We’ve all heard the distant gloomy toll of the upcoming “Great Resignation” in industry conversations lately but at the same time, it’s no secret that there is a shortage of excellent e-commerce skills and candidates out there – right when online retail is skyrocketing through the roof, thanks to Covid. 

But according to Nathan Bush, retail industry expert and founder of e-commerce talent and recruitment agency eSuite, there are a few ways that retail execs can get ahead of the hiring game, from focusing on staff retention to developing a talent pipeline within the business. 

Fix the office Wi-Fi – and take care of your people

If you cultivate a great workplace culture and focus on investing in your teams, then ultimately, you will not need to worry about dealing with the recruitment process.

“Retain your good people. If you can avoid going to market, then do it. The conditions of the workplace and expectations of teams have changed, so it’s worth getting on the front foot around what your team wants, even simple things like not being forced to deal with shitty office Wi-Fi,” advised Bush, who added that most candidates now want a mixture of working from home and the office in their next roles.

Unearth the hidden e-commerce superstars in your company

If Covid has taught retailers anything, it’s that these days, it doesn’t make sense for just your e-commerce team to be across the online side of the business. At the peak of Covid, savvy retailers like Accent Group shifted their shopfloor staff into online customer service roles. If you haven’t already, it’s time to develop a pipeline of talent beyond just your core e-commerce team, such as merchandisers and project managers.

“All those people are so important to the fundamentals of e-commerce, so you should be able to have well-rounded e-commerce conversations with them. It’s not just the e-commerce gurus telling them what to do. You need all the pieces to work together. Everyone needs that fundamental knowledge of how e-commerce works,” pointed out Bush.

It’s also a smart idea to look for potential talent within the entire business and have serious conversations with them about building careers in retail that go beyond working at the till. Invest in upskilling them in e-commerce so they can quickly develop those skills. 

“There are superstars hiding at all levels of the organisation, especially in stores and in customer service teams. Obviously, a lot of them are going through university or elsewhere, but they’re native at e-commerce. But get ahead of the game and talk to them about how e-commerce within this business could be a career for them,” said Bush.

“We recognised early on at eSuite that most retail businesses don’t have a pipeline of e-commerce talent coming through the ranks. We developed the eCommerce Accelerator to train up teams from customer service superstars to rusted-on retail specialists – to give them an e-commerce kickstart and develop an internal talent pool that you can continue to build. 

“Often we still view customer service teams and warehouse pickers and packers as casual shift, task-oriented people, rather than using that space as a garden to cultivate really great talent who fit the values of the business. Customer service is a great launching pad into any part of retail, but especially e-commerce because you understand customers. That’s training you can’t get anywhere else, so if you can bring that through into a head office scenario, it’s brilliant.”

Don’t look for a unicorn

“Whenever we talk to people, think of your top three non-negotiables and no more. You can absolutely have a nice-to-have list. But if you can find three things that are perfect for you, that’s your starting point. Don’t overcomplicate it,” said Bush. 

Don’t leave it ‘til the last minute

If businesses aren’t timely when they’re recruiting and getting back to people quickly to keep the process moving, they will lose out on top talent.

“Candidates are getting multiple offers, and they’ll move on pretty quickly from you. You need to get back to them within 48 hours,” Bush urged. “Some leaders are trying to stretch the process over a couple of weeks while they get stakeholders on board. But you actually don’t have that luxury because candidates just don’t want to miss out on other opportunities.”

eSuite has developed an Accelerator program to upskill e-commerce teams. To find out how you can invest more in your teams, visit: esuitetalent.com.au/accelerator