Conference Day One - Tuesday, February 25
8:00 am Registration & Networking
9:00 am What it Takes to Make a LEAP a Reality
9:06 am Chair’s Opening Remarks
Developing Future Leaders & Strengthening Retail Talent Pipelines
9:10 am Discover: Leveraging Authenticity in the Workplace to Strengthen Employee Engagement & Reduce Turnover
Synopsis
- How can HR leaders effectively measure & communicate the ROI of maximizing employee engagement in their personal development?
- Facilitating internal movement from the frontline workforce to management or corporate leadership positions
- Hear from New Balance how they’re striving to promote more store associates into management positions to bolster their internal talent pipelines
9:30 am Develop: How Can HR Leaders Use Employee Development Programs to Build Stronger Leadership Pipelines and Drive Internal Mobility?
Synopsis
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Chair
- How can HR leaders effectively measure and communicate the impact of development programs on employee engagement, retention, and career advancement?
- What strategies can HR leaders implement to support internal mobility and help frontline employees transition into leadership roles?
- How can HR leaders tackle the challenges of creating strong talent pipelines and ensure that employees are well-prepared to step into future leadership positions?
9:40 am Action: How Can HR Leaders Foster Leadership Growth and Strengthen Talent Pipelines from Within?
Synopsis
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
- What development programs, mentorship initiatives, and supportive work environments are most effective in motivating store associates to transition into leadership roles?
- How can organizations use meaningful feedback, skill-building pathways, and clear career advancement opportunities to reduce turnover and encourage long-term employee development?
- What strategies can HR leaders implement to align talent development programs with recruitment efforts, enhancing brand appeal and creating a stronger, more sustainable talent pipeline?
10:10 am Networking Break – Retail Organization By Size Networking
Synopsis
In this dedicated networking session, you will have the chance to connect with retailers of a similar size, allowing for tailored discussions and the opportunity to share best practices relevant to your organization’s scale.
Streamlining Leadership Pathways to Attract & Retain Top Talent
10:50 am Discover: Introducing Streamlined Pathways to Leadership to Attract & Retain Skilled Employees in a Competitive Retail Environment
Synopsis
- How can retailers effectively retain talent and promote employee career advancement within budget constraints?
- Rethinking the integration of innovative talent development strategies with talent acquisition to enhance the overall brand image among prospective candidates
- Hear from the Navy Exchange Service Command on how they are building non-competitive progression pathways to facilitate associate skill development while addressing talent retention challenges
11:10 am Discover: The Cost of Crisis: Why Financial Stability is Key to Employee Retention
Synopsis
At a time when nearly two-thirds of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and financial stress is the leading cause of lost productivity, employers face a critical opportunity: to rethink how they support the financial stability of their workforce. Rachel Schneider, Founder & CEO of Canary, invites attendees to consider how expanding safety nets for frontline retail workers can not only mitigate crises but also transform retention and engagement in an increasingly competitive labor market.
11:30 am Develop: How Can Retailers Build Leadership Pathways & Strengthen Financial Support to Improve Retention?
Synopsis
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Chair
- What strategies can retailers implement to create accessible leadership pathways that support employee growth while staying within budget?
- How does financial security impact workforce retention, and what role can employers play in providing safety nets for their employees?
- How can organizations integrate leadership development and financial well-being initiatives into their talent strategy to enhance engagement and brand perception?
11:50 am Action: How Can Retailers Build Strong Leadership Pathways & Financial Support Systems to Retain and Develop Talent?
Synopsis
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
- What practical steps can retailers take to create structured, budget-conscious leadership pathways that drive career growth and reduce turnover?
- How can financial well-being initiatives enhance employee retention, and what innovative approaches are retailers using to provide financial support?
- How can organizations integrate leadership development and financial security programs into a cohesive talent strategy that fosters long-term engagement?
