How can you ensure that your employees in retail are satisfied?

"There is a driving force more powerful than steam, electricity and atomic energy: the will," Einstein once observed. That is why the motivation and well-being of employees, who embody a company’s will, should always be one of the most important pillars of a business. This is particularly true in retail, but also in all other sectors involving direct customer contact. Because satisfaction rubs off, is contagious and inspires. In short: it drives success! 

But what does satisfaction look like for employees in retail? And how can we as employers ensure that our staff are satisfied? Let’s take a closer look below. 

Satisfied employees: The Peakon study

The fact that employee satisfaction is a highly relevant and important topic is not only dictated by common sense, but is also reflected in initiatives such as the Peakon study. 

Since 2015, Peakon, a Danish start-up specialising in measuring employee engagement, has been examining the satisfaction of employees around the world. The study analysed 80 million responses from digital surveys sent to employees in more than 160 countries, across nine industries and different age groups. 

For Germany, the study showed a bleak picture: no country goes to work as unenthusiastically as we do. After all, almost one in four people carries out their work without motivation. 

And retail also performs below average, as can be seen in the image below.

So it is high time that we, as employers, learned to motivate our employees and ensure their satisfaction. After all, as we saw in the article “Reducing employee turnover in retail—but how?”, a company can also save a great deal of money if it succeeds in retaining its employees. 

What does satisfaction actually mean? 

We now know that there is still plenty of work to be done in the German labour market. Before taking a detailed look at what satisfied employees look like and how employers can ensure the satisfaction of their staff, it is worth consulting the dictionary. What does the word “satisfaction” actually mean? 

According to the Digital Dictionary of the German Language (DWDS), “satisfaction” has two meanings:

1. A state or mood of balance, well-being and (modest) serenity; being satisfied (with something, someone or oneself)

2. The extent or degree of comfort and contentment, especially with regard to existing living conditions and needs

“Satisfaction” is therefore a state of “well-being”, particularly with regard to “existing living conditions and needs”. If we want satisfied employees in our company, we need to achieve this basic state. But how can this be done? And what are satisfactory conditions for retail employees? 

Satisfied employees: How does it work? 

Having established that employee satisfaction is being addressed as a current and international issue, the remaining question is which measures lead to satisfied employees. 

In various articles, such as “Strategies for increasing employee satisfaction” and “How do you motivate employees without money?”, we have already addressed this specific question. That is why we will focus here only on the two most important factors: physical and mental well-being. 

Physical well-being

As the DWDS dictionary entry summarises, satisfaction exists above all when certain living conditions and needs are met. In the context of employee satisfaction in retail, this could be translated as appropriate working conditions and physical well-being. 

After all, working in retail involves long days spent on your feet. Musculoskeletal disorders are therefore virtually pre-programmed in this industry. 

As employers, it is our job to carry out preventive measures here. This starts with providing appropriate work shoes, so that feet and backs are not put under additional strain by unsuitable footwear. We are always happy to lend a helping hand if you are unsure which work, occupational or safety shoes are right for you, or if you need more information!

Mental well-being

There is much to say and plenty to do when it comes to employees’ “mental well-being”. But perhaps the most important measure for increasing employee satisfaction is a pleasant working atmosphere. 

A first step towards a pleasant atmosphere is recognising good work. Without appropriate appreciation, employees can easily feel neglected. This can lead to frustration, low morale and reduced productivity. A corporate culture of personal or team-based appreciation and recognition is therefore important.  

Satisfied employees can be fostered, for example, by choosing an "Employee of the Month". Sharing success stories, communicating positive customer feedback or writing personally to each employee when they achieve individual goals can also have an extremely positive effect on employee satisfaction. 

All in all, ensuring employee satisfaction is not actually that difficult. If, as an employer, you listen to your staff and are willing to increase their satisfaction, you have already come halfway. After all, it is often the small gestures that give employees a sense of appreciation. This increases their sense of belonging and employee satisfaction.