The Role of HR in the Retail Industry in the 2020s
We have seen that many things have changed in the way businesses operate throughout the course of 2020 and beyond. In many cases, the way that business is done looks different from what it looked like before the pandemic hit, and some changes will likely stick well into the future. Perhaps some of the biggest changes have been seen in HR and its role in the retail industry.
Brick-and-mortar retailers have been among the hardest hit in the 2020s, and because of this, businesses have had to pivot and either embrace innovation or risk losing their business. The focus of the present is twofold: technology and people. It’s an interesting dichotomy, as some begin to fear an AI takeover of sorts. However, the truth is, more investment has been put into people than ever before. This has been particularly true in online retail as consumerism has skyrocketed in the past few years, requiring additional staff and introducing new responsibilities for retail workers.
Training
While training has always been necessary, it has taken on a new form recently as outputs have increased, operations have expanded, consumer expectations (particularly when it comes to shipping times) have changed, and technologies have improved. Previously, training was largely done on-the-job and face to face, with detailed walkthroughs and the communication of common metrics. Now, training has shifted to more remote learning, nudging human resources departments to develop more efficient training, introducing new productivity measures and metrics that haven’t been utilized in the past.
Many retail establishments are also devising new ways to drive sales as foot traffic in their brick-and-mortar stores dwindles. HR may be considering cross-industry training programs to improve company output overall.
Recruiting
Recruiting has taken on a completely different scope in the past few years. There have been a number of “supply and demand” shifts between employer and employee, experienced in almost all industries. In retail, many organizations have had to embrace seasonal hiring waves as well as downtime layoffs. There have also been considerable turnover issues, which have driven home the importance of diligent, effective recruiting practices. Background screening has become an even more important part of the process, and in retail, social media screening has seen a marked uptick. This increase in onboarding vigilance has also become increasingly necessary as many organizations’workforces span the nation; even the globe. Some companies simply aren’t able to fill seats without a remote hiring model.
In short, employers in the retail space are required to be more flexible than ever before. It’s no longer of staffing the counter, but recruiting members to a productive, dependable, technology-driven workforce.
Retention
HR’s role in the retail industry moving forward will need to have a bigger focus on maintaining employees rather than searching for new ones. The bottom line is, if people don’t feel safe, heard, and valued, they aren’t going to stick around. Many companies, especially retail companies, are learning just how important it is to keep their employees healthy and happy, especially during trying times. HR departments in mass are focusing more on implementing wellness programs and promoting active employee involvement in the company. Employee incentives and recognition initiative are becoming hugely important to mid-enterprize sized companies, especially in retail.
If your organization hasn’t incorporated a formal employee recognition program, it may be past due.
Learn more about hiring trends that are impacting turnover, here.
Culture
An HR department needs to develop a culture within the business, even if the employee base is largely online. When it comes to culture, the role of HR in the retail industry becomes essential to maintain a balanced workforce through recruiting, training, and retention. If a company doesn’t have a healthy culture to present for new employees, that company will have a more difficult time finding new employees who are interested enough to join the team. The onboarding process needs to capture the interest of all new hires, giving them access to the tools they need while ensuring they are not overwhelmed at the same time. Diversity and inclusivity are also major keys to cementing employee happiness and receptivity.
In short, company culture needs to have a positive impact from the first efforts of recruiting to the support of long-tenured staff. Otherwise, employees are very unlikely to stick around.
The efforts of getting the right people in the right places have never been as important as they are now, even from the top down. Great management is key to creating and retaining great employees. In these rapidly evolving times, a good HR department should focus on leadership as it is on recruiting and new hires.
