Canadian Retailer - Fall 2015 - 36

talent development

tHe plaCe of poSSible

h&M succeeds at recruitment, retention and
reputation to sustain corporate Growth
BY ANDREW HIND
the ability to Phamrecruit and retain top retail talent can be the

foundation of any successful business. However, ask any retailer
and they'll tell you that the task is a lot easier stated than accomplished. It's an ongoing challenge within the industry, one that is
viewed by many retailers as one of their top concerns and initiatives today. And going forward many companies are launching
campaigns to help support and achieve their recruitment and
retention goals.
One such company is H&M, Hennes & Mauritz Inc., one of the
world's largest fashion retailers, famous for offering fashion-forward apparel at affordable prices in a sustainable way. The company has identified recruitment and retention as one of its priorities, and they seem to managing the challenge better than most,
attracting the best talent and ensuring solid retention rates to
meet their growth strategy targets.
They've accomplished this through the development of a campaign that has helped the company hire smarter by recruiting
prospects interested in the H&M experience, and by attracting
those who are the right fit for the company.

chelsea
wharton
Controller

"You can have a unique style and be yourself here.
we don't just allow that, we encourage it. we have
people of different sexual orientations, race, culture,
religion, age. h&M is about expressing yourself, whoever you are. anything is possible for anybody."

identifying with candidates

Brand loyalty is a driving factor within the retail
industry. Customers have long shopped at stores that
speak to them on some intrinsic level, but no longer
is brand loyalty merely limited to the customer-retailer relationship. Today, people-especially those
in the 18-30 age group-are increasingly choosing
- JessicA GABrieL, H&M Canada
to work at businesses that they identify with. They
want to work at a place compatible with their lifestyle, their core
values, their career ambitions, and their beliefs.
In a recent WorkTrends survey, it was revealed that employees report that an organization's reputation is crucial when they
Dustin
think about joining or remaining for any length of time. It was
rivadillo
Visual
also revealed that employees want to be engaged by their organMerchandiser
izations, personally and professionally.
H&M not only recognizes this reality but hopes to harness it in
a newly launched national recruiting campaign. Called "Place of
Possible," the campaign is aimed at attracting talent interested
in entering the fashion industry to support the company's continued expansion across Canada.
"The campaign, like our company, celebrates a diverse workforce," explains Jessica Gabriel, employee relations specialist at
H&M. "You can have a unique style and be yourself here. We don't
just allow that, we encourage it. We have people of different sexual
orientations, race, culture, religion, age. H&M is about expressing
yourself, whoever you are. Anything is possible for anybody."

36 |

canadian retailer | FALL 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Retailer - Fall 2015