Race in the workplace: The frontline experience

The vast majority of Americans are introduced to the workforce through frontline jobs—whether waiting tables, stocking store shelves, or folding clothes. Approximately 70 percent of the current U.S. workforce is concentrated in frontline jobs, which is also the most diverse part of the workforce. Too often, however, frontline jobs are both a starting point and an end point for workers. This research, a collaboration between McKinsey & Company, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, PolicyLink and Walmart, found this challenge is especially true for frontline workers of color, who face an array of impediments to moving up the ladder. This report shines a light on the experiences of frontline workers of color, the pathways upwards from the front line, and the skills workers need to advance. It also offers steps companies could take to improve job quality and better support frontline workers of color to develop and progress in their careers.