Frontline workers stay in jobs for skills development

More than nine in 10 frontline workers seek more learning and development opportunities, and most consider this a factor in remaining in their role, according to research from Kahoot!.

The learning and engagement company’s 2023 Workplace Culture report found that 64% of respondents would extend their employment by six years with enhanced career support and training. Forty-four percent would stay an extra decade.

According to consulting giant McKinsey, 50% of frontline workers in the US have considered leaving their industry, while a separate report from Workday found that 20% plan to leave in the next three to six months.

The majority (87%) of frontline workers feel confident about their ability to acquire new skills at work, but 32% feel their employers do not invest adequately in their growth.

Almost half think there is a disparity in training opportunities between frontline and office-based employees.

Many frontline employees are being proactive about the impact of artificial intelligence on their work. Sixteen percent are already taking AI courses independently, while 51% see it as important but feel they need to learn more about it.

A third would like to do more cross-team mentorship and knowledge transfer with their desk-based colleagues, and 41% think collaboration between frontline and office based workers can foster cooperation.

Last year, a survey by operations platform company SafetyCulture found that a third of frontline workers felt disconnected from colleagues based in headquarters.

Similar research from Facebook parent company Meta found that almost half of frontline workers were thinking of leaving their jobs because they feel this lack of connection.

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