POLLING THE FRONTLINE: SEASONAL HIRING IN RETAIL

Are retailers ready to handle the seasonal surges ahead?

Peak shopping days are fast approaching, and retailers are once again looking to meet that increased demand with a fortified workforce, trained and ready to deliver the memorable experiences that customers are expecting. But will they be ready?

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63% Of Retail Managers Feel More Burned Out Leading Up To Peak Seasons

What’s this survey about?

Seasonal hiring is on the rise, but finding skilled workers is harder than ever. And with the burden of recruiting, hiring and training seasonal staff on managers, there’s a heightened risk of burnout, inconsistencies and understaffing during peak periods.

Get the full survey findings here (no form fill!), but here’s a glimpse at the insights we uncovered. 

Seasonal hiring is on the rise, but the quality of applicants is declining

Nearly half of retail managers polled said they are hiring more new workers this year, either because they simply need more people physically on the floor or because their current associates don’t have the skill sets or expertise to perform the specific jobs needed. But more than half said it’s more difficult to find workers this year, and 54% said the quality of seasonal job applicants is worse.

49% Of Retail Managers Said They Are Hiring More Seasonal Workers This Year. 51% Said It’s Becoming More Difficult To Find Skilled Workers

The burden of recruiting, hiring and training seasonal associates is (still) on managers—leading to increased burnout and even manager turnover

During peak seasonal hiring periods, many retail managers find that the majority of their time is spent finding seasonal staff, leaving no time for everything else they need to do. As a result, 63% of retail managers polled said they feel more burned out leading into peak seasons, and 47% said seasonal hiring increases their burnout.

57% Of Retail Managers Said This Time Of Year They Spend The Majority Of Their Time Recruiting, Hiring And Onboarding Seasonal Associates

This is an urgent problem, because understaffing is expected to cause a lot of business impacts in retail

The risk of a perpetual cycle of understaffing and burnout can result in major impacts on the business, according to retail managers. The ability to deliver a memorable and consistent customer experience, adhere to compliance regulations, follow safety and security protocols, and control customer issues like theft and violence are all at risk. 

64% Of Retail Managers Said Seasonal Staffing Challenges Impact Their Teams’ Ability To Deliver A Consistent Customer Experience

What’s the solution?

When it comes to seasonal hiring, there are several factors at play—and not just the fact that onboarding and training are currently the sole responsibility of managers. Get the full survey to learn more.

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