The Challenge
A national fashion retail chain with 22 stores across New South Wales and Victoria employed over 450 staff, mostly casual and part-time. Their challenges were predictable but damaging:
- Sky-high turnover: more than 50 percent annually, with staff often leaving after just six months.
- Award compliance risks: under the General Retail Industry Award 2020, penalty rates, overtime, and allowances were difficult to track manually.
- Manual payroll and rostering: spreadsheets and paper-based rosters resulted in double-ups, underpayments, and constant disputes.
- Inconsistent onboarding: some store managers skipped critical steps, creating compliance gaps and risking fines.
- Low engagement: staff felt disconnected from the head office and often complained of inconsistent communication.
The HR team knew they needed a retail-focused HRIS to simplify award interpretation, streamline rostering, and make their stores more attractive places to work.
The Solution: Implementing Frappe Employment OS
The chain selected Frappe Employment OS, rolling it out across all locations with a phased approach.
1. Award Compliance Made Easy
- Frappe OS automatically applied the Retail Award, calculating penalty rates, overtime, and allowances.
- Store managers could preview real-time wage costs when building rosters, reducing budget blowouts.
- Compliance documentation was stored digitally, making audit preparation stress-free.
2. Centralised Rostering and Payroll
- Managers used the system to build rosters in minutes, factoring in staff availability, preferences, and cost.
- Employees received their rosters instantly via the mobile app, with notifications for changes.
- Payroll integrated directly, removing errors caused by manual data entry.
3. Consistent Digital Onboarding
- New hires completed contracts, bank details, superannuation forms, and retail-specific induction modules online.
- This standardised process ensured every store was compliant.
- Casual staff were “shift-ready” within 48 hours instead of waiting a week.
4. Boosting Engagement and Retention
- The mobile app gave staff access to payslips, rosters, and workplace policies anytime.
- Internal surveys captured employee sentiment, allowing HR to spot trends early.
- Training modules helped upskill staff for supervisor or assistant manager roles.
The Results
After 12 months, the retail chain saw dramatic improvements:
- Turnover reduced by 28 percent, with clearer communication and faster onboarding keeping staff engaged.
- Payroll accuracy reached 99 percent, with compliance confidence under the Retail Award.
- Rostering efficiency improved by 40 percent, freeing managers to focus on sales and customers.
- Engagement scores increased by 20 percent, particularly among casuals who valued transparency.
- Audit readiness achieved: when Fair Work reviewed the business, no breaches were identified.
Client Feedback
The National HR Manager explained:
“Retail is notorious for compliance and turnover challenges. Frappe Employment OS gave us confidence that every employee was being paid correctly, every roster was costed, and every new hire was properly onboarded. For the first time, we’re not playing catch-up, we’re ahead.”
The Frappe Employment OS Advantage in Retail
- Award compliance automation reduces legal risk and builds employee trust.
- Mobile-first experience suits a casual workforce spread across multiple locations.
- Centralised oversight ensures consistency across all stores.
- Engagement features make staff feel heard and valued, improving retention.
Final Word
Retail businesses live and die by customer experience, but behind the scenes, compliance and workforce chaos can erode profitability. By adopting Frappe Employment OS, this retail chain achieved award compliance, reduced turnover, and empowered managers to focus on sales rather than spreadsheets.
For retail leaders, the lesson is clear: investing in the right HR software is not a luxury, it is a survival strategy.