Frontline Staffing and Retention Made Simple with AI & UKG

Frontline employees make up 42% of all US employees—about 63.9 million people [1]. That’s nearly half the workforce keeping retail stores open, hospitals running, and hospitality services alive. Yet despite their importance, frontline staffing remains one of the toughest challenges for HR leaders.

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In fact, 52% of frontline workers in the US changed jobs at least once [2]. That churn is expensive, disruptive, and exhausting for HR teams trying to stabilize their workforce. The good news? By combining CloudApper AI Recruiter with UKG, companies can finally bring structure, speed, and consistency to frontline staffing.

The Real Costs of Poor Frontline Staffing

High Turnover = High Costs

Every time a frontline worker leaves, HR starts over. According to McKinsey, losing a single frontline retail employee costs nearly $10,000 on average [3]. Add that up across hundreds of exits per year, and it becomes a huge drain on profitability.

Slow Hiring Hurts Productivity

When frontline positions sit open, it’s not just a scheduling headache—it means fewer hands on deck. Store shelves aren’t stocked, patients wait longer, and hotel guests leave with poor experiences. Productivity drops, morale suffers, and your brand takes the hit.

Compliance Risks

Frontline industries, especially healthcare and retail, face strict labor laws and safety requirements. Manual hiring processes can easily overlook training or policy acknowledgments, leaving companies vulnerable to fines or lawsuits.

Why Frontline Staffing Is So Hard to Get Right

Frontline roles are often fast-paced, high-volume, and under constant pressure. Recruiters in these industries juggle:

• High turnover rates that drain budgets and slow productivity.

• Large applicant pools that make it difficult to spot the best-fit hires quickly.

• Minimal education or experience requirements that leave recruiters with little data to differentiate candidates.

• Strict compliance rules that make mistakes costly.

All of this piles onto HR teams already stretched thin, especially in large organizations managing hundreds of frontline employees across locations.

How CloudApper AI Recruiter with UKG Improves Frontline Staffing

Managing frontline hiring doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Here’s how CloudApper AI paired with UKG takes the pressure off HR teams and builds stronger recruitment outcomes:

Smarter Candidate Screening for Better Hires

One of the biggest challenges in frontline staffing is filtering through high application volumes. CloudApper AI automates candidate screening by comparing each applicant to job requirements and cultural fit. This ensures HR leaders only spend time with the most promising candidates while cutting down on mismatches that drive turnover.

Faster Hiring Through Automated Resume Parsing

Manually reviewing resumes can slow down the process, especially when hundreds of frontline applications arrive daily. With intelligent resume parsing, CloudApper AI extracts and analyzes key details instantly—skills, certifications, and experience—so HR teams can focus on decision-making instead of data entry.

Expanding Reach with a Strong Employee Referral Program

Frontline jobs are often best filled through networks of existing staff. CloudApper AI Recruiter makes employee referral programs simple to run an employee referral program where workers can share job postings, submit referrals, and track progress. Referred candidates are more likely to succeed and stay longer, giving employers a steady pipeline of reliable hires.

Streamlined Interview Scheduling Without Back-and-Forth

Coordinating interviews for high-volume roles is a common bottleneck. CloudApper AI automates interview scheduling by allowing candidates to pick available slots directly synced with managers’ calendars. This removes the endless email exchanges and keeps the process moving forward smoothly.

Keeping Candidates Engaged Throughout the Process

Frontline candidates often drop out when communication is poor. CloudApper AI ensures you’re keeping candidates engaged with automated updates, timely reminders, and a chatbot that answers common questions. This builds trust and helps candidates feel valued from application to onboarding.

Additional Benefits of CloudApper AI + UKG

Beyond fixing the common hiring bottlenecks, CloudApper AI integrated with UKG brings extra advantages that matter to large organizations:

• Low-cost adoption – CloudApper works with UKG Pro and Ready Recruiting, so no new systems are needed.

• Tailored workflows – The solution adapts to each organization’s unique HR processes without forcing teams to change how they work.

• Efficiency through automation – By handling repetitive admin tasks, HR leaders gain time to focus on strategic goals like retention and workforce development.

Conclusion: A Smarter Approach to Frontline Staffing

Frontline staffing has always been hard, but the stakes are higher than ever. High turnover, costly mistakes, and slow hiring cycles put businesses at risk. With frontline employees making up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, solving this challenge is a top priority for every HR leader.

By combining CloudApper AI Recruiter with UKG, companies can simplify frontline hiring, cut costs, and improve retention. From candidate screening to resume parsing, from running an employee referral program to automating interview scheduling and keeping candidates engaged, every step of the process becomes easier and more consistent.

Reference:

1. https://www.catalyst.org/insights/2025/frontline-employee-satisfaction-drivers-us 
2. https://hrdailyadvisor.com/2024/02/23/frontline-industries-are-demanding-change-in-2024/
3. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/how-retailers-can-build-and-retain-a-strong-frontline-workforce-in-2024