Exciting news: The Deskless Report 2022 has launched 🎉 Read it here!

Close ticker
4 ways retailers can prioritize empowering staff through effective task management

4 ways retailers can prioritize empowering staff through effective task management

by | Nov 22, 2022 | Operations, Retail

Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and related disruptions, consumer preferences and behaviour are shifting, resulting in evolved and increased expectations concerning the experience they receive from brands. As a result, the role of the retail employee is also transforming, with a greater emphasis being placed on the need for knowledgeable talent that can help support the experience offered and overall retail execution. 

However, in order to get the most out of today’s employees, says Suzanne Sears, retail staffing expert and president of Best Retail Careers International Inc., brands need to focus not just on sourcing new staff, but also on empowering staff already on the floor.

“Retailers throughout the entire industry are struggling to find the talent that’s required to deliver on the expectations of today’s consumer,” she says. “But there are quite a few brands out there that are not doing a whole lot to empower the talent that they do have within their organizations. And, it often boils down to ineffective communication between head office, store managers and their frontline employees. If an employee doesn’t understand what’s expected of them in order to achieve the team’s objectives, if they don’t have clear visibility into the value of their contribution and the contributions of those around them, they aren’t going to feel empowered enough to go above and beyond for their colleagues, the consumer or the brand when the opportunity arises.”

In fact, the lack of effective communication within retail organizations is so pervasive that it’s creating gaps in sentiment and understanding between management and frontline staff, resulting in unnecessary executional impediments. According to The Deskless Report 65% of corporate leaders believe their communication is effective, while only 35% of frontline workers agree. Further, the report finds that 37% of frontline managers and workers believe fractured communication is very or extremely challenging to their day-to-day work. 

These stats bear out Sears’ assessment of the challenges faced by retailers, and the connection to more effective frontline communications – it’s resulting in discontented consumers and indifferent employees, she says. 

However, Sears suggests that the path to improved company-wide communication might be through the development of strong task management. In fact, effective task management can play a critical role in empowering staff, fostering a sense of innovation, and driving the discretionary effort retailers so desperately need. 

Here are 4 ways retailers can prioritize empowering staff through effective task management:

1. Task management bolsters the manager-worker connection

“Effective task management serves to connect store managers and their employees in a way that’s incredibly meaningful,” says Sears. “It allows managers to convey deliverables to their employees, the importance of their contributions to the overall objectives, as well as the importance of their colleagues’ contributions. When employees feel a part of what’s going on and understand how goals within the organization are achieved, they’re much more likely to expend discretionary effort to help achieve them.”

2. Task management instills a sense of pride – and commitment

“When retail employees understand their roles and responsibilities and they can see how their work lends toward achievements and success, a sense of pride in their work is cultivated,” says Sears. “And, in my experience, an employee who’s proud of their job and the work they’re doing is often an empowered employee that is willing and able to do whatever is necessary to ensure a satisfied customer and growth for the brand.”

3. Task management helps workers to “integrate mentally” into their daily checklist

“The biggest benefit of effective task management to store managers is the fact that their employees are so integrated mentally into the steps, procedures and tasks that need to be completed and adhered to each day, the work becomes almost second nature to them, inspiring and facilitating innovation and creativity in working toward goals and objectives,” says Sears.

4. Task management ignites a “cycle of success”

“Perhaps the greatest advantage that task management provides retailers and their store managers is the fact that, as a result of its connecting and empowering qualities, employees of the brand are truly set up to succeed,” says Sears. “By giving them access to the tools and direction that’s required in order to do their jobs to the best of their ability, they learn that they can achieve great things. And, because success leads to further success, empowered employees often strive to achieve even more.” Who doesn’t want a cycle of success permeating their staff? 

—

But here’s the catch: for effective task management to do its magic empowering staff, organizations need to have the right tools in place. Luckily, Sears goes on to explain that effective task management has always led to optimal retail execution, greater collaboration and an empowered workforce. However, she says that the implementation and maintenance of task management is that much easier today thanks to the digitization of the world around us. And, given that everyone owns and carries a cellphone today, it only makes sense to leverage the technology that’s already in employees’ hands in order to enable the most effective task management possible.

And, it seems as though today’s employees are in favour of seeing this type of digitization occur within the store environments that they work in. According to The Deskless Report 2022, 41% of frontline managers and workers would like to use technology to fix fractured communication. In fact, it’s something that Sears says is simply part of the natural evolution of the retail employee experience.

“Technology plays such an important role in the daily lives of most people on the planet,” she asserts. “So, why not enable and empower your workforce with communications within a system that they literally have in their back pocket. Connecting managers with their employees in a digital way creates transparency and immediacy with respect to the jobs that are being done. Leveraging technology to improve the employee experience, which in turn enhances the in-store experience for the customer, is something that the savviest retailers and brands are currently doing, and is something that will soon become necessary in order to enjoy retail success.”

