Future of Retail Employees: Folks, there is no denying that the pandemic has accelerated the Digital Revolution around the world. The pandemic has shuffled all our needs and wants. the future of all human activities is going to be vibrant, dynamic, and technology-driven as digital footprints are becoming universally ubiquitous
So what is going to be the scenario of the Retail Industry Post-Covid-19?
Especially in India!
As we all know the word, “Retail” means “Selling to the Public.”
Thus the success of the Retail Industry Post-Covid-19 will depend solely on the two factors:
- Faster Acceptance of Technological Advancements & Its Smooth Implementation.
- Better Customer Experience (CX) & Its Continuous Enhancement.
Because a huge market like India, which ranked no. 2 in the Global Retail Development Index (GRDI) in 2019, has a tremendous opportunity to weather this change successfully.
As not only it has one of the world’s best financial innovation & inclusion policies, But the country also has an active 650 mn internet users base jeez, more than that of the entire population of the six G7 countries.
But even after such big positives, The country still needs to pay heed to many challenges like:
- Lack of Technology adoption
- Poor Logistics and Infrastructure
- Inefficient Supply-Chain management
- Price War
- Rampant Fraud in Retailing
- Tax Structure and Bureaucracy
- Competition from Unorganized Retailers
- Lack of Customer Understanding
To achieve absolute growth in this sector which, employs more than 46 mn Indians contributing to 10% of the Nation’s GDP.
Hence the sector needs to evolve & adapt to smart measures alongside the Governments support like:
- Deploying smart employees for a Better Customer Experience (CX).
- Reducing or discarding job positions/profiles like of a Cashier.
- Accentuating on Technological advancements and Innovation.
- Integration and Inclusion of the Unorganized Retail Sector which accounts for 85% of the total Retail Sector viz the Kiranawalas, Beedi Walas, Fishermen, Handloom Workers, etc.
- Better Government Policies that can lift and pump the adrenaline of 65mn small traders in India.
- Better pricing models by the Government for the Small Store Owners to Invest in Technology and Embrace Automation.
Thus the Retail Industry is poised to witness and undergo a crucial transformation.
But in the middle of this transformation, the Retail Industry also has to design policies and create employee well fair schemes.
Because “You don’t build a business, you build people, then people build the business.”
Measures to be taken for COVID-19:
- Conducting daily or weekly surveys related to overall employee health and well-being.
- Setting up a small space in the malls or supermarket where employees can quickly consult a psychiatrist if they feel stressed or perturbed about anything.
- Allowing frequent breaks during working hours to avoid employee exhaustion out of monotonous work routines.
- Accentuating on proper employee training and skill-based programs for the overall growth of the employee.
- Developing and inculcating a “smart work attitude” rather than a century-old “hard work attitude” among the employees.
Hence the importance of a smart retail employee is going to be more important than that of a hard-working retail employee in context to the fastest growing retail market in the world.
Because the future is going to be smart, fast, and highly technology-driven, the one who adapts to these changes will automatically surpass all the hurdles.
