The retail sector has had its fair share of challenges, even pre-pandemic. It’s an exciting sector that’s constantly evolving and adapting: navigating technological developments and changing consumer behaviours.
There has been a frightening number of bankruptcies, and the retailers that will survive and thrive are those who focus on their people, agility and their ability to adapt and change. To achieve those goals, HR are faced with some of their biggest challenges.
Retail is a big employer and according to Retail Economics, retail is the largest private-sector employer in the UK. It’s essentially a people business, where the gender split is 58:42 women and men, with 50% of retail employees working part-time, and just under a third of these workers are under the age of 25 (The Retail Appointment).
Retailers also need to deliver on customer service. Winning footfall means exceeding customer expectations rather than simply meeting them.
Retailers biggest HR challenges
