Inclusion. Talent. Diversity. What do these all mean for retailers here in Canada?

The latest Retail Conditions report from the Retail Council of Canada showed that today’s two main concerns for retailers in Canada were supply chain challenges, followed by talent shortages. Their “Retail HR Forum” is completely focused on that second point - the challenges surrounding talent.

Retail needs for talent have changed – the accelerated shift to ecommerce and ongoing supply chain challenges have significantly increased demand for digital, distribution and logistics-related staff. At the same time, employment uncertainty has caused many who were in retail to move to other industries, and the pandemic has caused others to retire early. As bricks & mortar stores begin to open up more consistently and with fewer restrictions, the challenge becomes how to attract still-available workers back to retail, and how to replace those who are no longer available. All of this is happening while workers are demanding higher compensation and more than ever before, increased autonomy, flexibility, and alignment with social values.

Society has changed as well – inclusion and diversity have shifted from being topics of discussion to being table stakes for employers. From a talent acquisition perspective, focusing on inclusion and diversity broadens the pool of available talent in the face of significant labour shortages. It also makes retailers more attractive to today’s workers – a recent Scotiabank survey found that two in three Canadians view a culture of inclusion as more important than it was before the pandemic. From a performance perspective, focusing on inclusion and diversity also removes barriers to employee engagement - a recent Canadian Marketing Association study on diversity and inclusion in the workplace showed 63% of respondents had noticed others in their organizations being less engaged due to systems of discrimination.

People have always been the key to success in retail. Moving to counter today’s people challenges requires retail professionals like you to be on top of the latest in HR trends, challenges and opportunities. On March 22, the Retail Council of Canada’s HR Forum will give you the opportunity to learn about them from leading retailers, consultants and vendors.

On March 22 you’ll have an opportunity to network with hundreds of other retail professionals from across the country and learn about:

• Building pride in a retail career
• Using collaboration to increase engagement
• Creating purpose through community
• Improving retention in a time of change
• And more...

We’re proud to be sponsoring the Retail Council of Canada’s 20221 Retail HR Forum, learning and sharing alongside you and other retail professionals. It’s one of the ways we ensure we remain on the leading edge of recruiting for the Canadian retail industry from our offices across the country.