Retail People Index

A snapshot into the wellbeing of the sector, powered by extensive data from our happiness dashboard, as well as our happiness assessment which is delivered with WorkL.

In recent years there has been a growing recognition that workplace wellbeing is not only important for employees’ personal hope, health and happiness, but also a workplace that prioritises employee wellbeing, where people feel engaged, valued and respected, has a direct impact on a business’s productivity by retaining and recruiting great talent and reducing presenteeism and absenteeism.

Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said: “There are often unrealistic expectations that the summer will be a less stressful time for working people but our second quarterly Retail People Index with AlixPartners shows that retailers cannot afford to ignore the wellbeing needs of their people at any point in the year. Thank you to AlixPartners and to our data partner WorkL for their support in creating this valuable index. Our hope is that businesses from across the retail sector and beyond can now build this insight into their wellbeing strategies as they look to the tailored support their people will need in 2025.”

Laura Bond, director of AlixPartners, said: “Retail employees clearly feel increasingly unsettled. These year-on-year insights paint a picture of the uncertainty felt across the industry – and the autumn Budget will have since heightened tensions further, as people brace for potential job cuts and role shifts in 2025. As retail leaders respond to the Budget, they have a pivotal opportunity and responsibility to step up and engage meaningfully with their teams. Supporting people through this period isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s also a key driver of business performance. High-performing retailers consistently demonstrate effective employee engagement and a commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion. These are critical strategies for navigating challenges, while fostering resilience and growth within the organisation.”

The index will also delve into flight risk, and wellbeing and presenteeism indicators to highlight the further potential impact disengaged colleagues have on a business.

Retail People Index - December 2024

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