Personnel

Retail Leaders Are Prioritizing Automation and Future-Proofing Their Workforce
September 20, 2022 at 11:28 am

Facing a new era of retail in a volatile market, many businesses have had to rapidly expand or strengthen their online presence. Retailers that are thriving are doing so with the help of intelligent automation (IA). In fact, in a recent Deloitte report, 82 percent of sector leaders said “automation wherever possible will be a high priority,” and 67…

Lowe's Gives Inflation Bonuses to Hourly Workforce
August 18, 2022 at 5:32 pm

Lowe’s is offering hourly employees $55 million in bonuses to help offset the sting of inflation, which has remained near 40-year highs all summer, the company announced on an earnings call Wednesday. The home improvement retailer is offering this incentive even as inflation moderated slightly, with gas prices softening in July from their peak the previous month, a…

Nike Takes the Week Off for 2nd Annual Corporate 'Well-Being Week'
August 16, 2022 at 6:39 pm

Nike is again closing its global offices to encourage employee well-being, reports FootwearNews. This will be the athletic wear brand's second annual “Well-Being Week,” continuing efforts to give its employees rest and recovery. In addition to closing its corporate and Air Manufacturing Innovation (Air MI) offices, the retailer will give its retail store and distribution center staff a week’s…

Warby Parker Cuts 15% of Corporate Workforce
August 10, 2022 at 3:03 pm

The direct-to-consumer pioneer and eyeware brand Warby Parker is eliminating 63 corporate positions, or 15 percent of its corporate workforce, Business Insider first reported this week. In an internal memo to employees, Warby Parker co-founders Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa said the layoffs included customer-facing roles on the retail and consumer experience teams, as well…

5 Ways to Boost Team Morale
July 28, 2022 at 5:19 pm

There may be a day when you wake up and simply don't have the motivation to do your job anymore. When you think about going to work, you may feel helpless, trapped, detached or cynical. This lack of motivation or interest related to your job is commonly known as burnout. Managing this fatigue in the…

How Retailers Can Compete in a Tight Labor Market
July 14, 2022 at 1:13 pm

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a lot of disruption for retailers across the country. Many in the industry faced supply chain issues that resulted in drastically low inventory levels or even empty shelves. Some states imposed lockdowns that crimped business and led to innovations such as improved online shopping and curbside or in-store pickup of goods.…

True Employee Engagement is a Two-Way Street: Here’s How to Build It
July 11, 2022 at 5:09 pm

When it comes to nurturing a successful frontline team in a retail environment, employee engagement has to be a top priority. However, many employers find engagement to be a slippery, elusive quality. According to a 2021 study, 73 percent of employees would consider leaving their current jobs. The struggle to engage and retain employees is one without…

Peloton Boosts its Employees' Pay as Part of Turnaround Strategy
July 7, 2022 at 4:56 pm

Peloton sweetened incentives for its workers with one-time cash bonuses and changes to its stock compensation plan as it works to retain employees and fix its struggling business, according to internal memos seen by CNBC. The changes come a little more than five months into CEO Barry McCarthy's turnaround plan. McCarthy was named CEO in early…

Apple Workers at Maryland Store Vote to Unionize
June 20, 2022 at 5:20 pm

Employees at a Baltimore-area Apple store have voted to unionize, making it the first of Apple's 270-plus stores in the U.S. to join a union. In the election, 65 employees at Apple’s store in Towson, Md., voted in favor of being represented by the union, known as the Apple Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (CORE),…

Retail’s Resurgence Spawns New Challenges
June 14, 2022 at 10:52 am

As lease signs begin to disappear from storefront windows in Manhattan, retailers across the U.S. are preparing for the industry’s big return. Although the harshest COVID-driven restrictions were lifted months ago, businesses have been hesitant to open or expand their physical locations after suffering devastating revenue losses over the last two years. Increasing interest rates…