The staffing industry has seen a surge in demand, adding 2.27 lakh contractual employees in 2021-22. Indian Staffing Federation records 28% growth in the Flexi staffing industry between 2021-22; adding 2.33 lakh formal jobs. Indian Staffing Federation (ISF) is the apex industry body and governs over 100 contract staffing companies in the country.
The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the retail industry. With the permanent store closures and businesses filing for bankruptcy came the inevitable customer demands for online shopping options. The sudden shift in the retail industry has greatly impacted its employees.
In the future, retail businesses will more likely adopt the strategy of “less is more,” resulting in even fewer employees at retail stores. However, the demand for skilled, fast-learning, and tech-savvy employees will always be high.
Companies cannot hold onto permanent employees and thus often find it easier to hire contractual or 3rd party employees.
Current Scenario
One way to save time and money in the recruitment process is to outsource staffing or recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) to a third-party firm. Doing so can help make your retail staffing strategy and implementation more accurate
and agile to meet market needs and help you manage the seasonal demands of customers. This is done by hiring more employees during peak business months.
Considering the permanent placement scenario’s current crunch, companies should harness the contract staffing services. The contract staffing can be sourced and fostered through various initiatives like below-
Multi-channel recruiting
Companies must use social media and online job platforms to appeal to the fast-growing millennial and Gen Z workforce. This kind of multi-channel approach to recruitment can help companies reach a larger pool of potential candidates.
Focused Sales Training
Investing in sales training for your retail employees is one of the smartest things you can do to grow your business. By providing focused sales training that covers topics like new technology, online sales systems, and flexible communication, you’ll help your employees reach their full potential – and bring in more revenue as a result.
Soft skills
As we move into the future, it’s becoming increasingly important for retail employees to have soft skills like collaboration, communication, and problem-solving ability. These skills are crucial for anyone who wants to succeed in the retail industry.
Dynamic Employment Agreements
A dynamic employment agreement is different from a traditional employment agreement in that it is designed to be revisited and revised every 3-4 months, instead of every 1-2 years. This makes dynamic employment agreements much more flexible and allows the terms to be easily changed as needed, by mutual agreement of the parties who sign them.
Dynamic employment agreements are a win-win for both the employer and the employee. By offering additional benefits beyond traditional compensation, such as flexible time, the ability to work remotely, performance bonuses, and other creative benefits, employers frequently inspire contracted workers to perform even better.
Most agreements also include a termination clause, which explains the process of how, why, and when the contract could be terminated. For example, if the work delivered did not meet the standards or the employee was not paid on time, the offended party could choose to terminate the contract. Termination can also be based on employment at will, which means either of the parties can choose to end the contract mutually. The termination segment can also specify any severance that would be provided to either party in case of unforeseen circumstances. Moreover, Staffing workers claim flexible schedules as a motivation for selecting temporary/contract employment.
Contractual staffing though seems the ideal option for the Retail industry currently, sourcing the right resources and training them to skill adaptability is a process that needs to be given due attention. Retail companies that have seen an immense drop in their offline activities need a sensible approach through manpower outsourcing or hiring contractual employees.
With changing dynamics while some practices are exiting the doors, new ones emerge. To be able to accept and adapt to these new practices is the way further. Organizations have been proactively looking at technology, hybrid working conditions, maintaining a balance between men and women employees, as well as recruiting dedicated resources even if it is project-based.
virtual hiring and working
Retail is all about offline operations, but companies can use the online medium to hire and induct employees as well as give virtual office tours, host virtual meet-and-greets, conducting virtual training sessions to engage with your employees at different locations at a little cost.
Find the right HR partner
Prompt Personnel provides temporary staffing PAN India. We provide labour law advisory and compliance customized to the industry. We also offer a complete end-to-end HR solutions.