Most people interact with frontline workers every day. They’re the nurses and technicians who provide care in doctors’ offices, the police officers and emergency medical responders who keep people safe, and the clerks who stock the grocery store’s shelves and make sure the local market is clean. These individuals can’t work from home, and they’re essential to helping everyone have happy, healthy, and productive lives.
These jobs have always been important, and they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve: headlines tout the high cost of neglecting low-wage workers, consultants advise businesses on how to attract and retain their workers, and academic studies show how frontline workers continue to make vital contributions beyond the pandemic. In spite of the clear critical need to support this workforce, though, they experience limited advancement—not because they lack potential, but because they lack opportunities.
Interviews with dozens of frontline workers across multiple industries have shed light on what helps frontline workers reach their goals—and what hinders them from achieving that success. By understanding the six main myths and misconceptions about this group and implementing strategies that directly address them, companies can empower their employees to achieve their full potential.
Myth 1: Their tenure is temporary.
As a group, frontline workers are somewhat more likely than knowledge workers to describe their situations as temporary. However, there are plenty of people pursuing long-term careers in hourly roles (even in what some may think of as unskilled work), and many of them do so by choice.
Fact: It’s a disservice to everyone to assume that these employees are not worth investing in because they won’t be sticking around. The key is to put in the time and effort to understand each individual’s unique circumstances.
Myth 2: They aren’t future thinking.
Despite possible perceptions to the contrary, frontline workers think about their work and their career journeys as often as knowledge workers do. More than half of the frontline workers interviewed reported considering it frequently or almost daily.
Fact: Frontline workers are looking for opportunities to grow and advance in their careers.
Myth 3: They don’t want to learn new skills.
Frontline workers experience frustration when employers don’t invest in their skill growth and professional development. This makes them feel that they are regarded as interchangeable or as “just bodies”—and not as unique individuals. They believe that their employers’ perceptions of them limit their access to learning opportunities.
Fact: As much as knowledge workers, frontline workers value opportunities to learn new skills, face new challenges, and learn new responsibilities. It’s worth investing in their growth.
Myth 4: They don’t value time with their managers.
Compared to knowledge workers, frontline workers often have fewer opportunities to interact one on one with their managers. This is especially true when it comes to discussing their career growth, which can make it challenging for them to show what they excel and where their growth interests lie. Also, the nature of the manager-employee relationship and the workplace environment can make it challenging for the employee to take the lead on these matters.
Fact: Frontline workers appreciate and value managers who take the time to discover and support their career goals.
Myth 5: They avoid new responsibilities.
An accumulation of the factors mentioned above can lead frontline workers to feel pigeonholed or trapped in their current roles. Members of this workforce often feel they are stuck in one of two scenarios:
No one sees their potential and what they can do or be beyond their current roles.
They’re so proficient in their roles that the company is happier for them to stay in their current positions rather than promote them.
For example, one employee interviewed has stayed at his manufacturing company for nearly 40 years. He knows it’s a good company but has realized that there are few opportunities to move up into senior or management roles; therefore he’s working on developing his skills so he can start looking elsewhere if nothing improves in a year.
Fact: Companies will lose valuable employees if they don’t provide opportunities for growth and advancement. Even if those employees seem otherwise happy, their dissatisfaction in these areas can motivate them to leave.
Myth 6: All frontline roles require “physical” work.
Often, frontline workers must grapple with the physical consequences of their work in a way knowledge workers typically don’t. Some concerns center around the likelihood of injury or the deterioration of physical health as a result of long-term employment in their field. Others worry about their ability to continue to do their chosen work as they age, simply because they may no longer be able to keep up with its physical nature.
Fact: In light of worker shortages and with so many older-generation individuals eligible to retire, organizations should identify and create growth paths to recognize loyalty and maturation in frontline roles, particularly for roles that could be more flexible and less physically demanding. There are creative ways to recognize seniority of experience, build in mentorship opportunities, develop skills in subject-matter expertise, or develop customer-support growth paths.
The Bottom Line
Investments in frontline workers will pay many dividends. These workers are looking for opportunities to grow and thrive in their careers.
- They want to stay at their companies for the long term.
- They want to learn new skills.
- They value time with their managers to discuss career opportunities.
- They welcome new responsibilities.
- They seek creative and flexible ways to keep up with the physical demands of their roles.
Organizations that offer their frontline workers autonomy, flexibility, career development opportunities, and support their well being will set them up for success.