Retail surgery: What type of staff training should I provide?

Training can dramatically improve staff confidence at all levels, and is especially useful for helping employees to cope when a retailer has undergone a period of change or significant turmoil. “Training develops the workforce’s skillset and expands employees’ horizons,” says Chris May, managing director of FXL, a retail training company. “We define training as a structured process to bring learners up to a prescribed standard.”

Plus, it means bosses can focus on other things when staff are properly trained. “Once confident in their support staff, retail managers can concentrate on business profitability and development,” says May.

Within retail, training exists in many forms and can cover everything from stakeholder management to communication. The ability to invest in multiple initiatives may be limited due to financial strain. However, the most expensive type of training is that which goes unused, May says When choosing a training scheme, knowing the gaps in your staff’s capabilities is a good starting point. Managers should aim to match the training to specific needs, as well as feel confident in their coaching of new principles.

“FXL’s recent survey with a leading grocery supplier found that 90% of account managers considered their head office buying contacts less skilled than three years ago,” says May. “Buyers are rushing into decisions due to time pressures.

“Skilled buying would solve many problems that retailers experience down the line, and organisations within the FMCG sector would do well to focus on this particular shortcoming.”