There are around 3 million people who work in retail. It has always been a people business and people are the lifeblood of our industry.
Our recent Retail Jobs Report showed that more than 400,000 people were furloughed in September – that’s the latest data available.
New findings from the Centre for Retail Research suggest that more than 200,000 retail jobs were lost in 2020. At the same time, many new jobs have been created in the food industry, in distribution centres and as part of the ongoing investment in digital.
Numbers, numbers, numbers. But behind the numbers are real people.
People whose hard work and dedication have helped feed a nation, deliver Santa’s gifts far and wide, and meet the varied needs of a country that has suddenly found itself spending more and more time at home.
Need a new desk for the home office? Clothes for the kids? Say thanks to the person who delivered them, to the person who packed it in the van, to the person who kept the warehouse stacked, to the person who kept the website going when traffic doubled.
Without a doubt, the job of frontline retail colleagues has become harder. Many face increased abuse and even violence as they implement the Covid-related rules that keep the rest of us safe.
“As retail leaders, we owe a debt of gratitude to our people. I believe there are three ways we should show that gratitude: wellbeing, safety and personal development”
Others face uncertainty about whether their job will still be there by the time shops reopen – if their particular store reopens at all.
Many have been in and out of furlough for months on end. And that’s not to mention the multitude of challenges we all face under the ‘new normal’ in which we live.
As retail leaders, we owe a debt of gratitude to our people. I believe there are three ways we should show that gratitude: wellbeing, safety and personal development.
Supporting wellbeing through the mental and physical health challenges is key to keeping employees happy, healthy and productive.
Every retailer should do what they can, both within their business and by supporting Retail Trust – the charity that offers financial, emotional and physical wellbeing services to those in the industry, and which gave more than £800,000 in financial aid to retail colleagues in 2020.
We must support the safety of staff. Every retailer I know has invested hugely in Covid-secure sites, whether warehouse or store.
And, while we all welcome the progress being made in vaccinating the public, I fear it may not prove to be the white knight we all want it to be.
The long-term efficacy is yet to be determined, the string of new variants may yet create more headaches and public attitudes to going out may take a long time to return to normal.
As such, workplace testing may prove an essential component of keeping colleagues and customers safe in the long, as well as short, term.
We should embrace this. We are working with many of you to get more of this up and running and to lobby the government to continue to provide free test kits to retailers.
Our final pillar of gratitude is to support people’s future through learning and development. This also reflects a need for new and different leadership skills and a focus on diversity and inclusion.
“Retail will remain a people business. No matter who you are or what you do, these are testing times and we all need to feel secure in order to thrive”
The accelerating digital transformation is leading to a rise in demand for digital skills, data science and analytics.
That’s why we set up BRC Learning to help retailers develop the retail talent of tomorrow.
Our own commitment to those working in retail has led us to offer a free course in wellbeing and coaching to anyone who has found themselves furloughed. In return, we ask that their employer donate to Retail Trust to support the charity’s great work.
Retail will remain a people business. No matter who you are or what you do, these are testing times and we all need to feel secure in order to thrive.
Supporting one another, and keeping the wellbeing, safety and development of our people at the heart of what we do, will allow that.
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