Fully Stocked: New Research Reveals How to Attract In-Demand Retail Workers Ahead of Holiday Hiring Rush

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Nov 21, 2019, 13:00 ET

MILWAUKEE, Nov. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Strong U.S. consumer spending, high demand for products and services and low unemployment are creating a tight talent market for retailers ahead of the holiday rush. A new report - Fully Stocked: Alternative Work Models for Retailers - from ManpowerGroup Solutions (NYSE: MAN) and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) identifies what attracts retail workers to new positions. According to a study of nearly 2,500 retail workers, flexibility is key to not only finding the best talent for in-store and warehouse/distribution workers, it also makes them stay.

The report shows retailers are adopting collaborative hiring strategies, sharing a skilled talent pool and leveraging apps with on-demand staffing technology, so workers can choose schedules and flex fast. Tech-driven talent options like ManpowerGroup Solutions' WorkMyWay.com platform allows employers to interview, hire, train and track schedule preferences across a shared pool of qualified workers. Smartphone apps including Forge and HYR allow workers to swap, drop or pick up shifts.

"Employers across the U.S. are experiencing talent shortages and retailers are not immune as they compete for workers who seek new ways of working," said Melissa Hassett, Vice President of Client Delivery at ManpowerGroup Solutions. "Retail workers, from delivery drivers to customer service representatives, want work that can easily blend with their busy lives. Retailers who offer workers flexibility and use technology to recruit talent when and where they want to work will have the edge."

View the full report: Fully Stocked: Alternative Work Models for Retailers.

"The evolution of the gig economy and trends around independent and autonomous work are impacting retailers in ways that were unimagined just a few years ago," said Evan Armstrong, Vice President of Workforce at RILA. "With half a million job openings in the retail industry, employers are constantly reimagining the workforce experience to continue providing careers and opportunities to U.S. retail workers. Depending upon what the individual is seeking, retail can be a lifelong career or a part-time side hustle. The battle for talent is fierce and to compete, leading retailers need to consider cultivating a workforce in a tech-forward industry by prioritizing the preferences of job-seekers."

To learn more about ManpowerGroup Solutions' candidate preferences research and practical strategies to close the retail talent gap, read Fully Stocked: Alternative Work Models for Retailers, at https://www.manpowergroup.us/campaigns/manpowergroup-solutions/retail/report.html.

About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organizations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands – Manpower®, Experis®, Right Management® and ManpowerGroup® Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across 80 countries and territories and has done so for over 70 years. In 2019, ManpowerGroup was named one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies for the seventeenth year and one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the tenth year, confirming our position as the most trusted brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup is powering the future of work: www.manpowergroup.com

About RILA
RILA is the US trade association for leading retailers. We convene decision-makers, advocate for the industry, and promote operational excellence and innovation. Our aim is to elevate a dynamic industry by transforming the environment in which retailers operate.

RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs, and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers domestically and abroad.

www.rila.org

SOURCE ManpowerGroup