Career Path Transparency & The Shift Toward Higher-Value Work

Conversations at the CCW Nashville conference, held earlier this quarter, circled around tech and revenue growth. AI adoption in contact centers has taken most of the focus, and it is clear that teams are facing steady pressure to drive more revenue.

Leaders also acknowledged that AI and rising sales targets are shifting more work toward tasks that require deeper judgment, stronger communication, and a clearer understanding of how each interaction ties to customer lifetime value. However, beneath those strategic shifts lies a pervasive issue. Frontline associates continue to resign early and often when they don’t see a future within their organizations. Many executives treat high turnover as the cost of running a large operation, while Kathy Budzioch of Grubhub declared limited visibility into career progression as a core reason people walk away, during her “Pathways to Growth” think tank session.

Learn how Pathstream helps associates to higher-value work while minimizing regrettable attrition →

AI & Sales Shifts Are Making Frontline Work Harder

AI appeared in nearly every session at CCW Nashville, but leaders described a more cautious tone compared to prior years. Many contact center teams have early AI tests in place, yet achieving greater operational value feels premature because structures and workflows are not ready, and ROI evidence is still fuzzy.

Even so, as AI pulls out simpler tasks, the remaining calls are more complex and draining. Associates are being dropped into tense situations without enough preparation or a clear sense of how the added load connects to advancement opportunities. 

Revenue expectations add another layer. Agents are being asked to upsell during service conversations without structured enablement programs or clear expectations for success beyond scorecard metrics. The work becomes more demanding, but the career implications stay vague, and regrettable attrition rises when the extra pressure does not feel tied to real progression.

What It Looks Like When Career Paths Are Clear

With so many sessions focused on heavier workloads and higher expectations, the story shared by Grubhub’s Kathy Budzioch drew our attention. Budzioch began as a Tier 1 agent answering basic contacts. Today, she oversees eight customer experience teams as Senior Manager of Customer Experience Operations.

Her path took time. “It was a long journey,” she said. “And sometimes it was probably more frustrating than it needed to be.”

Early in her career, Budzioch noted, her view into leadership stopped with her direct manager. That limited visibility created hesitation. “I was unsure about [leadership], and I was worried about failing in the space that I wasn't very familiar with.”

Her view changed as she learned how leadership worked inside Grubhub. “Gradually, the curtain was pulled back on what it meant to be a great leader,” she said. “And suddenly leaders' roles seemed not only interesting but achievable and aligned with the work that I was most fulfilled by.”

Buzioch uses her experience to call on leaders to act. “Sometimes it's not that people don't want to continue to grow… it's that they don't always know how to.” 

“If we, as leaders, want to not only retain but also grow our top talent,” she continued, “we should strive to make roles within our organizations not just visible but really understood. People deserve to know what makes someone successful in any role.”

Why Career Path Transparency Drives Retention In Contact Centers

Budzioch’s message underscored a gap that many contact centers have not addressed. Large operations often leave frontline associates unsure about available roles, required skill sets, or who to speak with when they want to move forward. When that information is missing, many associates see a dead end.

Turnover in large contact centers remains high. Each departure drains productivity, time, and budget. Each exit also removes customer context and potential future leadership.

Conversely, clear visibility into roles makes retention easier for operators. Frontline associates gain a direct link between their daily responsibilities and long-term career progression when they can see how the organization works and where they might go next. That visibility is central to reducing regrettable attrition because it helps associates understand how daily work prepares them for higher-value responsibilities that matter inside large operations.

A Practical Way To Reduce Regrettable Attrition & Help Associates Move Into Higher-Value Work

Pathstream brings clarity to how movement happens inside large operations. Programs outline realistic career pathways and deliver role-based and forward-looking learning opportunities that prepare associates for higher-value work. Partnerships with universities such as Texas A&M provide certificate and credit transfer options for those who want to continue toward a business degree.

Pathstream works with executives to define and drive strong performance within each operation. Programs align with organizational priorities so associates understand what they are building toward and why it matters. That alignment becomes increasingly important as simple tasks are eliminated and the remaining work relies on judgment, communication, and technical expertise.

Pathstream programs are funded through existing tuition assistance, require no integrations, and are aligned to your defined career pathways to reduce regrettable attrition while preparing teams for AI-era complexity. Learn how we help contact centers transition associates to higher-value work while minimizing regrettable attrition.