Why Frontline Employees Need More Than Initial Training
- LMSPortals
- May 6
- 5 min read
Training is often treated like a checkbox. New frontline employees go through onboarding, get the basics, and are then expected to perform. But that’s not how real skill-building or operational excellence works. In fast-paced, customer-facing roles, the challenges evolve constantly. Initial training is just the start.
This article breaks down why initial training is not enough, what’s missing from current models, and how companies can better support frontline workers with ongoing development.
The Limits of Onboarding
A One-Time Event Doesn’t Build Expertise
Onboarding typically covers policies, basic job functions, and maybe some soft skills. But it’s a snapshot—often delivered in a few days or weeks. Frontline roles are dynamic. Whether it’s retail, hospitality, food service, or healthcare, employees encounter a range of unpredictable situations that no classroom session can fully prepare them for.
Expecting workers to thrive based only on what they learn in their first week is unrealistic.
Knowledge Decays Quickly
People forget. According to the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve, within one week, individuals can forget up to 90% of what they learn if it’s not reinforced. That’s a huge loss of potential skill and consistency, especially in environments that rely on precision, compliance, or high-quality customer service.
The Real-World Demands of Frontline Roles
They’re the Face of the Company
Frontline employees are often the only point of contact between a company and its customers. How they speak, act, and solve problems shapes the customer experience. One bad interaction can go viral or cost a brand long-term loyalty.
The reality is that these workers hold more influence over brand perception than most people at headquarters. Yet they often get the least investment in continuous development.
Conditions Constantly Change
Policies shift. Technology updates. Customer behavior evolves. External shocks—like COVID-19 or supply chain disruptions—completely reshape workflows. Without ongoing training, employees are left to figure it out on the fly, often resulting in mistakes, stress, and disengagement.
The Hidden Costs of Undertraining
High Turnover
Burnout and frustration are common when employees feel unprepared. High turnover is expensive—not just due to hiring costs, but also lost productivity and poor customer experiences during transitions. A LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report found that 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning.
Inconsistent Service Quality
When training stops after onboarding, quality control relies on memory, improvisation, or peer coaching. That leads to uneven performance across locations and teams, which can hurt customer trust and brand reputation.
Increased Safety and Compliance Risks
In industries like healthcare, manufacturing, or transportation, gaps in knowledge aren’t just inconvenient—they’re dangerous. Mistakes due to outdated training can lead to regulatory penalties, legal exposure, and harm to employees or customers.
What Ongoing Training Should Look Like
Microlearning, Not Marathons
Instead of long, one-off sessions, break training into small, digestible lessons that can be done on the job. A five-minute refresher on conflict resolution or a quick module on using a new payment system is more likely to stick than a three-hour workshop.
Microlearning keeps skills fresh without pulling people off the floor for extended periods.
Just-in-Time Learning
Training should be available exactly when employees need it. A searchable knowledge base, mobile app, or internal chatbot can offer real-time answers to questions about procedures or policies. This reduces reliance on guesswork and empowers employees to handle tasks confidently.
Peer Learning and Mentorship
Not all learning comes from formal modules. Create systems where experienced employees can coach new hires or share best practices across teams. This also boosts engagement and helps build a culture of continuous improvement.
Regular Feedback Loops
Training should evolve based on what’s actually happening in the field. Use feedback from employees and managers to identify new training needs. If a spike in customer complaints occurs, investigate the root cause and build a learning module to address it.
Technology Can Help—but Culture Matters More
Digital Tools Make Learning Accessible
Platforms like mobile learning apps, LMS (learning management systems), and AI-driven training modules allow companies to deliver consistent, scalable training. This is especially useful for organizations with multiple locations or shift-based workforces.
But Tools Alone Aren’t the Answer
No app can fix a broken training culture. If managers don’t support development or if employees feel punished for not knowing something, no amount of tech will close the gap. The message has to be clear: growth is expected, supported, and rewarded.
Make learning part of daily operations, not a burden or afterthought.
The Role of Managers in Sustained Development
Coaches, Not Just Taskmasters
Managers are in the best position to observe performance, correct behavior, and support growth. But they need to be trained too. Not every great worker is naturally a great coach.
Invest in leadership development so frontline managers know how to guide others, give feedback, and model a learning mindset.
Recognize and Reward Learning
Set clear expectations that ongoing learning is part of the job. Recognize employees who take initiative, complete training modules, or apply new skills. This reinforces the idea that development isn’t extra—it’s essential.
Case Studies: What Good Looks Like
Starbucks: Barista Training that Evolves
Starbucks goes beyond onboarding with regular refreshers and mobile-accessible training content. They also involve baristas in new product rollouts, ensuring employees feel informed and included—not blindsided by menu changes.
Disney: Training as an Ongoing Experience
At Disney parks, training doesn’t stop at “Traditions,” the famous onboarding. Employees receive consistent coaching, feedback, and learning moments tied directly to customer service outcomes. Leaders are trained to embed those values in daily operations.
Walmart: Embracing VR and Microlearning
Walmart has rolled out virtual reality training and gamified microlearning through its “Academies.” Employees can practice customer interactions, learn new systems, and revisit training as needed—all without leaving the store.
What Companies Can Do Today
You don’t need a massive budget to support frontline development. Here are immediate actions any company can take:
Audit your current training: How often do employees get refreshed? Are there gaps between policy and practice?
Start small with microlearning: Focus on key pain points—returns, complaints, tech tools—and create quick, repeatable modules.
Create a feedback channel: Let employees suggest training topics or report confusing situations.
Train your trainers: Make sure managers are equipped to coach, not just supervise.
Celebrate growth: Recognize improvement and learning in performance reviews or team meetings.
Summary: It’s Not Optional Anymore
In today’s fast-moving work environment, giving frontline employees more than just initial training isn’t generous—it’s necessary. The frontline is where brand loyalty is built, where safety is enforced, and where business goals are met or missed in real-time.
Companies that treat training as a one-and-done effort will face higher turnover, inconsistent performance, and lost trust. The solution isn’t complicated: provide consistent, relevant, and accessible learning opportunities. When you invest in your people, they invest back—in performance, engagement, and loyalty.
About LMS Portals
At LMS Portals, we provide our clients and partners with a mobile-responsive, SaaS-based, multi-tenant learning management system that allows you to launch a dedicated training environment (a portal) for each of your unique audiences.
The system includes built-in, SCORM-compliant rapid course development software that provides a drag and drop engine to enable most anyone to build engaging courses quickly and easily.
We also offer a complete library of ready-made courses, covering most every aspect of corporate training and employee development.
If you choose to, you can create Learning Paths to deliver courses in a logical progression and add structure to your training program. The system also supports Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) and provides tools for social learning.
Together, these features make LMS Portals the ideal SaaS-based eLearning platform for our clients and our Reseller partners.
Contact us today to get started or visit our Partner Program pages
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