As consumers return to in-store shopping, retailers struggle to hire enough staff to meet demands while providing excellent customer service. Many retailers are beginning to turn to flexible or gig workers to help fill the gaps in their workforce. According to recent reports, the turnover in the retail industry typically hovers around 60%, which translates to 230 million days of lost productivity, plus an additional $19 billion spent on recruiting and training expenses.
Many workers who left their jobs during the ‘Great Resignation’ have joined the gig economy. These gig workers represent a growing pool of people of different ages, backgrounds, and skill sets seeking more variety and a flexible work experience in their daily lives. This flexibility is a great benefit to retailers as well, who may utilize these workers in various roles depending on their staffing needs.
With on-demand job marketplace platforms like Wonolo, hiring a gig worker is also much faster than a traditional worker. Retailers can fill positions in minutes instead of the days or weeks when pursuing traditional temp staffing.
Several larger retailers like Walmart and Big Lots use gig workers to complement their workforces. They are turning many into full-time employees, giving them the flexibility to grow and adjust to changing economies.
