81% of frontline employees would quit without career growth. But here’s the kicker—100% of them want clear paths, and over 70% prioritize financial rewards. If you’re not meeting their needs, your business is already bleeding talent. Let’s fix that.

Survey Insights: What Frontline Teams Are Saying

Our survey of 500 frontline employees revealed these key takeaways:

🔹 100% want clear career paths. Stagnation isn’t an option—they need roles that evolve with their skills.

🔹 Without career growth: 81% of employees would resign.

But here’s a deeper look at the hidden insights:

• Employees between ages 21-27 (the majority age group) showed the most urgency in seeking financial growth and upskilling.
• Even those who said they would stay despite limited growth prioritized mentorship and skill-building.
• Roles like Sales Executive and Retail Store Manager dominated the data, indicating that progression needs to be structured even for frontline roles typically viewed as entry-level.

An LMS (Learning Management System) that integrates career progression pathways, training, and performance tracking can address many of these needs. By automating access to learning, tracking milestones, and creating personalized development plans, an LMS transforms aspirations into achievable goals.

Best Practices for Building Career Progression in Retail Teams

1. Structured Training to Upskill and Retain Employees

Employees want more than just repetitive tasks—they want growth that challenges them and develops leadership potential. Training is the first step.

🔧 What to do:

• Offer role-specific training combined with leadership development.
• Provide real-time access to digital learning, allowing employees to grow on-site or remotely.
• Regularly update training programs to reflect new skills or responsibilities.

🔍 Survey Insight: With 20% of employees highlighting skill development as a major priority, structured training ensures that they can level up, even if they’re not ready for promotions yet.

2. Clear Promotion Paths with Visible Milestones

Promotions shouldn’t be mysteries—they should be milestones. When employees know the “how” and “when” of career advancement, they’re more motivated and loyal.

🔧 What to do:

• Outline every level of advancement within the organization.
• Tie each promotion to specific milestones, such as hitting sales goals or completing certifications.
• Assign dedicated mentors to help employees navigate their journeys.

🔍 Survey Insight: With 30% of employees prioritizing promotions, visible milestones create tangible benchmarks, keeping them engaged and motivated for the long haul.

A quick win: One survey respondent mentioned how having a mentor guiding them through upskilling directly led to a promotion to store manager within 2 years.

3. Performance-Based Pay Incentives

Let’s get real—pay drives retention. 50% of employees surveyed said better pay was their top priority for staying in their roles. But throwing money at the problem isn’t enough—you need performance-driven pay structures.

🔧 What to do:

• Tie bonuses and pay raises directly to performance metrics, such as exceeding sales targets or completing training milestones.
• Offer retention bonuses for employees who hit multi-year milestones.
• Provide spot rewards for exceptional contributions, even outside of typical promotion cycles.

🔍 Survey Insight: Employees in entry-level roles like sales associates and retail cashiers were just as likely to prioritize better pay as higher-level managers. This suggests that compensation packages should be tiered and scalable across the board.

4. Ongoing Feedback and Mentorship

Growth isn’t just about training or promotions—it’s about ongoing development. Regular feedback and mentorship help employees feel supported and aligned with the company’s expectations.

🔧 What to do:

• Provide quarterly one-on-one reviews that go beyond performance evaluations.
• Encourage mentors to help employees navigate both technical and leadership development.
• Use peer-to-peer feedback for a 360-degree development experience.

🔍 Survey Insight: Employees who said they’d “keep working despite no growth” often emphasized the role of mentorship and coaching as key to keeping them motivated.

Example Success Story: Growth from Sales Associate to Manager

One survey respondent shared how they started as a Sales Executive in a retail store and, thanks to structured training and mentorship, moved up to Store Manager within 2.5 years. What made the difference?

• Access to continuous learning through targeted training modules
• Regular feedback that helped them align with company goals
• Clear visibility into promotional milestones

Their story isn’t unique—it’s a blueprint that other organizations can follow to achieve similar success using career progression frameworks built into LMS platforms.

Why Now is the Time to Build Career Progression Paths

The frontline workforce isn’t waiting. Employees have made it clear: they want pay aligned with performance, visible promotions, skill-building, and mentorship. Businesses that fail to provide these essentials will see their best talent walk out the door.

An LMS can be the central hub for managing this journey—from tracking training progress to ensuring feedback loops and promoting continuous growth.

On the flip side? Organizations that invest in career progression will see higher retention, increased productivity, and a stronger employer brand.

Conclusion: Ready to Build the Ladder? Let’s Start Climbing.

Don’t let career stagnation hold back your business. Build the ladder by investing in structured growth plans that combine training, mentorship, and financial incentives.

💡 Join us for our upcoming webinar, “Career Progression for the Frontline Workforce: Insights and Best Practices from Industry Leaders,” to learn from experts who’ve implemented these strategies successfully.

📢 Follow our LinkedIn page for regular updates on insights, tips, and templates to create effective career progression frameworks for your frontline teams.

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