How to motivate retail staff during the festive season

For most people, the festive season is all about the year coming to an end. Things start to wind down, work becomes less hectic, and the stress seems to evaporate for a while. It’s a time when the majority of people get to take a break from life and spend some valuable time with their loved ones. For those who work in retail, however, this is not the case.

In the retail industry the festive season is great for business and hell for staff. The stores are crowded, customers are either in a rush or have too much time to spare, and products sell out faster than you can say “stock take”. Anyone who has ever worked in a store over the holiday season knows that it’s not a jolly time for cashiers and sales people.

That’s why it’s important to keep your staff motivated. The more motivated they are, the better they’ll sell and the harder they’ll work. But how do you do give them that little bit of extra motivation?

Give them a break – Working during the festive season is no joke and retail staff don’t have it easy. It’s a tiring job and in December it becomes utterly exhausting. So add an extra fifteen minute break to their day so that they can clear their head and regroup.

Pay them early – Retail staff have family and friends too and they, just like everybody else, are expecting gifts. If your staff only get paid at the end of the month then it may be a good idea to pay them a bit early so they can do their seasonal shopping just like everybody else. They’ll be grateful and it’ll show in their job performance. So, put a hold on your debit order systems and give them their pay cheque a little early this year.

Offer incentives – Whether you offer a cash prize for the person who makes the most sales or let the most productive member of your team choose their own schedule for January, offering an incentive will encourage a little healthy competition.

Have a staff party – Most businesses throw their staff a little party at the end of the year to thank them for their hard work. It doesn’t have to be a big deal and you don’t have to do anything fancy. Even just having a drink or two after the store closes is enough to let your staff know that you value them and what they do.

Give them a discount – Most stores give their employees a staff discount and this becomes far more valuable over the festive season. So why not increase it by a small percentage or – if there’s usually a limit on how many items they can purchase – increase the amount they’re allowed to buy with their discount. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but every bit counts.

The end of the year is a tough time for retail staff and that’s why it’s important that they remain optimistic and energetic. Use these ideas to keep your staff motivated and make the most of the festive season.

*This article was brought to you by Digicash, which provides debit order systems.