10 Tips to Train Your Retail Employees

2 min read

by Nicholas H. Parker

Your employees’ performance hinges largely on the training they receive. Besides, keep in mind that your employees need more training than ever right now to keep up with proper safety and other protocols during the pandemic. To witness and benefit from high-quality performance, you need to deliver high-quality, continuous training that equips employees to meet, and potentially exceed, your expectations. Consider these ten tips to train your retail employees.

Respect Employees’ Abilities and Experiences

When you ignore employees’ abilities and experiences, you risk portraying yourself as someone who views them as incompetent, insignificant, or just plain dumb. Instead, recognize and celebrate experiences that employees bring to the table, and listen for successful techniques and skills they’ve mastered. Then, you may be able to improve your training by incorporating their experiences.

Train Less, Educate More

We train dogs to do tricks based on a reward, but that’s all they do—tricks. If you want to get more out of your employees, educate them on the reasons why you want them to perform a certain way.

For example, if you want an employee to sanitize his or her workspace, explain the reason behind your request, saying that this is for the employee's and customers' safety.

By understanding the why, employees are better equipped to take a holistic approach toward their performance and problem-solving skills. 

Be Up When They’re Down, and Be Down When They’re Up

It is important to remind your employees that they are never as bad as their greatest mistakes, nor are they ever as good as their greatest successes. This means that when an employee makes a mistake and experiences guilt or frustration, you should use his or her mistake as a positive learning opportunity.

Likewise, if an employee experiences great success and becomes overly arrogant as a result, take action to encourage the employee towards an even-keeled demeanor.

Treat People Differently

Every employee is motivated differently. For example, some work for money, and others work for the joy of working. If you treat and train employees the same, you may win some to your mission and goals, but you will lose others. To get the most out of all employees, consider the various ways employees are (and are not) motivated, and train them accordingly.

Understand that the Dictator Has Died

Fear-based motivation does not work the way we think it works. If we attempt to teach by instilling fear, we create environments where employees shy away from communicating their opinions--and experiences within your business--out of fear that they will be criticized or punished. Besides, you should understand your employees’ feelings now more than ever as everyone is in a fearful state with the pandemic, so fear-based management is more counderproductive than ever.

View Mistakes as Learning Opportunities

Celebrate your employees' mistakes. Don’t make your employees feel terrible because of an error; it doesn’t do anyone any good. Redeem the mistake by turning it into a learning opportunity.

Remember that a Behavior Reward Is a Behavior Repeated

When you see employees do something right, compliment them. You simultaneously affirm employees and train them to repeat positive behavior. Also consider low-cost ways to reward employees. By the way, you can use printed training materials for retail, which helps you simplify the process of preparing and structuring your procedures, saving you time.

Avoid Viewing Your Employees as Family

Although this may seem beneficial for relationships, it often proves detrimental in the workplace. Most families fight, and they communicate poorly. You and your employees do have a common bond, but that bond is a company. Train employees on the strong values and structures that support a business, not a family.

Instill Ownership Among Employees

When issues with customers arise, ask your employees, “How should we handle this?” Request their input and buy-in, which installs ownership. Employees will become more accountable for their performance and more confident with your clientele.

Reward Positive Activity Irregularly

The three most powerful methods to train employees is praising them when they perform well, recognizing their hard work, and communicating how much you appreciate them. These methods are even more powerful when you use them sporadically. Avoid over-praising, over-recognizing, and over-appreciating. Allow your recognition to be more effective by delivering it only when it’s deserved.

About the author

Nicholas H. Parker is a business coach and marketing manager with a huge experience. He writes articles at BuyEssayClub.com to share his knowledge with others. He is highly interested in the web design sphere.