Background:

Like any other area of your business, good staffing requires careful attention and planning. Looking for new hires after someone leaves is simply crisis management, and it can really cost you in the long run, especially if you make a bad hiring decision out of haste. Instead, be proactive and have a staffing plan in place, complete with goals and objectives that you can implement after the holiday season, or as needed throughout the year. Here are some key factors to consider: * How many people do I want to hire? * Who would I like to fire? * Which positions would I like to fill? * What are the important qualities I am looking for in the people I will hire? * What kind of compensation will I offer them? * What kind of job search will I conduct? Your staffing plan should be put together much like a business plan, outlining strategy and projected costs. And there are a number of things employers can do to secure desirable candidates. First, look to other local retail businesses, as well as your direct competitors, for potential hires. If you find some, you need to reach out to them with subtlety and start developing a relationship-now. Also, look at "staffing up" more for holidays and special events-the Christmas season, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, etc. This is when you will have the most customers in the store, and cannot afford to make mistakes. Consider the ramp-up time it will take to get new staff members acclimated and up to speed. It might pay to hire a number of people part-time, to avoid having to pay costly benefits during the training period. By the way, you can substantially shorten this learning period by hiring your best part-time or seasonal help as full-timers. Finally, do not keep dead weight on your staff just because they have been with your organization the longest. Look at the bottom 10 percent of your people. These underperformers are costing you the most money. If you cannot find ways to increase their value and performance, cut them loose. Once you have your "wish list" of potential candidates in place, always keep it updated. You do not want to be caught flat-footed behind the counter during a key selling period.

Retailers should have a strategic staffing plan before employees leave:

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