Personnel

Why Investing in Employees is Essential for Retail Survival
August 16, 2023 at 12:36 pm

Employees are an essential component in any brick-and-mortar store and play an important part in creating a positive customer experience. To stay competitive against online retailers such as Amazon.com, physical stores need to invest in their employees and ensure their satisfaction is at its peak. Given the present job market, this has escalated in importance.…

Building a Thriving Retail Workforce: The Power of Family Benefits
August 9, 2023 at 3:39 pm

Retailers are facing a challenging hiring landscape, putting an added emphasis on benefit offerings as a compelling talent driver. HR leaders in the retail space have come to these conversations with a unique perspective, informed by the specific needs of their workforce. Consider the demographics of retail employees: Women make up the majority of the…

Not All Retail AI Tools Are Created Equal: How Intelligent Automation Can Push Retailers Past the Competition
July 25, 2023 at 4:31 pm

As the retail market gets more competitive, retailers are looking to new technologies â€” like artificial intelligence — to help grow their businesses. The global AI market size in retail is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) exceeding 23.9 percent from 2022 to 2030. AI-driven tools such as automated inventory-taking and smart…

Experts Weigh in on Potential UPS Strike
June 21, 2023 at 10:13 am

About 340,000 UPS workers who make up the Teamsters union for the company voted overwhelmingly on Friday to strike if their demands for higher wages, more full-time jobs, increased workplace safety and a ban on forced overtime aren't met by July 31 in a new contract. The current contract between the shipping company and the…

Leveraging Fintech to Improve Employee Experience and Retention
June 20, 2023 at 10:16 am

When many brick-and-mortar retailers closed their doors during the COVID-19 pandemic, cutting operational costs, including payroll, was a primary concern for business owners. Three years later, the retail sector is facing a very different set of challenges. Last quarter, the retail sector’s growth rate outstripped pre-pandemic levels. While that’s a positive trend for retail overall,…

Walgreens Laying Off 10% of its Corporate Workforce
May 31, 2023 at 4:20 pm

Walgreens Boots Alliance is set to lay off about 500 employees, or 10 percent of its corporate workforce, the Chicago Sun-Times reported last week. Spokesperson Marty Maloney confirmed the layoffs to the news outlet, saying most of the cuts will be at the company's Deerfield, Ill. headquarters or Chicago office. In a letter obtained by…

Talent Retention Strategies: The Power of Learning and Workforce Education
May 22, 2023 at 3:19 pm

Talent retention continues to take center stage in the retail industry and for good reason. Retailers are experiencing higher year-over-year turnover rates. For instance, the turnover rate for hourly in-store positions reached 75.8 percent, up from 68 percent in 2021. Furthermore, nearly half of U.S. frontline retail employees and two-thirds of frontline managers report considering leaving their jobs in…

As Inflation-Weary Shoppers Look for Bargains, Here’s How Dollar and Convenience Stores Can Seize Their Moment
May 1, 2023 at 10:09 am

We’ve seen this one before: As prices rise and wallets shrink, consumers are changing their habits. However, not every industry is losing out. Shoppers are still spending, but they increasingly need discounts and convenience.  For dollar stores and convenience stores, this is their moment to shine. Here’s what they're up against and how they can keep…

How Retailers Can Solve Workforce Challenges
April 12, 2023 at 8:58 am

Retailers are facing a major conundrum: consumers are flocking back to brick-and-mortar retail while the struggle to adequately staff stores has never been greater. High turnover in retail isn’t new. According to McKinsey & Company, annual employee turnover among frontline retail workers has been at least 60 percent for a long time. But record inflation…

Beyond the Resume: 3 Hidden Characteristics of Valuable Employees
March 1, 2023 at 3:28 pm

The question of employee engagement has never been more pressing. Coming out of the pandemic, there has been a shift in employee expectations about both pay and working conditions. With potential economic headwinds — e.g., debt becoming more expensive because of Federal Reserve policy — it’s becoming more important to maintain stability wherever possible, and no…