Store Associates

Walmart has launched Me@Walmart, an app for U.S. store associates designed to simplify daily tasks as well as empower them to easily serve customers and plan for life outside of work. The app's features include scheduling, enabling associates to easily view their shifts up to two weeks in advance; a mobile clock-in feature; push-to-talk, which enables…

Consumer expectations have transformed over the past year, and retailers are looking for new technologies to meet the needs of evolving customer demands. During the first three months of 2021, visits to physical stores increased by 28.5 percent. While many shoppers are eager to return to stores, retailers must find opportunities to ensure that they…

Nearly every industry has been impacted by the pandemic. However, with one year under our belts, we have an opportunity to reflect on what changes might have been for the best. It’s no surprise that with state-mandated shutdowns, social distancing and general consumer caution, e-commerce boomed during the pandemic. Online sales increased 32 percent in…

Retail employee turnover rates are among the highest across all industries at nearly 67 percent for part-time retail employees, and it’s grown amid the pandemic. On average, these turnovers cost businesses $3,328 to find, hire and train a replacement. Not only that, disruption in frontline employees can negatively impact customer service and thus retention. This…

J.C. Penney's new owners, Simon Property Group and Brookfield Asset Management, announced last week that they have cut the corporate staff of more than 3,500 by about 100 people. In addition, field operation was cut by 550 people. When J.C. Penney filed for bankruptcy protection in May 2020, there were about 84,000 associates employed y the…

Macy's cannot offer the use of its Scan and Pay app for purchases from departments where employees make commissions, and must pay back commissions on such purchases, a labor relations arbitrator has ruled, reports RIS News. The determination applies to three collective bargaining agreements between Macy's and employees at stores in Boston and other New…

E-commerce in the grocery industry was already climbing in the past few years, with 23 percent of U.S. households shopping for groceries online in 2017. Today, however, a growing number of households have picked up the online grocery habit throughout COVID-19, with 43 percent saying they’re likely to continue with this even after the pandemic…

The retail industry is among those most impacted by the societal changes the pandemic has created. Retailers have been catapulted into an era that's heavily reliant upon online shopping and curbside pickup. Under the current circumstances, up to 64 percent of consumers have reported that they don’t feel comfortable engaging in routine activities outside of…

COVID-19 has shone a light on a common issue many retailers face: disjointed communications, particularly from company headquarters to brick-and-mortar store teams. With the safety of employees and customers depending on stores receiving timely information (e.g., safety policies and protocols) and taking immediate action, communication has become even more critical. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic…

In 2020, retail workers proved to be essential to the economy and society at large. Yet, it's not always clear whether they’re considered essential to employers’ future business plans. If retailers want to compete in an industry that — pandemic or not — is shifting more toward digital, they need to first invest in their…