The latest Retail People Index from the two entities found that 54 per cent of retail workers were a ‘flight risk’ between April and June this year—a 19 per cent increase from the previous year.
Overall, well-being fell seven points year on year (YoY), from 66 to 59, and the number of retail staff working while feeling physically or mentally unwell rose by 12 per cent to 44 per cent of all employees.
Due to leading under-resourced teams, happiness levels amongst retail managers fell by 11 per cent YoY. This marks the first time that managers have reported feeling unhappier than non-managers since the publication of the first Retail People Index.
Many managers reported feeling unfairly paid and unrecognised for doing something well. Meanwhile, the number of retail workers reporting a positive relationship with their manager also dropped to its lowest level in two years.
“Our research has previously shown retail workers tend to be at their happiest going into the summer, once the busy winter is well behind them, but ongoing insecurities around jobs, finances and the political climate are continuing to take their toll on people working in retail,” Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust said in a release.
“The rising employment costs announced in last year’s budget are placing huge economic pressures on the sector and we’re seeing this felt most severely by those working in management roles right now. They are the ones having to hold often under-resourced and unhappy teams together, and our findings suggest they feel inadequately supported for doing so,” he added.
ALCHEMPro News Desk (DS)
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