Retailers are taking increasingly strict measures due to staff shortages. For example, working hours were shortened, night shopping was eliminated, and branches had to close for half or full day. This is what Jan Meerman, director of the INretail industry association for the fashion, sports and shoe industry, says in a conversation with NU.nl.
The Dutch Retail Council (RND) can also be seen in this photo. “More and more shops are closing earlier: for example at six o’clock in the evening instead of eight o’clock.
There are currently over 40,000 retail job openings. So a work of art in the shop, says Peters. “But the same goes for fulfillment centers. Many retailers manage to save everything because many part-time workers work longer hours and are flexible. But the situation is very worrying, it shouldn’t get any crazier. We face a major challenge. To recruit more people to find those who want to work for us.
According to INretail director Meerman, approximately 5-10% of the open vacancies remain unfilled. “But that’s not the only problem. They also find it difficult to retain their employees. There is great competition between different sectors and everyone is fishing in the same pond. And that solves the problem.”
Meerman sees traders taking action as a result. “For example, closing small stores for a day and moving staff to larger, profitable stores.”
‘There is a lot of work to be done’
According to Olaf Zwijnenburg, head of retail and wholesale at Rabobank, there is still a lot of work to be done, literally and figuratively. “And for that, the right person is very important. Retailers must do their best to bring customers back to the stores. An inspiring shopping environment and highly skilled staff are central to this. If not the quality of the staff. Enough competition is lost.”
Meerman talks about a structural problem. “That is why we have to invest heavily in innovation and robotics so that certain activities no longer have to be done by people. For example, think of self-scan checks in supermarkets or certain jobs that can be done faster with robots in warehouses. †
Source: NU
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
