“Unemployment is the lowest we’ve seen in decades and take-home wages are up. All of that is reflected in consumers’ buying plans," said National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay.
So what is a recruiter to do with all of these numbers? Expect steep competition when hiring seasonal workers. Some of the larger retailers started hiring employees as early as Labor Day, but most seasonal workers start to look for work about three months in advance.
According to Nexxt, 83% of the largest metro areas have seen a decrease in retail employment. On the bright side, the culture of retail stores is changing in a way that’s more sustainable for employees. Large companies like Target see their stores as a reflection of their brand, and an opportunity to develop customer loyalty through personal interactions. These large stores continue to open new locations, but future employees and recruiters will need to know that now more than ever, customer service skills trump all in retail.
Many lower level retail positions are similar in job description and benefits, so time to hire can make or break you. If you quickly offer your candidate a job, chances are they’ll accept it. If your time to hire is too lengthy, chances are they’ll accept a similar position elsewhere.
Here are more tips on reducing your time to hire.
During the holiday season, Target’s minimum wage is $12 an hour. Other stores offer attractive employee discounts. Some stores provide health benefits to even their temporary workers. When you’re planning to hire a retail worker, make sure that your company’s benefits for part-time workers are attractive enough to compete.
Sometimes recruiters are in such a rush to hire retail workers that they forget to do their due diligence. This can lead to low quality employees, insufficiently licensed employees, or employees with a criminal background. To reduce your liability this holiday season, use a credible background screening company.
Verified First provides fully integrated background screening solutions for 100+ applicant tracking systems. With an average integration time of five minutes, Verified First uses patent-pending integration technology to slash your time to hire. Contact us for more information.
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