Between supply chain disruptions and massive labor shortages, one can’t help but wonder how it will impact this year’s holiday shopping season. To say retailers are concerned is a gross understatement. The fear of managing daily understaffing has business owners and HR managers quaking in their boots even before the mercury dips.
Anticipating not being able to meet the consumers’ needs has companies doubling down on recruiting efforts. While predictors forecast an increase in holiday shopping sales over 2020—a welcome prediction for any holiday shopping season—how will the stretched-to-the-max retail workforce handle it? Many employers have reported the search for seasonal associates began as early as September. But an astounding number of retail positions remain open.
The $64,000 question persists: how does one approach the scenario of “job hesitation”? Even after federal unemployment payments have ceased, many people have chosen not to return to the workforce for various reasons. This situation has proven especially troublesome for the retail sector. Unfortunately, they face an even steeper uphill battle than many other industries, being plagued with long-held stigmas that have hindered this vital sector’s pursuit of employees for years. The notion that the work is grueling or beneath their skillset discourages many potential candidates. Some folks choose to hold out for an employment opportunity that offers higher pay. Furthermore, despite the availability of the vaccine and the decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases, the public aspect of working in retail continues to be worrisome for some would-be candidates.
“Retailers need to know it’s not just about compensation,” notes Dave Gilbertson, vice president at KPG, a workforce management company. “It’s about flexibility and showing that you value your associates. It’s about training and developing your workforce and making sure people feel that they’re starting a career, versus just working day-to-day.”
Major retailers such as Kohl’s, Walmart, and Amazon are wooing potential candidates with higher wages, bonuses, and tuition assistance. Belk plans to incentivize with competitive pay, flexible schedules, a 20% employee discount, and special holiday double discount days. And Target, in addition to offering existing staff some 5 million additional hours this holiday season, has launched a new mobile scheduling app that allows workers to add or swap shifts to fit their schedules better, tuning into the need for greater flexibility.
The best bet for the consumer coping with holiday shopping ala 2021? Be prepared for some empty shelves and out-of-stocks. Expect to encounter unattended cash registers, long check-out lines, and fewer salesclerks offering assistance. By lowering expectations and accepting the realities of this emerging-from-a-worldwide-pandemic holiday, shoppers can and will manage the challenges of Christmas 2021. Of course, swallowing a hefty dose of “goodwill to men” and “tidings of comfort and joy” before holiday shopping excursions couldn’t hurt either.
These challenging times call for recruiting and staffing agencies to polish up the shine on their brand. Let ASJ Partners launch a customized, comprehensive marketing strategy that will help you draw in the talent to fill your clients’ open positions while also attracting new clients who need your experience and expertise. Contact the ASJ team ASAP.
