A recent report indicates that some 80% of retailers said their ability to attract and retain workers has been challenged over the past year. In our recent SN Fresh Trends Survey, grocers also confirmed that labor continues to be a challenge. 

Retail and grocery are asking associates to do more with less. The average store has 44-plus point solutions running the shopping experience; and disconnected solutions are guaranteed to make an associate’s job harder. Overworked, unhappy associates can easily lead to poor shopper experiences.

In this special edition of our SN Off the Shelf podcast — SN TechWire — SN spoke with Shamus Hines, CEO of Upshop, a tech firm focused on optimizing store operations, about how grocers can be leveraging tech to retain employees. 

On today’s TechWire podcast, you’ll learn:

• Why institutional knowledge is being lost in the industry and what you can do to counteract that loss  
• Why it matters to shift from a focus on “process improvement” to “people empowerment”
• How gamification can be an opportunity for success
• Tips for how grocers can get associates to lean into and embrace technology  

Take a listen.

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Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact the SN staff at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.