The retail landscape has no doubt changed significantly in the last decade and faced some big challenges, with the rise of online purchases and stores.
The latest research released by Roy Morgan on September 17 revealed that online retail businesses are likely to increase their employee numbers, while store-based retail are more likely to decrease.
In the next twelve months, 16 per cent of surveyed online retail businesses planned to increase the number of employees, while 9 per cent of store-based retailers reported the same.
"With just over half of the Australian population now purchasing online in an average three month period, it is not surprising that online retailers are much more likely than bricks and mortar retailers to be planning to increase employee numbers over the next 12 months," said Norman Morris, industry communications director at Roy Morgan Research.
He noted that the retail sector is facing hard times only partially because of the growth in online purchasing, but also because they are less likely in themselves to expand their own workforce and increase employee numbers.
For any retail company, whether online or in-store, retaining key staff is essential. You can't put a price on valuable experience and practical, on the job training.
If you want to keep your top staff on hand, you'll need to remain a desirable place to work. That might mean offering incentives, a salary upgrade or a more flexible working arrangement.
Conduct an employee satisfaction survey to gauge how your staff are feeling about your organisation. Encourage an open dialogue and solve any issues as they arise. The more positive and supportive your workplace is, the more likely your employees will be to stick around.
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