BRC to create flexible job design programme in diversity push
The British Retail Consortium has embarked on a partnership with Timewise, the change agent for the flexible recruitment market, to help retailers to improve talent attraction, retain more staff and help workers to progress through flexible working.
The retail industry is the UK’s largest private sector employer and employs around three million people. Approximately two thirds of these employees work part time, the majority of whom are women. A study by the BRC found that flexibility is one of the top reasons why people choose to work in retail.
However, the BRC has argued that a lack of part time opportunities in retail management roles means that many part-time workers, particularly women, are held back from progressing their careers and raising their earnings, from fear of losing that flexibility in their working hours.
Research last year from the BRC found that over 65% of part time retail employees stated that they would want to progress into a managerial role if they could maintain a flexible or part time working pattern.
Helen Dickinson, BRC chief executive, said: “As the largest private sector employer in the UK with around three million people working across retail and wholesale, the pay and progression of our staff is incredibly important to us.
“Our Retail 2020 research revealed that flexibility is the second most important reason to work in retail, but in some cases this is a trade-off which may hold some people back from fulfilling their potential or optimising their pay.”
The partnership between the BRC and Timewise aims to roll out a flexible job design programme aimed specifically at retailers to unlock the potential of those working part time in the industry and enhance their opportunities to progress.
Dickinson added: “It is important that these part-time workers are able to progress within organisations when they choose to and we’re working in partnership with Timewise, to support retailers with the task of delivering these opportunities in flexible ways. Such collaboration is important to ensure retail remains an attractive industry to work and grow in.”
