Apparel brands face HR shortage

Business Standard reports that due to increasing awareness and interest in branded apparel goods by upwardly mobile and brand conscious consumers, apparel companies are expanding at a accelerated pace and are not able to keep up. Most retailers are already facing a shortage of front end staff in retail. Partly the reason, is that international brands require a higher quality of staff and front end retail salaries are too low and the working hours too long to attract the right kind of people.

The BPO industry on the other hand offers higher starting salaries and chance to rise much faster than the retail industry. Reetika Dalal, executive at Forbes Gokak, feels that “The youngsters are opting for careers in BPOs and aspire for better treatment and respect at the workplace. They don’t want to be called salesmen. The companies should work on the human resource practices to promote the front line staff as store managers or area managers depending on their capabilities.”