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Food and Energy
The main and central use of pollen is in regards to food. Bees -- specifically worker bees -- only have life-spans of just over a month long. During this period of time, they are constantly busy, collecting pollen for the colony. Pollen serves as the central supply of food and ultimately energy.
Signaling
Bee colonies have a central queen whose main responsibility is reproduction. Bee colonies operate on a constant and specific schedule; each step is dictated by a previous step being reached. Reproduction by the queen is signaled by the accumulation of pollen within the colony. As worker bees begin storing the pollen, the pollen triggers the queen to start rearing the new brood.
Food and Development
Food not only serves worker bees for nutrition and energy, but also serves developing broods prior to becoming adults. A study entitled "Pollen Trapping Honey Bee Colonies of Minnesota" conducted by the University of Minnesota in 1986 shows that the amount of food collected directly affects brood development, with more successful gatherers having much larger and more successful broods.
Winter Survival and Queen Longevity
Outside of offspring development, the same entomology study by the University of Minnesota also shows several other connections between the amount of pollen collected and the success of different aspects of the colony. It shows that colonies that effectively collect more pollen have a greater survival rate during the winter. Queens can also rest in good standing, as the more pollen collected, the longer the queen will survive within the colony.