Zoom Announces Workplace for Frontline to Support Mobile-First Shift Workers

Zoom recently announced the launch of Zoom Workplace for Frontline, which it describes as a purpose-built mobile-first solution that unlocks agentic Zoom AI Companion skills for frontline workers and managers who have paid Zoom accounts.

According to the company, the product is designed to streamline on-shift communications and work management tools to help frontline workers "get more done, do better work, and strengthen relationships." It is aimed at frontline workers ranging from retail and manufacturing to healthcare and first responders.

Chief product officer Smita Hashim commented, “Our mission of delivering an AI-first open work platform isn’t just limited to knowledge workers; we’re also thinking about how we can address the needs of frontline workers, who represent over 80% of the global workforce. Zoom Workplace for Frontline empowers frontline workers to stay connected, access critical information on the go, and streamline daily tasks – ultimately fostering a more engaged, productive, and connected workforce.”

The product includes features for on-shift communications and work management, as well as an AI companion.

In the on-shift communications category, Zoom Workplace for Frontline includes a real-time activity feed on the Zoom mobile app, which enables workers to access shift communications and resources in addition to tasks at hand. The idea is to help them get work done more quickly. There are also auto-generated on-shift chat groups, which provide for the ability to instantly connect employees and clearly identify on-floor workers and managers. The feature also removes the need to manually create new chats for every shift. It also includes a push-to-talk functionality, enabling real-time voice communication by simply pushing a button.

When it comes to work management capabilities, there is a shift swapping feature, which allows employees to request and manage shift swaps directly from their mobile devices. A task management functionality streamlines work assignments and progress tracking to improve efficiency with Zoom Tasks. There are also shift summaries to provide an overview of key conversations, pending tasks, and other important updates for the incoming shift. Shift managers can have oversight on shift progress, attendance, and task reports.

The Zoom companion AI feature includes automatic shift reporting, utilizing AI-generated shift discussion summaries, attendance reports, and task reports to expedite shift handoffs. It includes what Zoom describes as "smart, natural search," providing access to information trained on knowledge bases. It also automatically translates chat messages into the user’s preferred supported language.

Zoom cites data from a Forbes report that indicates 80% of the world’s workforce falls under the frontline category. There’s no question that these workers can always use a boost to their efficiency. It remains to be seen if Zoom’s offering is that boost that they need, but the product is still very new and is likely to receive helpful updates over time.

Zoom also recently announced a partnership with ServiceNow to integrate Zoom CX (it’s customer experience platform) with ServiceNow CRM and IT Service Management (ITSM), giving businesses yet another possible use for Zoom’s offerings.