As one of the largest employers in the UK, the retail sector plays a vital role in driving the economy forward. Amidst a rapidly evolving business landscape, however, attracting and retaining top talent has become daunting for retail employers. The need to revamp talent acquisition strategies has reached a critical point in the face of mounting obstacles such as inflation, geopolitical tensions, and negative employee feedback.

The retail workplace has also long suffered from negative perceptions such as long working hours and low job satisfaction. Research suggests employee experience and satisfaction are particularly low in 'deskless' industries like retail. This rampant workplace unhappiness is translating to 31% of employees reporting they are less productive.

This unfavourable reputation is deterring potential candidates and making it challenging for retail employers to attract top talent.

To combat this issue, there needs to be a paradigm shift in hiring. At inploi, we help companies refine and streamline their hiring process. Our experience has led us to look at the UK retail industry employment challenge from two perspectives - one that requires behavioural changes and the other that calls for a shift in the way hiring practices are performed.

In this article, we delve into the challenges faced by UK retail employers and explore practical solutions to up their talent acquisition game. By seizing the opportunity to transform hiring practices, retail organisations can lay the foundation for a thriving workforce.

A Modern Outlook to Attracting Talent in the Retail Industry

Achieving success in talent attraction and retention within the UK retail sector requires change in hiring practices and workplace environments. Here are the top priorities to that end.

Embracing Flexibility: A Catalyst for Talent Attraction and Retention: In an era of evolving work dynamics, flexibility has become a significant touchpoint for attracting and retaining top talent in the UK retail sector. Traditional rigid schedules and fixed working hours no longer align with the expectations and aspirations of job seekers. By embracing flexible work arrangements such as part-time, remote, or flexible scheduling options, retail employers can showcase their commitment to work-life balance and empower employees to achieve greater productivity. Flexibility also enables retailers to tap into a wider pool of candidates, including individuals seeking alternative work arrangements, such as parents returning to the workforce or those with caregiving responsibilities.

Rewriting the Pay and Recognition Narrative: Valuing Retail Talent: To entice and retain skilled individuals, UK retail employers must reevaluate their approach to compensation and recognition. Historically, the sector has been marred by low wages and limited growth opportunities, leading to a perception of workers being undervalued. Offering competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits packages not only attracts high-quality candidates but also demonstrates a commitment to valuing and investing in the workforce. Implementing recognition programs that celebrate employee achievements and provide growth pathways can enhance job satisfaction, motivation, and loyalty. This will ultimately reduce turnover rates.

Inclusive Hiring Practices: Shattering Barriers and Fostering Diversity: The UK retail sector must prioritise inclusive hiring practices to attract diverse talent and create a more representative workforce. Proactively seeking candidates from underrepresented groups, promoting job advertisements through diverse channels, and offering unbiased recruitment processes are essential steps toward achieving inclusivity. Retail employers should strive to eliminate conscious and unconscious biases that hinder the selection of qualified candidates, ensuring equal opportunities for all. By embracing diversity, retailers can tap into a wider range of perspectives, ideas, and skills, fostering innovation and enhancing customer experiences.

Respecting Candidates: A Holistic Approach to the Hiring Process: To attract and retain top talent, UK retailers must prioritise the respectful treatment of candidates throughout the hiring process. Providing clear communication, timely updates, and constructive feedback not only enhances the candidate experience but also contributes to the overall employer brand. Being transparent about the hiring timeline, job expectations, and company culture fosters trust and enables candidates to make informed decisions. Retail organisations should also consider disclosing salary ranges whenever possible to promote transparency and demonstrate a commitment to fair compensation practices.

Tech-enabled Hiring Practices

With the proliferation of online job boards, professional networking sites, and social media platforms, job seekers expect convenience and accessibility when searching for employment opportunities.

By leveraging technology, retail employers can tap into a wider pool of candidates, increase visibility, and enhance their employer brand through consistent and targeted messaging across various platforms.

Moreover, advanced software solutions can provide valuable insights and analytics to optimise the hiring process. Data-driven decision-making enables employers to identify trends, track key performance indicators, and fine-tune their recruitment strategies accordingly. By harnessing the power of analytics, retail organisations can continuously improve their talent acquisition efforts, ensuring they remain agile and adaptable in the face of changing market dynamics.

inploi: A Multi-Channel Hiring Solution

At inploi, we understand the significance of hiring the right people. We use cutting-edge technologies such as geo-targeting and lookalike audiences to attract both active and passive candidates, ensuring you have access to the best talent pool. Our comprehensive hiring model spans social media, search engines, job boards, and aggregators, amplifying your reach and visibility. We also provide innovative tools to create ATS-integrated and tailored career pages to elevate candidate experiences.

inploi offers a unified candidate experience platform that empowers businesses to enhance their hiring processes, amplify their employer brand, and elevate employee engagement. With our unrivalled expertise and forward-thinking solutions, we enable retail businesses in the UK to thrive by attracting, retaining, and nurturing exceptional talent.

Why Should You Choose inploi?

Here are some of the many ways we can help you:

Our advanced geo-targeting capabilities allow us to precisely identify and engage with candidates in specific locations, helping you target talent in specific regions or cities. Whether you need to expand your workforce in a particular area or tap into a niche market, our platform enables you to reach the right candidates with pinpoint accuracy.

By utilising lookalike audiences, we leverage data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to identify individuals who share similar characteristics and interests with your existing top performers. This approach maximises the chances of finding candidates who not only possess the necessary skills and qualifications but also align with your company culture, values, and goals. As a result, you can build a team of employees who are not only highly skilled but also a great fit for your organisation.

Our technology opens up a wide range of channels, including social media, search engines, job boards, and aggregators. This extensive reach ensures that your job postings are exposed to a diverse and vast pool of candidates. Whether candidates are actively seeking opportunities or passively exploring their options, our platform ensures that your job openings are visible to them, increasing the likelihood of attracting top talent. This broad visibility sets you apart from your competitors and enhances your chances of hiring the best candidates in the market.

Ready to level up your hiring game? Get in touch with us to experience the transformative power of strategic talent acquisition.