Last week at the National Retail Foundation (NRF) 2019 conference in New York City, retailers talked of transformation and adaptation to the current omnichannel retail environment. These company transformations will require great technology, but it will also require the human element—a culture and workforce that is ready to move forward.
That’s why human resources (HR) and human capital management (HCM) software play a major role in transformation at retail organizations—the right HR processes combined with enabling tech can build the right culture that attracts and maintains the necessary workforce.
During one session at NRF 2019, a major home improvement retailer discussed how it takes more than just technology to build the store of the future. The company discussed the importance for a company-wide mindset and values that will drive innovation, and an understanding that innovation must be a constant.
The retailer also talked about how the reason new technologies don’t take hold in stores is because associates don’t feel connected, and don’t see how it improves their own lives. They stressed the importance of making employees feel important and carrying the same genuine affection and empathy for your workers as you do for your customers.
Setting the Total Retail Workforce Up for Success
In presenting the top priorities for retailers for the coming year at NRF 2019, Forrester cited lowering IT costs while still improving employee retention as a main goal. Those two don’t seem related on face, but with the growth of cloud HR technologies such as SAP SuccessFactors, saving money and improving employee retention can go hand in hand.
Retailers are unique in their workforces, with many salaried employees at the corporate and middle management levels, to go with hourly and seasonal workers throughout the organization. That creates a challenge for not only managing the total workforce, but also imparting an innovative culture on that workforce.
With SAP SuccessFactors and SAP Fieldglass integration, retailers can view both internal and external workers—be they permanent, contract/SOW, temporary, or independent consultants—in a single organizational chart. It also allows for companies to apply select talent processes, such as learning, socialization, and collaboration, to those contingent workers with the SAP SuccessFactors system.
On the SAP Fieldglass side, retailers can procure, manage, and optimize the contingent workforce, improve talent service and quality, and support risk mitigation and policy compliance. Combining SAP Fieldglass and SAP SuccessFactors allows for companies to impart the culture and training they want on all types of employees.
Both SAP SuccessFactors and SAP Fieldglass are deployed in the cloud, meaning savings on IT infrastructure that retailers are seeking along with improved processes that will optimize the HR workforce.
Transforming requires a combination of culture, people, and technologies at retailers. In 2019, HR and HCM systems will play a key role as the retail industry adapts to an omnichannel reality. Contact us to help you set up your retail workforce for success!