Recruitment in the retail sector: What will 2024 look like?

Getting organised for next year? If you’re operating within a large retail recruitment agency, strategic thinking will prove invaluable in the long run.

When it comes to helping your clients in the Golden Quarter, timing could make the difference between record highs and unprecedented lows. To keep your targets on track, it’s essential to research the trends and challenges predicted to shape the retail sector over the coming months.

Whether you’re hiring now or drafting a new strategy, it’s always worth knowing which trends in retail could help you source the right talent – and do it more efficiently too.

Recruitment in 2024: Predicted trends in the retail sector

1. E-commerce and omnichannel roles

Omnichannel expertise is a widespread demand. Increasingly, individual businesses want to hire professionals with the capacity to navigate every aspect of the digital retail space. Many retail giants opt to invest in the support of a professional digital agency; others seek staff members who will become part of an in-house specialist team.

Understanding the dynamic online retail sector will become a crucial aspect of your resourcing strategies. Look out for candidates with varied experience in retail and tech.

2. Seasonal workers

At the peak period leading up to Christmas, many companies choose the assistance of temporary hires. Online searches for temporary Christmas jobs are at a five-year high, suggesting that recruiters will have a wider talent pool from which to choose this year.

If you’re supporting businesses increasing their teams through the busiest part of the year, it’s crucial to ensure that you’re prepared. Seasonal workers might not have the same positive experience as established team members while working for a retail giant. Getting recruitment agent insurance could provide a useful layer of protection in case of future disputes.

3. Business optimisation – and automation

We should expect retail businesses to become almost entirely dependent on technology and automation. From online shopping services to stock management and order fulfilment, realising the potential of online technology allows retail giants to maintain exponential growth.

In recruitment, this translates to seeking candidates who are already familiar with automated tools like video interview analysis, facial recognition, and tools for screening, and shortlisting.

4. Diversity and inclusion

The growing importance of diversity and inclusion in the retail workforce should never be overlooked. Major retailers now strive to create more inclusive and representative teams across all areas, with many adhering to specific terms and guidelines.

Prospective employees are entitled to a fair chance of securing a role, so you must not discriminate against any protected characteristics including gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

Overview

Within the retail sector, e-commerce dominance, automated tools and temporary hires will be prominent themes as we head into the new calendar year. At the very least, every recruiter should know about these trends.