How to Engage Retail Employees: 25 Ideas to Consider

They say working retail is soul-crushing, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on employee engagement. If you're having trouble coming up with employee engagement ideas, we're here to help. Check out these brilliant ideas for employee engagement activities in the retail sector!

1. Give your employees the right gear for their job.
2. Introduce them to every employee on every shift.
3. Publish schedules as soon as you’re able.
4. Keep employees in-the-loop on company happenings.
5. Provide an employee discount.
6. Encourage employees to test out new products.
7. Set individual employee sales goals.
8. Create a bulletin board with company announcements.
9. Institute a “no working on your birthday” policy.
10. Have weekly one-on-one meetings with employees.
11. Recognize employees for particularly stellar customer service.
12. Chart employees’ “personal records” in various company metrics – celebrate breaking them!
13. Hold at least one all-employee event every year.
14. Go above and beyond #13 – invite their families!
15. Ensure all technology your employees use is up-to-date.
16. Explain your company’s purpose.
17. Invest in employee development.
18. Career plan with your employees – retail can be a career.
19. Make training and development part of work hours. Employees deserved to be paid for these hours, too!
20. Explain employee benefits, and encourage employees to ask questions.
21. Create activities that connect employees across shifts.
22. Provide meals or snacks for any employees working holidays.
23. Give employees some control over processes; encourage them to innovate!
24. Make sure the break room is comfortable and well-stocked with snacks, coffee, ibuprofen, and anything else an employee might need.
25. Survey employees and gather feedback regularly.

Hope you can implement some of these employee engagement activities for the retail sector! Want the research behind these ideas? Download The Future of Retail now!