4 Things to Think About this May Day

may day May 10, 2021

International Laborers Day, also known as May Day, is a day celebrated around the world on the 1st of May. It is a day that celebrates laborers and the working class.

Hard-working, capable, and dedicated staff are the lifeblood of the retail industry. They deal with customers, manage the stock, maintain the shop, and have countless other daily duties. As such, May Day is the perfect opportunity to let your staff know that their hard work is being appreciated.

In this article, we will go over 5 things to think about this May Day so that you can continue treating your staff well.

1. Job Security

One of the most stressful situations your staff can be in is not knowing if their job is secure or not. Most people managing to live a middle class level of life or below are supported by tenuous safety nets, if at all. They count on the reliable pay provided by their place of employment to survive.

Job security has become even more of a hot topic since COVID-19 hit the economy like a freight train. Shops have closed down and people have lost jobs in almost unprecedented numbers around the globe. Society’s level of anxiety, fear, and tension is running high.

As such, take this May Day to both find a way to keep your staff without firing them during a pandemic and to let them know that they are secure where they are. Your staff will thank you for this valuable lifeline in a troubling time.

2. Job Scope

A problem lots of stores face is when they are forced to ask staff to act beyond their job scope. Sometimes, it can be something like asking the delivery staff to help with customer service or to ask the cashier to also restock inventory, and so on.

There are many reasons why this can happen, ranging from being understaffed to a deluge of customers due to a sale, etc. However, one thing that should be very clear is that this is not an ideal situation. Staff hired for their skills in particular areas may not perform as well in others.

As such, consider speaking to your staff to clearly define their responsibilities and areas of concern. While they are welcome to help in other areas, it should never be forced upon them overtly or covertly. Giving your staff this type of respect can result in loyal and hardworking staff.

3. Protection on the Job

Your staff are part of the front-facing part of your business. As such, they face all manner of stressful situations daily.

From rude customers to damaged products to negotiating with supplies, your staff often find themselves in tense situations. Though they usually handle it without issue, conflict is inevitable. If such a situation arises, this is your wake up call to give your staff a fair hearing before you make your decisions.

Giving into the old saying “the customer is always right” might seem tempting, especially in the face of losing potential profit.

However, consider that it is much more expensive to replace and train new staff. If you don’t at least give them the benefit of the doubt, your staff have no reason to be loyal to you or respect your authority.

4. Giving Them the Right Tools

Next, let’s talk about the right tools for the job. In the modern digital age, there are many digital tools to help your staff perform better.

Some examples include POS systems to handle sales and inventory and eCommerce portals. These can help your staff by taking on the mental burden of data tracking and number crunching, leaving them to focus on customer service instead.

Consider taking this May Day to research some good digital tools that might be useful for your staff. They would appreciate the investment in their well-being. Happy staff work hard, after all.

And there you have it, our list of 4 things to think about this May Day as you celebrate your staff and the countless hours of hard work they do for you.

If you were looking to get a head start on looking for the perfect digital tool to help out at your store, why not consider checking out Ewity?

Ewity is our easy-to-learn, easy-to-use, cloud-based POS system. You can learn more at our website and try it out for the low price of ABSOLUTELY FREE!

Tags