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  • May–June 2023
  • Article
  • Harvard Business Review

The High Cost of Neglecting Low-Wage Workers: Six Mistakes That Companies Make—and How They Can Do Better

By: Joseph Fuller and Manjari Raman
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:9
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Abstract

Many companies blame outside factors for the trouble they’ve been having in finding and retaining frontline workers: the pandemic, the government’s stimulus checks, the intrinsic nature of low-wage work. The authors argue that in fact the real problem lies in six big mistakes companies themselves have long been making, in such basic areas as hiring, career development, and mentoring. They offer some practical suggestions for how leaders can do better, for their workers and their organizations.

Keywords

Retention; Recruitment; Human Capital; Personal Development and Career; Compensation and Benefits; Performance Productivity

Citation

Fuller, Joseph, and Manjari Raman. "The High Cost of Neglecting Low-Wage Workers: Six Mistakes That Companies Make—and How They Can Do Better." Harvard Business Review 101, no. 3 (May–June 2023): 40–48.
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About The Author

Joseph B. Fuller

Entrepreneurial Management
→More Publications

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More from the Authors
  • The High Cost of Neglecting Low-Wage Workers By: Joseph B. Fuller and Manjari Raman
  • Away: Scaling a DTC Travel Brand By: Joseph B. Fuller and Jill Avery
  • Levels: The Remote, Asynchronous, Deep Work Management System By: Joseph B. Fuller and George Gonzalez
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