Retail employment down in Q4 2014

The equivalent number of full-time jobs in retail fell by 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared with the same period last year, according to new figures released by the British Retail Consortium and business law firm Bond Dickinson.

The Retail Employment Monitor showed that in Q4 2014 the number of outlets rose by 1.9 percent and that non-food retailers continued to provide a marginal contribution to the overall increase.

BRC director general Helen Dickinson said: “It appears that December was not only a good month for retail sales but also for retail employees – staff numbers were marginally up on last year as retailers hired more people to meet the seasonal demand from shoppers. This increase is important because a temporary job at Christmas is the gateway for many to a long and fulfilling career in our industry.”

Christina Tolvas-Vincent, head of retail employment at Bond Dickinson, added: “There are promising signs of recovery for retailers including the upturn in full-time equivalent employees in December and the increased number of stores, primarily driven by the food sector.

“Many of the retailers we work with see customer service as a key part of their strategy and are taking great pains to ensure they not only stay ahead of the curve on employment laws but go above and beyond them to attract and retain the best people available.”