, they’re less likely to be engaged, productive, or loyal. External research reminds us that “Frontline workers are the backbone of an organization—and leaders can help create a better employee experience.” This is especially true in times of organizational change, when clarity and consistency from leadership are most important.

It’s natural for senior executives to feel more connected to company strategy. After all, they are the ones shaping it. But organizations that fail to cascade that vision across all levels risk creating a disengaged and disoriented workforce. The frontlines are often closest to the customer, yet they may feel the most out of touch with leadership priorities.

How can managers connect daily tasks to company strategy for frontline teams?

Provide specific steps and best practices for managers to link frontline roles to overall organizational objectives. Offer examples of how leaders can set relevant goals, communicate updates, and recognize employees whose actions align with strategic priorities. Close with a clear invitation to share experiences or questions in a dedicated feedback channel.

How can organizations close the future vision gap?

Closing this gap requires more than a single town hall or a well-crafted strategy memo. It demands intentional, ongoing efforts to create shared understanding and purpose throughout the organization.

Here are a few actions organizations can take:

• Offer Flexible Scheduling and Autonomy: “Workplace flexibility, including options like self-scheduling and shift swapping, is a top priority for frontline workers.” Providing more control over shifts and time off signals trust and helps employees balance work and life.

• Strengthen Leadership Communication: Ensure leaders at all levels are consistently reinforcing the organization’s vision, values, and strategic priorities in ways that feel accessible and relevant to all employees.

• Empower Managers as Translators: Middle managers play a vital role in translating high-level strategy into meaningful goals and actions. Invest in training and resources to help managers communicate more effectively and connect the dots for their teams.

• Make Purpose Personal: Help individual contributors see how their work contributes to the broader company mission. This can involve sharing stories, creating aligned metrics, or seeking customer feedback to make this connection tangible and real.

• Create Feedback Loops: Build channels where employees can ask questions, share concerns, and feel heard. Feedback shouldn’t only flow one way — two-way dialogue builds trust and improves communication over time.

In short, the further employees are from decision-making power, the more intentional organizations must be about bringing them into the fold. By prioritizing clarity, trust, and connection, leaders can ensure that all employees, not just those at the top, feel aligned with where the organization is headed and excited about the road ahead.

This article provides only a partial snapshot of the many details found in 2025 Employee Experience Trends, which dives into our benchmark data to reveal some of the most important trends affecting EX.

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