Skill realignment highest priority in retail industry: survey

Upskilling, cross-skilling, or reskilling is the biggest challenge over the next months.

Employee skill realignment is going to be the priority of the retail industry amidst huge workforce transformation, according to the latest trans-tasman survey by ELMO Software.

The survey, which included nearly 2,000 HR professionals, noted that upskilling, cross-skilling, or reskilling employees (33%) will be the biggest challenge for the retail sector in the next 12 months.

Moreover, skill shortage (48%) is listed as the top recruitment challenge for HR professionals.

The retail industry also expects to expand its workforce in 2021, showing a 23% net workforce increase and an average headcount growth rate of 21%.

It is in the top three average turnover rates by industry at 21%, followed by accommodation and food services at 27%.

“ELMO’s HR Industry Benchmark Survey shows that the economic recoveries in Australia and New Zealand are underway and that businesses are beginning to focus on the many other workforce management challenges that lay ahead,” ELMO Software CEO Danny Lessem said.