Added to that , a significant 42 % of those surveyed stated that they have been in their job for less than a year , once again throwing job turnover in the retail sector back into the spotlight .

What makes employees leave their jobs ?

So why do employees in the retail sector tend to change jobs ? Is it a lack of money ? After all , retail has always struggled to escape the ( in many cases false ) stereotype of being a poorly paid industry .

However , our research has revealed that 26 % of employees working in the retail sector are considering a job change or have changed jobs in the past 12 months because of a poor working environment .

The research also found that although salary remains a key consideration for employees , other elements around management and company stability are just as important ; just 12 % said they left their last job as a result of seeking a better salary whilst exactly the same percentage said they left because they were worried about their employer ’ s stability . At the other end of the scale , just 1 % cited their company ’ s benefit package as the reason for changing jobs .

Meanwhile , 21 % of retail workers left their last position due to a lack of promotion .

Research has previously shown that the total cost of replacing a member of staff , can be well over £ 30,000 when you consider the substantial sums that drive advertising , interviewing and administration .

Whilst this figure is slightly lower in the retail sector , at an estimated £ 20,000 per employee , it ’ s worth noting that with approximately 110,000 workers currently employed in the UK retail space , these costs make employee recruitment and retention a commercial concern for UK customer-owned retailers .

Many retail workers also believe that , despite being happy in their current role , they should stay in a job for no more than two years in order to progress their career ; 30 % cited this as the case . This figure decreased slightly to 27 % who said no more than three years whilst just 17 % of those surveyed said they believe they should stay in their current role for no more than four years in order to fulfil their career goals .

What makes employees stay ?

People stay with companies that demonstrate value and care for their employees . Therefore , employers must start to see the value in nurturing their own talent . This will unearth much-needed skills and ability . Training and development can become critical in ensuring that valued members of staff remain contented .

In today ’ s increasingly challenging business world , companies across all industries and sectors have a choice of recruiting or nurturing their own talent . The latter , whilst perhaps more complex , will bring rewards in abundance to the individual and the business .

If a retail businesses wishes to reduce staff turnover then they simply need to give staff a reason to stay . Although salary is obviously a factor , our survey findings suggest that this is not a prerogative for many working in the industry . Instead , it is just as important to offer staff opportunities to grow within the business . Employees should be rewarded for their efforts and there should be a clear line of progression with the business .

Retail businesses which have a clear set of values shared among staff perform better than those that don ’ t . And when employees feel an emotional involvement in and commitment to a business , there is a lower staff turnover .

There is little doubt that a talented and engaged workforce is one of the most significant competitive advantages a retail organisation can have . But with the everpresent ‘ war on talent ’ the challenge for organisations is building a workforce that helps them strive and thrive .

This is particularly true in the retail sector , where predominantly young workforces , changing staffing requirements and high employee turnover present unique challenges .

05

How long do people stay in their jobs in retail ?

In terms of job longevity , just 12 % of respondents said they have been in the same retail job for 5-9 years and 5 % said they have been in the same job for a decade or more .

With shop floor retail staff displaying one of the highest employee turnover rates of all industries in the UK , this highlights the struggle retailers face to attract and retain talent on the shop floor .

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