5 retail HR challenges and solutions for 2022

For small business owners, the tug of war between creating an exceptional customer experience and building a sustainable, unified team isn't easy, and one often comes at the expense of the other. other. You know you need to spend more time on retail human resources, but you don't know how.

Unlike other industries, high turnover in retail means you don't get as much return on investment (ROI) from recruiting, onboarding, and training new employees, and a limited and inexperienced workforce makes hiring new recruits an even greater challenge. And in the aftermath of the pandemic, your retail store must offer impeccable customer service to compete with the convenience of e-commerce.

Arming yourself with effective HR strategies that will help you build a strong team and make your business more resilient is the best way to face the biggest challenges of the retail industry in 2022. So let's explore how to do it exactly that.

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What is Retail HR?

Retail HR is the set of tasks and responsibilities associated with managing employees in a retail business.

While every retail business is different and has its own challenges and goals, retail HR is generally concerned with optimizing hiring, onboarding, training and development processes so that your staff can provide the best possible customer experience and help you achieve your sales goals. objectives.

Why is Retail HR Important?

HR in retail is important because, unlike other industries, the need for merchants and managers to meet sales quotas means they constantly monitor sales data and give feedback. comments to their employees in contact with customers throughout the day. So, without HR resources in place to support retail employees, it's easy for them to burn out quickly, especially if they don't share your passion for your business.

If you take the time to properly manage retail HR, this can help:

Find high-quality talent who can work at a fast pace and aren't intimidated by complex customer service issues. Train your team to deliver the best customer experience. Create a healthy work culture based on continuous feedback, praise and recognition. Develop your employees professionally so that they develop excellent retail skills that they could use to advance in their careers. 5 common HR challenges and solutions

Creating a positive employee experience in a retail environment can be challenging, but it's very rewarding when you do it right and it has a rewarding effect on your bottom line. Let's take a closer look at some of the biggest HR challenges facing business owners and managers in 2022.

1. Employee retention

With retailer turnover rates approaching 60% and the latest mass resignations reducing an already tight labor market, employee retention is currently a big concern for retail owners, even those who don't. have never had high turnover in the past.

Retail turnover is nothing new: it has been a major issue for many years and has a lot to do with it:

Low hourly wage and fewer benefits compared to other industries Long hours, high stress and high burnout Few development opportunities Employees who can only work part-time A pool of traditionally young and inexperienced talent

But recruiting and retaining employees is not a lost cause for retail managers and owners who want to build a talented and reliable team that will stick around for the long haul. Here's what you can do to make your business more attractive to both job seekers and existing employees:

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