12:20 pm Lunch
Streamlining Leadership Pathways to Attract & Retain Top Talent
1:20 pm Discover: Implementing Virtual Interview Technology to Increase Candidate Experience & Quality of Talent
Synopsis
- Reduce no-shows, open positions, and increase retention within the first 30 days of a new hire, ensuring our stores are optimally staffed
- Implement interview technology, optimizing recruiter’s time, and offer the ability to empower our applicants by meeting their interview flexibility needs
- How RaceTrac reorganized their TA team to conduct online interviews, fill roles quickly with quality talent to decrease the number of hiring needs in stores, which ultimately increases the new hire experience and retention of new staff
1:40 pm Develop: How Can Virtual Interview Technology Transform Hiring, Candidate Experience & Early Retention?
Synopsis
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Chair
- How can virtual interview technology help reduce no-shows, optimize recruiter efficiency, and ensure stores are fully staffed with quality hires?
- What strategies can retail organizations implement to provide candidates with a seamless and flexible interview experience that improves long-term retention?
- How can restructuring talent acquisition teams around virtual interviews lead to faster hiring, better candidate engagement, and a stronger workforce?
1:50 pm Action: How Can Virtual Interview Technology Empower Recruitment & Onboarding to Drive Talent Quality & Early Retention?
Synopsis
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
- How can you streamline the recruitment process through virtual interview technology to enhance candidate experience and reduce time-to-hire?
- What are the key ways technology can be leveraged to improve onboarding processes, ensuring new hires are effectively integrated and engaged from day one?
- How can virtual interview tools optimize recruitment efforts, ensuring that hires are not only efficient but also better suited for long-term success and retention?
2:20 pm Innovate: Recruiting as a Competitive Advantage: Building a Talent Acquisition Strategy that Drives Business Growth
Synopsis
Join us for a session focused on building a top-performing team with a strategic approach to talent acquisition. We’ll explore:
- Branding: Attracting top talent through your company’s reputation.
- Engagement: Creating exciting job descriptions and a smooth hiring process.
- Networking: Encouraging employees to recruit and building talent pipelines.
Plus, learn how to leverage Tech to automate tasks, use data to make better decisions, and create a candidate experience that drives success. This session will help you build a winning team for your business.
2:30 pm Networking Break
Evaluating Competitive Benefits to Strengthen TA & Retention
3:10 pm Discover: Pulling Back the Curtain: Understanding Benefit Brokerage & Advocating for the Right Benefits for Your Employees to Offer a Competitive Package
Synopsis
- What goes on behind the scenes when negotiating with your employee benefits broker?
- Aligning with your broker to ensure your organisation is offering a competitive package for talent attraction
- Learn from Topco how to utilise SHRM survey data to evaluate changing employees benefit expectations
3:30 pm Discover: Using Employee Input to Develop the Design of Benefits Plans Through Conjoint Analysis
Synopsis
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Chair
- Learn to apply analysis results to design a benefits package that boosts workforce engagement
- Explore the challenges retail companies face in offering competitive benefits that balance cost and employee retention
- See how Blain’s Farm and Fleet used conjoint analysis to identify and align benefits with employee needs
3:50 pm Develop: What Approaches Can HR Leaders Use to Create Competitive Benefits Packages that Align with Employee Expectations?
Synopsis
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
- How can HR leaders collaborate effectively with benefit brokers to ensure the packages offered remain competitive and support talent attraction?
- What are the key benefits trends revealed by data sources, like SHRM surveys, and how can these insights help shape benefits offerings?
- How can understanding the negotiation process with benefits brokers enable organizations to better advocate for employee needs while managing costs?
4:10 pm Action: How Can You Leverage Employee Input & Data Analysis to Design Benefits Packages that Drive Engagement & Retention?
Synopsis
- What methods, like conjoint analysis, can help HR teams gather meaningful employee input to align benefits with workforce needs and expectations?
- What challenges do retail organizations face in designing cost-effective yet attractive benefits, and how can employee feedback help overcome these?
- How can HR leaders apply data-driven insights from employee input to refine benefits packages that balance retention goals with budget constraints?