The Challenge
A national retail chain with over 80 stores across Australia faced a crippling recruitment and retention problem.
The challenges were stark:
- High turnover: 60 percent annual turnover among casual and part-time store staff, especially sales assistants.
- Unfilled vacancies: 120 ongoing store-level vacancies left managers short-staffed and overworked.
- Peak period strain: During Christmas and Boxing Day sales, the chain had to close fitting rooms in some stores due to lack of staff.
- Inconsistent recruitment practices: Each store manager managed hiring differently, with no central oversight or shared talent pool.
- Poor employer reputation: Online reviews painted the retailer as a stop-gap employer with little room for growth.
The organisation realised its fragmented approach to recruitment was unsustainable. Without change, the business risked losing market share to competitors who could provide a more consistent shopping experience.
The Solution: Partnering with Ingenious People
The retailer engaged Ingenious People to overhaul its retail recruitment framework and establish a sustainable, scalable hiring model.
1. Retail Market Mapping and Data Analysis
- Analysed the retail labour market, including turnover rates, salary benchmarks, and competitor benefits.
- Identified key talent pools: university students seeking casual work, career retail professionals, and part-time parents returning to work.
- Conducted store-by-store analysis to pinpoint hotspots of staff shortages.
2. Employer Brand Revamp
- Shifted messaging from “casual retail job” to “career pathways in retail.”
- Promoted opportunities for progression into store management, training roles, and head office positions.
- Highlighted staff benefits, including product discounts, flexible rostering, and staff recognition awards.
3. Centralised Recruitment Model
- Introduced a centralised recruitment hub run in partnership with Ingenious People.
- Created a consistent application and screening process that reduced time-to-hire.
- Deployed online video interviewing tools to speed up casual hiring rounds during peak seasons.
4. Talent Pipeline and Seasonal Hiring Strategy
- Built a pre-approved talent pool of retail staff for seasonal peaks, ensuring Christmas casuals were secured months in advance.
- Partnered with universities and TAFEs to promote roles to students seeking flexible, part-time work.
- Established a “returner program” for former employees open to rejoining during high-demand seasons.
5. Retention and Development Initiatives
- Introduced structured onboarding programs to help casual staff feel connected from day one.
- Created a “step-up program” allowing high-performing casuals to trial supervisory roles with support and training.
- Developed store-level engagement programs, including recognition awards for performance and customer service.
The Results
Within 12 months, the national retailer saw dramatic improvements:
- Vacancies reduced by 85 percent, with staffing levels stabilised across all stores.
- Turnover dropped from 60 percent to 35 percent, a significant improvement in an industry notorious for churn.
- Time-to-hire cut in half, with most roles filled within two weeks instead of six.
- Customer satisfaction scores improved by 25 percent, linked directly to better-staffed stores and reduced wait times.
- Peak trading resilience: For the first time in years, every store was fully staffed during the Christmas period.
Most importantly, the retailer was able to expand into five new locations with confidence, knowing its recruitment framework could scale.
Client Feedback
The General Manager of Retail Operations shared:
“We used to view recruitment as a reactive process. Ingenious People showed us how to turn it into a competitive advantage. Our stores are now consistently staffed, turnover is under control, and our employer reputation has shifted. We now attract people who want to build a career with us, not just a short-term job.”
The Ingenious People Advantage
This case study highlights why Ingenious People is trusted by retail businesses across Australia:
- Consistency: A centralised recruitment model ensures every store benefits from the same high-quality processes.
- Scalability: Whether hiring five casuals for one store or 500 for a national campaign, the system adapts.
- Sustainability: Employer branding, retention initiatives, and pipelines prevent recurring staffing crises.
For national retailers, Ingenious People provides more than recruitment services — it delivers a long-term workforce strategy that supports growth and resilience.
Ingenious People continues to partner with the retailer, refining its workforce approach as consumer expectations and labour market dynamics evolve.