When 81% of frontline employees say they would quit if there’s no career growth, businesses need to pay attention. Career progression isn’t just about promotions—it’s about keeping your best people engaged, motivated, and committed.

Our recent survey of 500 frontline retail employees uncovered some hard-hitting truths: 100% of respondents believe growth is “very important,” yet many don’t see a clear career path. Let’s break down what this means for businesses and why neglecting career progression comes at a steep cost.

What the Data Tells Us

🔹 Employees WANT to grow – 100% of respondents said career growth is a top priority.
🔹 They expect it from their company – Every single respondent (500 frontliners) wants a clear career path.
🔹 Without growth, they leave – 81% of respondents (405 frontliners) said they would resign if they didn’t see a future in their role.
🔹 What matters most?

• 50% (250 Frontliners) prioritize better pay.
• 30% (150 Frontliners) value getting promoted as their primary concern.
• 20% (100 Frontliners) mentioned learning new skills.
  

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This data is clear—career progression isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. When employees don’t see a future, they walk away. And the cost of replacing them? Enormous.

A well-structured Career Progression framework can be a game-changer here—giving employees a clear roadmap for upskilling, tracking their progress, and preparing for the next step in their careers.

The Real Cost of Ignoring Career Growth

1. Sky-High Turnover Rates

With 81% of frontline employees ready to quit if there’s no career progression, businesses are at constant risk of losing talent.

Retail already struggles with high attrition, and replacing employees is expensive. Recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivity during the transition can cost thousands per hire.

Fact: The majority of our survey respondents are male, with an average age of 25.7 years. This means businesses are losing employees in their prime working years when they could be growing into future leaders.

2. Low Engagement = Poor Performance

Employees who stay without career growth aren’t necessarily engaged. Disengaged employees don’t innovate, don’t upsell, and don’t contribute beyond the bare minimum.

The survey showed that 19% of employees (95 frontliners) said they would stay in a dead-end job—but do businesses really want disengaged, unmotivated employees just going through the motions?

3. The Business Impact of Unhappy Employees

When frontline teams feel stuck, customer service suffers, store efficiency drops, and morale takes a hit.

💡 50% (250 frontliners) in our survey prioritized better pay, but salary alone isn’t enough. Without growth, even higher wages won’t keep employees long-term.

30% of employees (150 frontliners) said getting promoted was their primary concern, while 20% (100 frontliners) valued learning new skills. This reinforces that career growth isn’t just about salaries—it’s about tangible improvements in responsibilities, skills, and advancement opportunities.

What Happens When You Invest in Career Progression?

✅ Lower turnover – Employees are more likely to stay when they see a future with your company.
✅ Higher engagement – Motivated employees deliver better customer experiences.
✅ Stronger employer brand – Companies known for investing in employees attract top talent.

It’s time to shift from “filling positions” to building careers. A well-designed LMS with Career Progression features ensures that employees aren’t just working in their roles—they’re actively growing toward their next step.

The Bottom Line: Career Growth is Non-Negotiable

Ignoring career progression isn’t just a people problem—it’s a business problem. The cost of hiring, training, and losing employees again and again is far greater than the cost of investing in their growth.

The good news? It’s fixable.

💡 In the next article, we’ll cover exactly how to build career growth programs that work. Stay tuned for the strategies and templates to make career progression a reality for your frontline teams.

📢 Follow our LinkedIn page to get updates as we roll out actionable insights, strategies, and tools to upgrade your frontline team’s career progression. 🚀

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