2020 undoubtedly brought some of the greatest challenges for the nondesk workforce and businesses in recent years. With organizations sprinting to adjust how they operate, connect, and keep employees safe, it’s likely we’ll see a more permanent shift in how technology is used by nondesk workers in 2021.
In 2021, organizations will seek a consistent, reliable, cost-effective way to communicate to and with their employees. As the coronavirus vaccine is distributed across the world, demand for talent will increase and organizations will need to plan for mass hiring and training. Employee engagement and productivity will continue to be a focus as leaders seek the technology designed to empower employees and measure success.
In this article, we predict the digital workplace trends of 2021 and how they’ll impact nondesk workers.
#1. Centralized communication channels designed for nondesk and frontline employees
With the workforce more distributed than ever, communication has been key to survival in 2020. As we enter 2021, organizations must prioritize implementing a reliable communication platform to keep teams connected.
Brands like Zoom exploded in 2020, with video meetings being central to corporate work. However, nondesk teams (think: grocery restaurant, and healthcare workers) often still rely on breakroom bulletin boards and texts from their managers to stay up-to-date on rapidly shifting policies, processes, and schedules. 
New information is constantly being introduced and policies may change in an instant. To keep employees organized and informed, organizations will need to invest in communications platforms that are accessible on mobile devices and easy to adopt.
Related: 4 Types of Communication Restaurants Need to Do Business
Konverse is a communication platform designed to unite deskless workforces, with top-down communication tools, task management, smart integrations, and more.
#2. Streamline workflows with digital task management
As organizations inevitably transition to digital communication for nondesk employees, the way employees work will change. As nondesk workers acclimate to receiving content via digital workplaces, managers will be able to manage workflows digitally as well.
For example, tasks will be managed and tracked digitally instead of with physical lists. Digital task management benefits organizations that want a clearer picture of how employees work by tracking time to complete across locations. This tool also sets clear expectations for employees so they can more proactively complete work.
With Konverse, leaders can templatize task lists and assignments so managers can spend less time checking lists and more time on high-value projects.
#3. Going digital for onboarding and new employee training
While it may feel far away, organizations have to think about the operational hurdles of mass hiring and training when quarantining is over. 2021 will be an important time for HR and operations leaders to think through the systems they’ll need in place to hire large quantities of staff as businesses open back up to the public.
Related: How to Rebuild a Successful Nondesk Workforce After COVID-19
Solutions with digital onboarding must be scalable for mass hiring. Tools with comprehensive admin controls and member management tools will make it easy to distribute key content, get documents signed, and confirm consistent training across locations, regardless of the influx of new hires.
2020 was the year of unprecedented change, but 2021 may be the year of incredible transformation. Businesses with nondesk employees have the opportunity to implement game-changing technology that not only responds to the challenges brought on by the pandemic, but also creates new efficiencies and a streamlined employee experience.