Evolution within the retail environment is something that just happens. Spurred on by economic factors, market trends or consumer behaviour, the industry is constantly changing. In order to achieve success, brands have to be able to adapt to the evolution, embracing shifts and innovating to keep up with the curve. And, it seems increasingly clear as we continue to foray into the future of retail that one of the most seamless and effective ways to do so is by digitally-enabling frontline employees, empowering them to do their jobs and fostering the innovation required to take the retail experience to the next level.

Ready for more?

Check out our resource hub for guides, webinars, podcasts, and more!

Head to the hub!

How effective retail task management can maintain operational consistency across stores

How effective retail task management can maintain operational consistency across stores

by | Oct 20, 2022 | Operations

We recently released our guide to retail task management – and now we’re taking a step back to explore why (and how) effective task management is so critical to the success of retail organizations. In this post, we’re looking at how effective task management can drive operational consistency. 

When it comes to driving operational consistency in retail and laying a foundation for future growth, nothing is more important than the experience a brand offers. With the objective to bring customers into the store and provide them with reasons to return, it lends significantly toward satisfying the core tenets of retail. 

Underpinning the experience enjoyed by the customer is the one that employees of the brand receive. Ensuring that staff are well-trained, confident in their roles and responsibilities, and possessing a deep understanding of the customer’s expectations and the ways by which they can help meet them, goes a long way toward developing and maintaining an exceptional retail experience. Achieving this, however, is much more easily said than done for any merchant. And, when considering the need for multi-store retailers to execute on the same vision, arriving at operational consistency across a network of locations, the challenge seems that much more daunting.

“Retail is all about people,” says Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO of Retail Council of Canada. “It’s about the customer and the brand’s employees who are responsible for providing the experience and service that customers are seeking. What’s just as important, though, is maintaining consistency of service so that the customer experience is the same or better with each and every visit to a store. So, imagine how complicated and challenging this can be for retailers operating multiple store locations.”

Driving the customer experience through the consistency in the employee experience

The importance of ensuring excellent customer service is highlighted by findings within a PwC report that revealed 73% of today’s consumers consider the experience they receive as one of the most important factors driving their purchasing decisions, trailing closely behind price and quality. Further, 65% of consumers feel that a positive experience is more impactful than any kind of advertising or marketing.

It’s paramount, says Brisebois, that retailers do everything possible to ensure that their employees are set up for success and ready to deliver the consistent experience customers are increasingly expecting. She suggests the development of a strong and comprehensive set of standard operating procedures as the place to start, adding that a digitally-enabled task management system is the perfect way to imbed them into a culture, resulting in operational consistency as well as a host of other benefits for the organization. 

Here are four reasons why effective retail task management can maintain operational consistency, which in turn drives memorable customer experiences: 

1. It provides employees with deep understanding of roles and responsibilities 

“By leveraging digital tools that connect employees to a centralized set of procedures and responsibilities, allowing everyone to see what the tasks are, how they’re to be executed, and the results of effective execution, is critical in maintaining consistency,” says Brisebois. “When everyone knows what their colleagues are doing and why, efficiencies increase, as does the level of service provided to the customer.”

2. It allows all employees of the brand to operate within the same parameters

“When everyone is on the same page, so to speak, it’s easier to onboard new employees and enhance the skills of existing ones,” says Brisebois. “It allows for more seamless transitions for employees between stores and roles, creating a system of sorts by which employees need to fit into in order to realize individual and collective successes.”

3. It increases trust and loyalty

“When customers receive an incredible experience from a brand, they come to expect it from them, each and every time, despite where they shop with them,” says Brisebois. “Offering the same exceptional experience across a store network goes a long way toward heightening the perception of the brand in the mind of the consumer, engendering greater trust and loyalty in them, too.”

4. It allows regional managers to have greater control with access to real-time data

As this year’s Deskless Report found, managers are experiencing record-high levels of burnout due to a lack of access to the technology and tools that would enable them to effectively act as an intermediary between their workers and head office. 

“Having a task management system in place across multiple stores is also a massive benefit to regional managers responsible for the performance of multiple store locations. At a glance, with the digital tools available today, they can see how all stores within their network are performing, see what’s working and what isn’t, advising them of the need to intervene in order to fill gaps that might be interrupting the employee and customer experience.” says Brisebois.

The digital curve

Brisebois goes on to explain that accessing the technologies available to them and leveraging appropriate tools within the retail store is a great way for merchants to keep up with what she describes as “the digital curve” while also enhancing the experience for both customers and employees. 

And organizations see it. According to The Deskless Report, 80% of all corporate, manager, and worker respondents believe that task management can effectively impact frontline challenges and help workers thrive.

