Abstract

This IDC Survey Spotlight highlights current trends in retail human resource (HR) innovation investment already completed and within two years. This workforce-related data sourced from a recent IDC retail survey suggests that retailers are investing in employee experience, training, and tools to double down on customer centricity (source: IDC's Global Retail Operating Models Survey, August 2022). Without an engaged workforce, being truly customer centric is not possible. Current spending on employee training, task management, payroll flexibility, and augmented reality (AR) apps suggests that all associates will have permissions to access these capabilities. All access will require that all employees have a mobile device — either corporate provided or bring your own device (BYOD).

"Retailers have embraced the need to invest in mobile devices for all employees — both employer provided and employee provided — to take employee experience and training to the next level. As they bring more immersive apps online, they will also open the door to long-awaited tools for learning via the established workflow and then extending employee-generated content to the consumer to inform, excite, and sell more," says Leslie Hand, group vice president, IDC Retail Insights. "Imagine bringing live streaming into training or associating social media contest winners' content to customers. A whole new door to engagement has opened."

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