Retailers are often reluctant to establish an anonymous employee hotline. The additional expense of staff, equipment and office space may seem a waste of money and resources. However, an employee hotline can help an organization save money, especially when considered in terms of employee retention. And with the cost effective outsourcing options available, employee hotline ROI can be truly compelling for retailers.
Cost of Training
The salary of retail employees is less than $50,000 a year. Statistics have shown that for salaried employees earning $50,000 a year or less, it costs 20% of that salary to hire and train a new employee. With an industry turnover rate at 75%, it is extremely important to find ways to retain competent, trained employees, which helps reduce HR costs and results in increased worker efficiency.
Reasons Why Employees Leave
What are the main reasons retail employees leave? In addition to the seasonal fluctuations in the industry, employees offer five main reasons for leaving a retail position:
- Poor Training
- Managers with Poor Interpersonal Skills
- Employees are Treated Like Drones
- Archaic Company Employee Policies
Retail employees are often expected to work long hours for modest remuneration. Many retail positions offer limited mobility and don’t align well with Millennial employees who expect more from their employer. This is a significant issue, as Millennials will make up 46% of the workforce by 2020
Company Expectations versus Retail Reality
Many retail organizations have tried to make changes in employee training methods, incentives and policies. Corporate headquarters create employee manuals they expect retail outlets to follow. Often however the reality in individual locations is different. Poor scheduling can leave managers understaffed, forcing them to throw new employees into the fray. In other cases, managers are busy covering for employees who call in sick, adversely impacting their ability to follow corporate directives.
Employee Hotline Solution
An anonymous employee hotline can help bring these types of issues to the forefront, offering organizations unfettered access to those on the front lines. Hotlines can also help show employees that the company cares about its workers, helping to improve morale and reduce turnover. Implementing an employee hotline can offer compelling ROI, by providing direct actionable feedback and mitigating employee retention challenges.
To learn more about Employee Hotlines, contact the experts at ServiceCheck.