“When employees don’t need to constantly check in with their managers concerning their tasks and the steps needed to complete them, everyone’s time frees up, creating an organized, welcoming and stress-free environment,” she explains. “And, believe me, customers can sense these things as soon as they enter a store. When employees are on top of their work and can devote their full, undivided attention to servicing the needs of the customer, everyone wins. Customers’ expectations of the brand are surpassed. Employees feel empowered and proud of the work they’ve done. And the organization continues to engender trust and loyalty in both.”

Attracting talent

In fact, the trust and loyalty that’s cultivated end up, in Brisebois’ opinion, enhancing the culture of the organization. And, in some cases, she suggests that it becomes the strongest possible recruiting tool, allowing retailers to attract the right kind of talent to their stores, providing them with a leg up on competitors during a time when talent is extremely hard to find.

“The culture that a consistent employee experience helps nurture and develop is significant for a number of different reasons.,” she asserts. “Perhaps more important than any, however, is the impact it has on the perceptions of your brand in the minds of prospective employees. Finding the right talent has been one of the most difficult challenges faced by those operating within the industry over the course of the past couple of years. By establishing a brand that employees want to work for, when the culture and experience is the same across every store in a multi-store network, retailers can really differentiate themselves in the most meaningful way – the talent they attract to their stores.”

—

During one of the most challenging times in recent retail memory, the need for merchants to empower their employees to deliver exceptional customer service may be more important than ever before. And, enabling them with the digital tools necessary to ensure that this objective is achieved, that the same incredible experience is offered during each customer interaction, in every store across an entire network, may serve to be one of the greatest drivers of growth for the foreseeable future. 

Ready for more?

Check out our resource hub for guides, webinars, podcasts, and more!

Head to the hub!

How effective task management drives positive company culture

How effective task management drives positive company culture

by | Sep 23, 2022 | Employee Productivity, Operations, Retail

We recently released our guide to retail task management – and now we’re taking a step back to explore why (and how) effective task management is so critical to the success of retail organizations. First up: we’re looking at how effective task management can drive positive company culture. 

The success rate and growth trajectory of any retail organization rises and falls with the performance levels of its employees. It’s a truth recognized by anyone who’s ever worked within the industry – one that’s been accepted since the earliest days of retail. It’s also recently become a relatively well-established fact that employee performance is strongly linked to company culture. 

And according to Stephen O’Keefe, industry expert and Founder of retail consultancy Bottom Line Matters, one of the most important ways to feed into the development of a positive organizational culture is effective task management.

“When all management and employees are on the same page, working together toward the same goals and objectives, a shared sense of pride results,” O’Keefe explains. “From the perspective of a team, if this is the case, with some focus and dedication, everything else follows.”

The importance of developing and maintaining a positive company culture in order to unlock retail success is not lost on O’Keefe, who believes that an organization’s culture permeates everything about the store and brand, impacting the experience and perception for both employees and customers.

Furthermore, O’Keefe believes that instilling a strong task management mindset among staff is critical as staffing issues, supply chain constraints, inflation and other challenges are impacting retailers’ ability to grow and thrive. 

And when they come together? Retailers are unstoppable. 

Here are 4 ways effective task management drives a positive company culture: 

1. Staff have a clearer understanding of roles and responsibilities (theirs, and others)

Defining employees’ duties and the behavior that’s expected from them in a clear and concise manner is the first step in organizing a team for optimized output and performance.

“Making sure that employees know what their individual roles and responsibilities are is an absolute must when it comes to overall retail success. Task management is really the only way to most effectively ensure that this happens, making the onboarding of fresh talent seamless and efficient,” explains O’Keefe.

Furthermore, a recognition of the work being executed by the entire team leads to better results.

“When you can organize your staff, getting them all on the same page with respect to the contributions of the entire team and how it all links together to produce positive outcomes, a greater appreciation for the work of fellow colleagues and associates is inevitable, and often results in increased performance and satisfaction.” 

2. Organizations see a boost in employee morale 

There’s no doubt that a happy employee is a productive employee. But their happiness in this sense is really only made possible through an understanding of their contribution.

“It’s rewarding for employees when they know how the task that they’re responsible for is contributing to the overall goal of the team and organization. To actively participate in achieving an objective, and to understand why their contribution is important, is critical and significantly increases morale among staff,” says O’Keefe. 

3. Workers are encouraged and empowered to drive collaboration and innovation

Effective task management empowers and enables employees, often eliciting significant discretionary effort from them. 

“Because task management re-enforces a culture in which everyone plays a part, it’s easier for everyone to see how their tasks and responsibilities impact the entire team,” says O’Keefe. “It leads to enhanced collaboration among colleagues and provides a catalyst for innovative thinking and problem-solving, encouraging staff to go above and beyond the requirements of their jobs.”

