Never End Staff Recruitment

Do you occasionally post in your store a sign reading something like, “We’re a great place to shop, aren’t we? We’re also a great place to work. Please ask for a job application if you’d like to learn more.”?
     Don’t post the sign continuously. If you’re a small retail business, your staff turnover shouldn’t be so substantial that you’re hiring nonstop. A sign implying you do goes against the sign’s claim that you’re a great place to work. Still, even if you’re a one-person operation, always have in mind people to hire. For the short term, the one person needs a break and, if he or she never takes a break, will likely need backup when he or she falls ill. For the long term, prospective employees could become prospective purchasers of the business when you’re ready to sell.
     Are you be ready to replace employees who accept jobs elsewhere or return to school? Now is the time to start building your list of candidates. If you wait until there’s an immediate need for new faces, you’re likely to have to settle for lower quality than you should have on the selling floor, at the cash registers, and in the back office.
     The signage I’m suggesting takes account of the fact that people who shop frequently in your store can turn out to be excellent employees. They know the store well, and your staff have had an opportunity to interact with them. Your frequent shoppers are also members of your store’s community who will praise your store and defend it against criticism.
     Retail experts at University of Manchester and the Association of Corporate Treasurers suggest current and past employees as another source of recruits. Here’s my adaptation of the list of steps they’ve found to be successful:

• Research. Ascertain what your current and past employees are saying about you. Ask them, listen to their conversations, conduct exit interviews with departing employees, do internet searches on your business name. 
• Remedy. Address the causes of negative word-of-mouth from staff. Some of this might involve explaining to your employees why what seems negative actually helps keep jobs for them. 
• Inform & motivate. Equip your employees with information which will interest the right kinds of people for your store. Then incentivize by pointing out the advantages to your current and past employees of you having high-quality store staff. 

For your profitability: Sell Well: What Really Moves Your Shoppers

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Recruit Staff from Your Shoppers 
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