BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - August 10, 2010) - In the face of slow consumer spend and the rise of competitive cross-channel shopping alternatives, retailers are under pressure to increase labor management visibility and effectiveness on an organization-wide basis. Forty five percent (45%) of top performing retailers are using an organization-wide workforce management approach to formulate strategic long-term workforce management decision-making. The impetus for this centralization comes directly from the desire to enhance the customer shopping experience in the face of increased competition (55%), according to the Aberdeen Group report, Enterprise Workforce Management for Retailers: Enhanced Customer and Operational Productivity. The research from Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (
According to Aberdeen data, as a means to increase margins and customer retention, as well as decrease labor turnover rate, core workforce management functions are being driven from the HQ level. In fact, 82% of top retailers are working to make time and attendance a multi-departmental initiative, compared to 58% of average, and 17% of lagging organizations. Additionally, 64% of these same out-performing organizations are making scheduling a multi-initiative compared to 46% of average, and 16% of lagging organizations.
"In a challenging economy characterized by slow consumer trend, retailers are under pressure to increase the visibility and effectiveness of their labor management operation," says Greg Belkin, chief author and Retail Workforce Management Analyst, Aberdeen. "By centralizing the functions at the headquarters-level, and giving store-level managers appropriate flexibility, retailers can have their cake and eat it too. Headquarters can strategize and execute long-term labor initiatives, while also allowing store-level managers to make the tactical changes they need to be successful."
Aberdeen data also shows that more than two thirds of top performing retailers are sharing store-level demand data with the entire enterprise (70%). Additionally, 60% of these same top retailers are reversing this process to provide the store-level with access to important fulfillment data, such as product date of delivery and shipment order status.
"On first glance, the benefits to data sharing of this nature center around an improved internal product supply chain operation, i.e. the more information an organization has around store-level demand, the faster and more accurate it can replenish products," comments Belkin. "However, the same concept of improved logistical visibility applies to the human side of the supply chain as well. If a store-level manager notices an unexpected shift in customer demand, for example, he or she can make sure other departmental leaders within the organization have enough human resources to support this need."
A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the following underwriters: de vries and Red Prairie. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?spid=30410182&cid=6363&camp=2. The association partner for this report is the National Retail Federation (NRF).
To receive a free benchmark and report of your company's performance against Aberdeen's benchmark results, please visit http://assessment.aberdeen.com/qlz0n3FafH/index.aspx
For additional access to complimentary Retail Research, please visit http://research.aberdeen.com/index.php/retail
About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company
Aberdeen provides fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having queried more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen for insights that drive decisions.
As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of Harte-Hanks (Information – Opportunity – Insight – Engagement – Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit Aberdeen or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748.
(C) 2010 Aberdeen Group, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
451 D Street, Suite 710
Boston, Massachusetts 02210-1928
Telephone: (617) 854-5200
Fax: (617) 723-7897
www.aberdeen.com