Ask most retailers today to list their biggest challenges or concerns, and employees are likely to be somewhere near the top of the list. Whether it’s finding qualified talent, retaining the best and brightest, or motivating a new generation of workers, the path to profitability most often means navigating a bumpy HR road.
And while there are companies to help with digital marketing, with advertising, with store design, merchandising, fill in the blank, those who can offer knowledgeable guidance on critical HR issues are few and far between. That is why Furniture Today has enlisted the help of Best Companies Group to make its Best Places To Work assessment program available to any and all furniture retailers across the country. (Full disclosure: Best Companies Group is owned by Furniture Today’s parent company, BridgeTower Media.)
Companies that offer the best-in-class benefits, growth opportunities and employee engagement programs are often first in line when it comes to attracting candidates in what has become an increasingly competitive employment marketplace. Those that don’t often find themselves choosing from among those candidates who have been turned down by more enlightened or more forward-thinking employers.
A growing number of Top 100 retailers have been expanding beyond their traditional market areas in recent years, creating increased competition among the giants and confronting smaller retailers with a growing number of majors in their trading area. The ability to attract and retain the best employees in this environment can mean the difference between keeping the doors open and the business growing or seeing others capture not only our employees but your customers.
To help retailers attract and retain best talent in their local market, Furniture Today has launched its fourth annual Best Places to Work program. This comprehensive assessment program measures employers on a wide range of specific engagement and human resources criteria.
While the program is open to any retailer in the furniture business, only those who meet the program’s rigorous criteria qualify for the “Best Places to Work” seal. This prestigious seal not only tells potential employees that your company is a Best Place to Work, it is also enhances the consumer perception that your store is more likely to deliver an exceptional shopping experience than others in the area.
At a time when consumers increasingly vote with their dollars and want to work with companies that they believe share their values, the Best Places seal is a visible indication that you prioritize your people and that you actively pursue best practices across your organization.
In addition to being considered for the title, Best Place to Work participants also receive extensive information on how they ranked relative to other participants, enabling them to measure their company against the best in the business.
For those who aspire to a culture of constant improvement, this program is the HR equivalent of Lean manufacturing disciplines. If you want to know how you stack up against the best in the business, this program is for you.
For more details and registration information, click this link.