With over 19 years of experience in the world of talent, Paul has witnessed the ebbs and flows of many industries. As a strong creative thinker, his passion lies in building recruitment strategies that shape exceptional outcomes for his clients. Today, he shares his top-4 tips for the retail industry, in what he believes is the most challenging market of his career to date.

1. Enhance brand awareness
   In today’s hyper-competitive retail landscape, brand awareness is not just for customers; it’s crucial for attracting top talent as well. Just like customers, potential employees want to engage with a brand they believe in and resonate with. Your company’s reputation, values, and culture play a significant role in drawing the right candidates. Emphasize what makes your retail brand unique and a great place to work, in a way that resonates with the talent you need.
2. Leverage the benefits of pay transparency
   As an extension of brand, you also want to talk about what salary and benefits packages look like for successful candidates. Pay transparency is common practice in the retail industry, which can become challenging for retention rates as candidates in the industry tend to hop around more for better pay. At the same time, pay transparency can also establish trust and clear expectations, which in turn lead to efficiencies in the recruitment process.
3. Foster authenticity
   To attract a diverse pool of candidates in the retail industry, it’s crucial to create an environment that fosters creativity and allows employees to be their authentic selves. Traditional roles in retail often emphasize sales-based performance and lengthy touchpoint manuals, which oftentimes doesn’t appeal to talent. By fostering a space for creativity, employees are more likely to feel engaged and bring their authentic selves to work, enabling them to forge genuine connections with customers.
4. Don’t overlook former employees
   In the retail industry, high turnovers and a fierce competition for talent have always been prevalent. However in 2020, the industry faced a significant challenge as many employees left their retail positions. As the labor market recovers, consider bringing back employees who are now looking to return to the industry. By bringing back those already familiar with your business, you also save time and costs associated with onboarding and training. To facilitate the engagement of former employees, consider an Alumni program or communications campaign.

Navigating the talent landscape in the retail industry can be time-consuming and expensive. However, these four actionable insights from Paul can provide a valuable starting point. By infusing authenticity into your brand, championing pay transparency, fostering creativity, and considering former employees, retail businesses can adapt and thrive in an ever-evolving environment.

Do you want to talk more about talent attraction in the retail industry? Get in touch with our talent experts today.