Modern retailing in India has come of age and has become one of the most dynamic industries in both the offline and online retail formats. The Retail industry in India accounts for over 10 % of the country’s GDP and employs almost 8 % of the population. As India becomes the world’s fifth largest destination in the retail space and with the retail market size slated to reach US$ 1.1 Trillion by 2020, the need to hire experienced and pragmatic retail industry leaders has increased manifold.
Rapid Growth in Retail
Rising incomes and lifestyle changes in India’s middle class along with increased digital connectivity has spurred the growth of online retail at a rate of 31%year-on-year and is slated to touch US$ 50 Billion by 2020. Already the world’s fastest e-commerce market and driven by robust investments and acquisitions, all stakeholders in retail and e-commerce organisations have high expectations about rapid and sustained growth. As Retail Industry headhunters, we have been privy to the dizzying growth of retail formats and have contributed to the industry’s growth with the talent that we have searched and placed in the leading retail companies.
Foreign Investments
With the growing need for consumer goods in various sectors that include consumer electronics, clothing brands and home appliances, many foreign companies have invested in this space over the last decade. We understand the requirements of foreign retail brands having worked with illustrious retail Multinationals.
Formats
Whether it’s branded stores, specialty stores, hypermarts or Shopping Malls, we have the ability to find specific talent with requisite experience in handling varied formats in the Retail business. Our sharp retail industry practice professionals have years of experience in the Retail business and we have the ability to deliver.
Challenges
The challenges that exist in the Retail Industry in India are unique to India and requires the capability of experienced minds to solve some of the problems. The Indian psyche is different from the west and even the shopping patterns of Indian consumers differ according to their socio-economic profiles and backgrounds.
HR – A Critical Business Process
The Retail industry is facing a severe shortage of talented leaders especially at mid-management level. The areas that have become critical to fill are in technology, supply chain, business development, marketing, product development and research. Successful retail organisations in the Indian Retail & E-commerce industry are in the process of creating a robust second and third level of management by hiring aggressively for these key roles.
The retail industry creates plentiful jobs in the market but hiring key managers and leaders to head the next phase of growth remains a challenge. Retail companies in India are now doing a balancing act between infrastructure costs and hiring for the future vis-a-vis keeping a tab on increased pressure on margins due to wage cost. With our extensive map of senior and mid level talent available, we help International retailers entering India plan their operations in advance.
In the Indian retail business the importance of employee selection and training cannot be overemphasized. Many foreign retailers are surprised when they learn that monetary compensation although important to employees is usually not their main concern. Fairness, security, honesty and opportunity are factors more important than pay. As Indian retail industry headhunters we understand what motivates employees to join an organisation & perform.