We’ve covered quite a bit of ground over the past few months. Most of that “ground” had to do with retail stores, their managers and owners, and how Scheduling+ is equipped to help retailers improve operational inefficiencies in a variety of practical ways. Whether it’s through task management, payment processing software, employee scheduling software, or through our proprietary TimeClock app, we set our retailer clients up for success. As former — and in some cases, current —  independent retailers ourselves, we are passionate about what we do. Every single feature we offer has a unique purpose behind it, from the simple, intuitive functionality of our workforce management platform to the ability to be notified when a certain employee is approaching overtime, we’ve done our best to think of it all.

Great Management

Scheduling+ helps businesses of all kinds streamline their operation in ways that might never have otherwise occured to them. However, today’s post concerns managers in retail positions in ways that go beyond improving payroll and rostering inefficiencies (though there is more to our WFM software solution than just those things, to be sure). If you are interested in gleaning some advice from folks who have been a part of the industry for a long time, go ahead and keep reading! We’ve got you covered with some Do’s and Don’ts pertaining to what a great retail manager looks like.

There Is Not A Singular Management Style

There are several different leadership styles you could try out as you attempt to find the correct balance between putting your foot down and being everybody’s best friend. And while some people might tell you that you should try all of them out to find out which style suits you best, we’d recommend staying true to your own personality in most every situation. If you are a steady, calm individual, don’t try to be something you’re not by trying to be a comedian at every staff meeting — your employees will see right through that. On the flip side, don’t get the idea that in order to be an effective retail manager, you have to rule with an iron fist. Some of the best managers we’ve ever seen are those who are slow to anger and quick to give their staff person the benefit of the doubt, often asking them if anything is going on with their personal lives before jumping to an inappropriate conclusion.

The Hardest Part – Disciplinary Action

Assuming positive intent, in most situations, will end up leaving you more respected than had you come into the situation with your proverbial guns blazing. But whether your management style is akin to a delegator, a Steady-Eddy, or a disciplinarian, every manager must prepare themselves for the inevitable; you will have to take disciplinary action, and you will be unpopular among certain people.

Set Clear-Cut Boundaries

We’ve got news for you — you picked the wrong line of work if your highest priority is to have those you work with like you. Hopefully that’s not a novel concept for most of our retail-manager readers. But simply because you need to reprimand an employee every once in a while doesn’t mean that you will be hated. In fact, one of the ways in which you can guard against being disliked is if you set appropriate boundaries and expectations for your staff prior to them stepping out of line. It’s vital to remember that your employees aren’t mind-readers, and if you are in a sliver of the retail scene where a significant portion of your staff is comprised of teenagers, there’s a safe bet that a few of them will have some attention/retention issues. So, you might need to repeat yourself a few times to make sure you get your point across!

We hope that you’ve found these points enlightening and helpful! Streamline your operations with the help of Scheduling+ and our workforce management software today!