Removing Friction: L&D’s Role in Curbing Frontline Turnover

Turnover may be an HR metric, but it’s a daily challenge for frontline teams.

High turnover makes it harder to run the business. Schedules fall apart. Your best people burn out. Customers face longer waits and inconsistent service. Costs rise as you keep rehiring and retraining for the same roles.

It’s also the top challenge for frontline L&D, with 34 percent of organizations citing turnover as a major issue (ATD). And the pressure is growing: one-third of frontline employees are considering quitting (The Deskless Report).

People leave for many reasons—low pay, personal challenges, transportation issues, and better opportunities to name a few. L&D can’t solve them all. But you can curb turnover by targeting the friction that pushes people out. Identify the moments that frustrate, confuse, or demotivate so you can remove the obstacles that drive people away.

Every function has a role to play in retention. Here’s what L&D can do.

Halt Quick Quits

Turnover is often tracked at 30, 60, and 90 days. Gallup reports that 77 percent of voluntary resignations happen in the first three months. On the frontline, it happens even faster.

Employees are often hired on the spot and may start the same day. Many don’t return for shift two. Some don’t come back from their first break. This constant churn drains time, energy, and momentum from the operation.

L&D can quell quick quits by designing onboarding focused on short-term retention:

• Focus early training on essential job skills.

• Give employees a reliable place to get answers—without relying on a manager.

• Create time for connection with peers and leaders in the first few days.

Frontline workers often have more flexibility to leave than their corporate counterparts. Therefore, it’s critical to balance core training, timely support, and community-building from the start. People are more likely to stay when they like the people they work with.

Empower Frontline Managers

Liking your coworkers helps. Trusting your manager is a must.

Today, 42 percent of frontline workers feel like just a number (UKG). This disconnect can’t be fixed from corporate. It must be solved through the location manager.

Frontline employees are three times more likely to stay when they have a supportive manager (Lighthouse Research). Managers shape the daily experience, set expectations, and build the trust that drives retention.

L&D plays a critical role in helping managers lead effectively. Skip the theory and focus on practical support that improves retention and performance:

• Show managers how they affect retention.

• Provide simple tools to coach and guide their teams.

• Train them to build strong communities.

Do everything you can to make managers’ jobs easier. Give them the tools to run the operation so they can focus on what matters most: their people.

Clarify the Path Forward

“Career opportunities” shows up on every “Now Hiring” sign. But what does that actually mean for the people doing the work?

Sixty-five percent of frontline employees don’t know how to advance (McKinsey). Most would rather grow where they are than start over somewhere else. The intent is there. What’s missing is clarity.

L&D must clearly map out what it takes to move up. Focus on specific roles, not vague skills or topics. Define the steps employees must take, including:

• Required training

• Skill expectations

• Performance benchmarks

• Any additional criteria

• Who to talk to and how to get started

Deliver this directly to employees. Don’t leave it to managers to fill in the gaps. Opportunity only matters if people know how to reach it.

Retention Improves Results

Keeping frontline workers longer—even just a few extra months—causes a ripple effect. Managers gain stability. Employees build stronger connections. Customers get better service. And the company becomes more capable and resilient.

L&D can’t fix turnover alone. But by removing key friction points, you can tip the balance. Sometimes, a small change is all it takes to help someone stay.