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The Retail Evolution Starts With Talent

This article is more than 6 years old.

Nearly every speaker at the NRF’s Big Show came with a powerful message: the boundaries of retail are expanding. Big data and AI are helping us reimagine the in-store experience. New tech and emerging platforms are creating a more dynamic and integrated retail offering.  

While we have more tools, insights and ambition than ever before, as an industry, our greatest resource is still our people. It is the wealth of talent – the nearly 29 million Americans working in retail – that will help our industry transform and exceed customers’ rapidly changing expectations.

Investing in talent

Just as retailers will invest in new tech and scaling, they must invest in their people. Existing talent strategies – how we hire and grow our people – must evolve with our businesses.

For many leaders, the biggest priority is harnessing the strength of diversity and fostering an inclusive workplace. We cannot push boundaries with old paradigms.

Years of research and case studies prove the power of diversity and there is no business case against it. But knowing diversity is good for business is a far cry from achieving a diverse workforce and fostering an inclusive culture. It takes meaningful programs that will redefine the talent pipeline and create new pathways to leadership positions.

The NRF Foundation and more than 30 leading retailers have come together to launch RISE Up, a program offering training and credentials that help entry-level job seekers develop meaningful careers. The program is already full of success stories. “From cashier to executive” is a storyline retailers are writing more and more with similar programs.

Culture commitment

While programs are critical, they are only as successful as the culture that supports the work. More than 300 CEOs across sectors and industries – including 29 retailer CEOs – have committed to fostering an inclusive culture through action with CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion.

This work is not comfortable – it requires change and often some uncomfortable conversations internally. But it is an effort that retailers are deeply committed to as seen at The Big Show. During the CEO Action panel, attendees heard from retail giants how they are acting on diversity and inclusion. One leader shared how a team with diverse perspectives, backgrounds and experiences leads to more effective and creative ideas. Another leader urged the group to stop being polite – to have the challenging conversations needed and unleash the power of our people.  This is not the candor we heard from CEOs ten years ago. This boldness stems from urgency.

Springing into action

If our industry is radically changing – and it is – don’t we need to escalate the pace of change in how we attract, teach and retain talent? Shouldn't we be brave enough to look at that entry-level need differently, perhaps welcome a candidate from a different background or with different credentials? And shouldn’t we open doors for this talent, welcoming new ideas and perspectives? In an industry that is as diverse as our country, the answer is an unequivocal yes.