Retailers Get Good Help When They Meet Employees' Expectations
In an industry notorious for high turnover and seasonal work,
retailers continue to face the challenge of hiring and retaining
effective employees. According to a recent poll by Maritz Inc.
(St. Louis), retail employers can meet that challenge by doing
something simple—listening to what employees want.
Above all, the poll shows, prospective employees are looking
for a positive work atmosphere:
91 percent of people seeking employment in retail want
to look forward to coming to work.
90 percent want the company to be a fun place to work.
89 percent want the company to offer employee discounts
on products or services.
88 percent want to know exactly what is expected of them
in their role.
83 percent want flexible work hours.
”Retailers should attempt to match their employment
offerings with what the retail workforce is looking for,”
said Gloria Park Bartolone, vice president of the retail research
group at Maritz. “During a time when retailers are cutting
back on benefits to manage cost, they may be able to focus
on items not related to salary, such as flexible hours and
employee discounts, to maintain their appeal to employees.”
Even when they have a sufficient number of employees, retailers
need to meet employees’ expectations to ensure job satisfaction
as well as improve motivation and performance. Surprisingly,
58 percent of survey respondents were completely satisfied
with their jobs. The poll suggests that clearly defined roles
drive job satisfaction: More than 80 percent of respondents
said they knew exactly what was expected of them in their
roles.
However, there is room for improvement. More than one-third
of respondents said they were not satisfied with the way their
organization communicates with them (38 percent) and were
not consistently recognized for their work performance in
ways that are important to them (35 percent). Furthermore,
32 percent did not regularly receive feedback on how their
work contributes to the success of their organization.
”Clearly, retail managers can be doing a better job
of communicating with their employees, which, in turn, will
increase job satisfaction and employee retention,” Bartolone
said. “Our research shows that one in three retail employees
(34 percent) feel that their company does not genuinely listen
to and care about its employees.”
Another area where retail employers need help is reducing
employee theft. Nearly one in three retail employees (29 percent)
said they have witnessed other employees stealing from their
employer.
”Retailers need to proactively pursue options to counter
this trend that is costing the industry billions,” Bartolone
said. “Employees who are fully engaged and loyal to
their employers will be less likely to steal and more likely
to report theft or participate in other anti-theft programs.”
[February 2006 PET AGE]
|
