Brick-and-mortar retail stores run smoothly when employees are informed and engaged. When sales associates understand everything from new products and promotions to standard operating procedures and company-wide policies, they’re better able to represent the brand and sell effectively.
However, getting information to employees and communicating with them regularly can be tricky. Deskless workers often struggle to connect with management and higher-ups, who may be unable to ensure their teams are fully informed.
Additionally, the nature of retail and shift work means that not all employees will receive news simultaneously, so retailers often rely on a chain of communication to ensure everyone stays up-to-date. This is a challenge for all involved, with employees potentially feeling out of the loop, managers and leaders wondering why employees aren’t in-the-know.
Marc Gingras, SVP of Employee Experience Strategy at WorkForce Software, shares insights on current communication issues the retail industry is facing and how workforce management solutions are helping by connecting and educating employees – further improving the workplace experience for staff and companywide processes.
“Using tools that employees are already familiar with and have at their fingertips—their smartphones—gives employees the information they need to do their jobs, improves their engagement, and allows them to provide feedback easily whilst feeling more connected,” Gingras says. “Giving employees tools and information to better serve customers means increased revenue and customer loyalty.”
