Busy Saturdays, long shifts on your feet, a queue at the till. Retail work takes a lot of energy. So how do you keep your store teams fit and motivated? Here are three tips. Look at the working environment, make vitality something you talk about, and help managers spot the signals early. Staff who feel good are happy to go the extra mile.
Being vital means feeling good, both physically and mentally. When you feel good, you have energy to spare and handle the ups and downs of the day more easily. A rush of customers just before closing time. A customer who won’t take no for an answer. A rota that changes at the last minute. Moments like these are easier to deal with when you start your shift feeling fit.
Vitality covers a lot: sleeping well, moving enough, eating well, handling stress and having good contact with the people around you, at home and at work.
That’s why vitality is high on the agenda for many L&D and HR professionals. People who feel good are ill less often, happier and more productive. And in retail, where staff turnover is high, they’re also more likely to stay. But how do you, as an employer, influence something so personal?
It all starts with awareness. A fruit bowl in the staff room and a branded water bottle are a nice gesture. Real change starts when employees discover for themselves how they’re doing and what they can do about it, at their own pace and in their own time.
Make sure your people can come to work feeling fit and keep their energy up during a shift. Telling them to sleep more, eat fruit or exercise rarely works. Insight does. When employees see how they’re doing, they’re more motivated to invest in their own energy.
Look at the shift itself too. Do people take their breaks, even on busy days? Is there somewhere to sit down and recharge? Are there enough people on the rota at peak times?
And look for activities that are easy to organise. At TinQwise, we go for a run with colleagues every Tuesday before lunch. For a store team, a walk before opening time works just as well. Or arrange a deal with a local gym so teams from nearby stores can play squash or padel together once a week.
When vitality is a normal topic of conversation, employees feel heard. They also ask for help sooner when something isn’t going well. That way, you spot problems early and can offer the right support.
Give employees ownership of their own vitality, with short online modules they can work through in a safe environment. Keep the topic alive with something playful, like a quick quiz or a scenario they recognise from the shop floor. It does wonders for the atmosphere in the team.
Store managers are usually the first to notice when someone isn’t doing well. Help them act on it. Start each shift with a short team check-in and one simple question about how everyone’s doing. The manager stays in the loop and spots possible stressors sooner. Asking how people feel becomes a habit. No fuss, just part of the routine.
And managers set the tone. Lead by example, and healthy managers build healthy teams. ;-)
Curious what this could look like for your stores? Book a demo.