Retail is a competitive industry in which companies are constantly trying to maintain and increase their competitive advantage. An important part of this is staffing and workforce management. In short, workforce management is the process of deploying and planning staff in a way that aligns with business objectives. In this blog, you will read how workforce management in retail can contribute to business strategy and the achievement of goals.
Those with experience in retail know that proper workforce planning and management is essential to the execution of business strategy. Using and scheduling staff efficiently can save on costs while increasing service quality. For example, simply by scheduling staff at busy times and reducing staffing at quieter times. This ensures that customer satisfaction remains high and that the company can control costs.
It is the balance between cost and quality of staff in the store or location. But based on what insights do you plan? A good workforce management system provides these insights based on historical data and forecasts and makes planning and responding to different times easier.
Moreover, workforce management can help achieve competitive advantage. This can be done by building a flexible and well-trained workforce that can respond quickly to changing market conditions or respond well to unexpected situations. For example, by adjusting schedules based on changing customer needs or training staff to use new technologies.
A company that involves employees in planning and provides clarity for staff is also more attractive as an employer. In these ways, among others, a company can distinguish itself from competitors and as an employer.
In addition, workforce management can also help achieve business goals, such as meeting revenue targets and improving customer experience and productivity. This can be done, for example, by assigning staff to the right departments based on their skills and experience, which can lead to higher productivity and revenue.
Moreover, creating a good working environment and offering training and development opportunities to staff can help increase their motivation and commitment to the company, which can also lead to better performance and results.
Finally, workforce management also helps achieve sustainable business goals. For example, by reducing staff turnover and increasing staff loyalty. One way this can be achieved is by providing flexible working hours and offering development and advancement opportunities to staff. Further, it also has a significant impact on reducing the cost of recruiting and training new staff.
In summary, workforce management makes an important contribution to the (execution of the) business strategy of retail companies. Good workforce planning can lead to cost savings and higher customer satisfaction and productivity, while on the other hand you involve the staff in planning and can bind them to your organization for a longer period of time. Good workforce management and smart workforce planning ensures that you make targeted choices that all contribute to the business strategy.