Better scheduling can help retail remain a launchpad into work for young people

By Ned Gammell, Head of UK & Ireland at Quinyx

For the majority of young people, roles in retail are a gateway into the world of work. The industry has long been a critical source of ‘first rung’ jobs/

Alan Milburn’s important report revealed that nearly one million young people aged 16 to 24 are NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). Retail came under particular fire for reducing vacancies and pulling back on the flexible, entry-level roles that have traditionally introduced young people to work.

A sector under pressure

The reality is, retail and hospitality are facing enormous external cost pressures largely outside their control, from energy bill hikes and rising employment costs like National Insurance, to geopolitical uncertainties driving up import prices.

But despite this challenging environment, there are opportunities to relieve operational pressure and preserve retail’s place as a provider of critical early-career opportunities.

Smart scheduling, smarter savings

While by no means a silver bullet, smarter workforce management is an under-exploited route to improving efficiency, reducing costs and finding additional productivity gains, in turn easing the need to cut headcount.

In particular, AI-powered workforce management can take account of operational preferences when building schedules, and use historic footfall and sales data to predict more accurately the number of stuff needed on any given shift – for example during peak seasons like December, say, or when new promotional displays need to go out.

By properly forecasting demand day to day, businesses avoid being over- or under-staffed, improving productivity and lowering labour costs. These marginal gains can have a big impact, especially in tighter labour markets. When the right people, with the right skills, are scheduled in the right place and at the right times, there is less wastage. So the pressure to cut entry-level roles eases. In addition, team leads and managers will have greater capacity to support those new to the workplace.

The right scheduling tools can also bring flexibility and agility to rotas, letting workers swap shifts and input their own preferences, flagging the days and times that suit them and those they definitely can’t work. This is a real win for both sides: young people in education gain the flexibility to access work, while employers tap a pool of talent that often aligns with peak trading times like evenings and weekends.

Backing the next generation

Workforce management tools are not a cure-all for retail sector issues. But in a cost-focused environment, small changes make big differences. If retail is to remain a nurturing ground where future generations learn how to work, businesses need to be able to keep saying yes to young people. Smarter scheduling will help them find the space to continue doing so.

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: Vitaly Gariev.