Survey: Only 24% of frontline workers believe they have proper training
Frontline workers, including in the retail and restaurant industries, are facing workplace challenges related to training and development.
Forty-percent of frontline workers reported that they are unsure of their job expectations, according to a survey of 737 employers and 1,050 frontline workers by talent development software company Schoox and Lighthouse Research & Advisory. Less than a quarter (24%) were confident they have the right training.
When it comes to employers, 90% said they prioritize onboarding as crucial for their success, while employers often rank it second behind safety and compliance. Less than one-third of workers feel their employers effectively communicate essential updates and information, which leads to “stress and uncertainty” among employees.
Schoox’s survey found that only 52% of retail workers feel like their company is invested in them as employees, while 40% said they do not get the right kind of training to do their jobs. Nearly half (48%) of employees would consider external opportunities at another company, while only 42% would consider an internal move. Thirty percent of retail employers are more likely than other frontline industries to say their workers would prefer to learn new skills by connecting with mentors.
[READ MORE: Challenger forecasts 2024 holiday hiring will be down from last year]
In the restaurant industry, 40% of workers say they have no time to practice the skills they learn, which is the highest of any industry (retail, restaurant, manufacturing and hospitality workers were surveyed). About 40% of restaurant leaders say their workers must learn new skills daily or weekly to perform their jobs well.
"This study found a jarring disconnect between what frontline workers need and what many corporate employers are providing, resulting in significant losses of staff, productivity, morale and profits,” said Schoox VP, talent platform evangelist David Wentworth. “We found that when our customers invest in a workplace training system to properly develop employees' skills, the return on investment for the business and the employees is incredible. It is no longer just a nice thing to have, but an increasingly vital component to any organization reliant on a strong, productive and safe workforce.”
