Become an Employer of Choice

Strategies for Investing in Frontline Workers

The costs associated with the turnover of hourly wage and frontline employees such as medical assistants, food workers, and cashiers can be high. In the hospitality industry, turnover costs are between $3,000 and $13,000 per departed worker.

But companies don't have to be completely helpless against the revolving door of hourly wage
earners. "With the right support, these workers are productive,
stable, and upwardly mobile and provide maximum benefit to employers," says Arthur Rothkopf, U.S. Chamber senior vice president and head of the Chamber's Education and Workforce Initiative.

Here are some no-cost strategies for retaining hourly wage and frontline employees:

Create a culture where employers and staff share responsibility for how the work is completed.
Give employees input into management decisions such as work schedules or customer service protocols.
Provide opportunities for learning and personal enrichment by connecting employees with One-Stop Career Centers.
Introduce flexible work options, including starting and ending times.
Connect employees with work support programs such as child care assistance programs.
Establish partnerships with community-based organizations that offer support services such as marriage and family counseling.
Become an advocate for employees by serving on local Workforce Investment Boards or by joining your local chamber of commerce.
Educate employees on the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, a refundable tax credit for working people who earn low to moderate incomes.

Visit www.uschamber.com/goto/frontline for more strategies.

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