Staff retention is always on the top priority list of the HR agenda. In many job sectors, companies have experienced difficulty in retaining staff. The retail industry is no exception.

In the “Global Hiring and Retention – Trends & Strategy for Retail Industry Seminar” organized by Hong Kong Retail Management Association in mid-August 2008, speakers shared with HR professionals the global recruitment challenges in retail, tips on identifying and hiring suitable staff, and the concept of employee engagement.

Focus Effort on Staff Retention
Simon Gluyas, Senior Consultant of Kenexa, a company providing HR solutions including software, proprietary content, and process outsourcing, said in the seminar that most retail companies have identified staff retention as an important focus over the next year, demonstrating that companies have had difficulty in retaining talent in their companies.

Identify Top Performers
How can companies keep talent? Janis Chng, Consultant of Kenexa pointed out that it is essential to identify the personality characteristics of top performers and then assess the candidates to hire and keep the right people. She pointed out the key personality characteristics that make an effective customer service personnel. These include people focus, quality focus, social confidence, drive, caution and being procedural.

Engage Your Staff
Staff retention is highly related to employee engagement, said Kyle Lundby, Lead Consultant, Asia Pacific, Kenexa. He said that employee engagement is the extent to which employees are motivated to contribute to organizational success. Staff who have a high engagement index are expected to be loyal to their companies and have high motivation to work towards achieving the goals of employers.

What drives employee engagement? As most employees look for a sense of confidence in future and expect to work in a safe environment, HR professionals should work on some essential drivers of employee engagement, including training and job security, respect and recognition, work-life balance, and promising career prospects.

Photo source: Hong Kong Retail Management Association