What: SMCP has created an academy to make the store associate role more exciting and modern in hopes to find a solution for its stores’ staffing problem.

Why it is important: Fashion companies are facing challenges in hiring and retaining in-store associates in a post-pandemic world where employees have new demands regarding compensation, purpose, and more.

SMCP Group has created an academy for sales associates in partnership with Parisian schools. The program will train participants on communicating with customers, livestreaming, and how to offer styling advice. The group hopes that the academy will help tackle its in-store staffing problem, while also giving them the opportunity to diversify its talent pool and evolve the sales associate role to be more exciting and modern.

Employees now expect more out of their employer and have new demands around compensation and purpose, which has made it difficult for retailers to fill their sales associate positions. Many retailers have raised their hourly wages while some companies have tried to make schedules more flexible. Around 80% of global business leaders in retail or similar industries said frontline turnover has increased and employees are rejecting conditions that went unchallenged just two years ago.

In addition to the high turnover and higher demands, consumers also expect more out of salespeople, making the need to retain and attract employees even higher. Many consumers want sales associates to love fashion as much as they do and know the happenings in the industry. SMCP’s Retail Lab will be a great way for the company to retain employees and to educate future employees while also giving them the tools necessary to become successful.

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