Management Strategy: How To Inspire Your Retail Staff

Many retail stores are brimming with talented, enthusiastic staff. In these cases, a customer need only walk through an entrance to receive a warm greeting followed by attentive service.

While not uncommon, these instances do not represent the norm. In fact, many retail employees are completely unmotivated. Whether they appear reluctant to help customers, poorly trained, or simply unhappy with their jobs, they do not seem passionate.

If it appears on an individual basis, this behaviour is far less problematic; however, these issues are usually systemic. For this reason, it is up to management to create an environment and culture that inspires their staff. Not only will doing so reduce employee turnover, but it also increase productivity and overall customer satisfaction.

Hire For Personality

There are ways to inspire and motivate a vast array of people. With that being said, some individuals take to encouragement with a great deal more enthusiasm. Hence, hiring is the first place to begin when looking to inspire staff. One bad hire takes a team back further than a good one, so finding the ideal candidate is key.

A retail fit report may be done in a matter of minutes and is an effective way to narrow down the search. In addition, it saves employers a great deal of money during the hiring process. A retail screening allows employers to determine whether an employee should move on to an interview, so they don’t waste time interviewing everyone that applies.

Express Gratitude

The effect of gratitude in the workplace, or in life, is profound. Employees who feel appreciated usually work much harder and go above and beyond for their managers. In addition, when employees are appreciated, they are much less likely to leave. As a result, a company will greatly reduce employee turnover and save on the costs associated with hiring.

It doesn’t have to be a tremendous show of appreciation, either. A simple, “thank you,” or, “you did a great job with that difficult customer,” goes a long way.

Encourage Growth

Ultimately, opportunities for advancement increase the likelihood that employees will work harder; however, not every company has roles available. If this is the case, they must work to ensure that growth and development are encouraged within every role. A stagnant work environment, with very little change or opportunity to develop new skills, makes staff lazy and unmotivated.

If staff do not have the opportunity for advancement, they should have some sort of recognition system in place. Whether that’s a gift card, a bonus, or something else, a small token of recognition for a job well done shows staff that they will be rewarded for going the extra mile.