The hunt for reliable staff

Are you struggling with staff?

I’ve been out speaking to retail stores across New Zealand over the past few weeks and I’m hearing horror stories. It’s the issue of not having enough staff to even OPEN the store each day.

One retailer shared a story of having a North Shore team member driving 1.5 hours to open the Hamilton store, before working her way back up to the Pukekohe store before going back to the North Shore. Might I add, this staff member did this trip each day for a week!

Another business had a staff member fly from Christchurch to Auckland to open a store the next day. Situations like these put extreme mental and financial pressure on management and that pressure filters down to the wider team.

How do you find motivated, confident sellers who are reliable? I’ve pulled together some helpful resources to help you on your search.

Sell them on why you’re a good place to work

Make the opportunity as appealing as possible. It’s not just any retail job - it’s THE job. Talk about your store's high-quality service, the history of the brand and your management style and how someone can really stamp their mark on the industry.

Take a look at a great job posting example for an American store Taylor Stitch here for an idea of how your postings should look - particularly under the Job Description section.

Use your socials

The people already following your brands on social media are automatically ‘brand fans’ and connected to your brand. Share job openings and behind-the-scenes shots of the team to entice job seekers.

Get the right personalities

We have a brilliant white-paper on different personalities you find across retail frontline teams. The Driver, The Analytical, The Relator, The Expressive. Download it now.

There is also a fantastic contributor piece from Forbes.com on the 7 C’s for find the cream of the crop. Competent, Capable, Compatible, Commitment, Character, Culture, Compensation.

Read the article and ensure your job applicants give you answers in these seven categories and search for the truth. It will help you obtain a clearer picture of potential workers.

Need help with recruitment?

As always, if you’d like to learn more about how RedSeed can help you improve your recruitment process and teach your team how to hire the right person for the job, every time, get in touch!