4. It provides a “roadmap” for coming together during crisis or challenging times

O’Keefe goes on to explain that in addition to the overwhelming benefits that organizations reap from the use and maintenance of effective task management and the ways in which it drives an engaged and inspired culture, it can also serve as a roadmap of sorts, helping retail staff avoid ruinous potholes.

“Effective task management actually goes a long way toward supporting risk management efforts. When you provide clarity and have removed ambiguity for staff, giving them visibility into the overall objective, their performance increases,” explains O’Keefe. 

“But where it becomes incredibly productive is when a variable is introduced into a timeline of tasks. These variables typically derail most retailers. But when everyone has visibility into the end-goal, they’re able to address the variable and overcome it as they would a small hurdle. Task management allows teams to adapt very quickly and still deliver positive results. If you’re following directions but don’t know where you’re going, it’s impossible to adapt to disruption. Task management provides that roadmap and visibility for teams to follow in order to arrive at their destination.”

—

When retailers leverage task management to drive company culture, it can result in myriad benefits. 

First, it can drive increased customer satisfaction. Once a positive culture has been established through the organization of a store’s staff of employees, the influences that can result are extraordinary, allowing brands to strive for and reach the next level of performance. However, as O’Keefe points out, the benefits of achieving such a culture are not limited internally, adding that the potential impact that it has on the customer is remarkable.

“When a store and its staff are running like a well-oiled machine, when everyone is doing exactly what they’re supposed to be doing, the experience that a customer receives when entering is taken to the next level. The service they receive is elevated, their satisfaction related to the shopping journey increases, their perception of the brand is strengthened, and their loyalty is enhanced. And, it starts by properly organizing and engaging with your staff.”

Second, it can attract and retain talent. “Internally, task management is a critical lever in helping to establish and nurture a culture of integrity, authenticity and respect. And when this is the type of culture that exists, people will want to come work for that organization, attaching themselves to the brand,” explains O’Keefe. 

“Those who are currently working there won’t want to leave. Why would they? What ultimately results is encouragement for employees and new hires to adapt their behavior in order to align to the brand that they want to be associated with, decreasing the learning curve involved.”

As we continue entering a post-pandemic environment in which customers and employees are seeking an elevated experience and deeper connection with the brands that they shop at and work for, retailers are exploring a number of ways by which they can make these things happen. And, it seems, the easiest, most efficient and rewarding way to do so is through the development and maintenance of a strong task management-driven company culture.

Ready for more?

Check out our resource hub for guides, webinars, podcasts, and more!

Head to the hub!

A guide to improving restaurant operations with effective task management

A guide to improving restaurant operations with effective task management

by | Aug 26, 2022 | Employee Productivity, Foodservice, Operations

We talked about retail task management – now it’s time to delve deeper into the world of restaurant operations.

For anyone operating in the foodservice industry the past few years, it’s been a challenge. Maintaining profitability has been an uphill battle, with imposed closures and mandated social protocols prohibiting establishments from operating at full capacity, preventing them from providing the experience that many restaurants thrive on.

During this time, facilitated by impacts of the pandemic, a digital acceleration has occurred, forever transforming the way restaurants interact with their customers – and, potentially, their staff. If implemented thoughtfully, digital technologies can serve to support and streamline business processes and improve restaurant operations exponentially. And, given how important a prepared, organized, and motivated frontline is to the success of any restaurant, organizations will need to prioritize the digitization of task management processes as part of this digital acceleration, enabling their staff with the task management tools they need to succeed, resulting in more efficient task completion, safer food handling, increased performance, improved guest experiences, and so much more. 

With that, here’s our guide to improving restaurant operations through effective task management. 

 

What’s in this guide: 

What is task management?

Task management: Supporting optimized restaurant operations

The benefits of scaling restaurant task management

Digitally enabling foodservice staff with the right task managemnt tools

3 restaurant challenges that task management can solve for

Choosing a restaurant task management tool

Tips for leveraging task management to improve restauranperations

 

What is task management?

Simply put, task management is the process by which foodservice organizations and operators can standardize and scale the tasks that need to be completed at their locations on a regular basis. Effective task management is crucial at any frontline organization, but given the foodservice world’s volatile nature and dispersed workforce – combined with the guest expectation for consistent, memorable experiences – it becomes particularly critical to successful restaurant operations. 

With the development and implementation of a strong task management system and processes, restaurant managers are provided greater oversight concerning the daily tasks related to running a successful restaurant, as well as those related to individual employee shifts.

In addition, effective task management procedures and protocol ensures that employees have a clear understanding of the roles and duties that they’re responsible for and the overall goals and objectives that the organization strives to achieve. This clear line of communication from the individual employee through the location, region, and overall brand, takes time and effort – but it’s the only way to maintain consistency and efficiency, ensuring that customers receive the same level of service and great experience, despite the location they visit. 

Task management will look slightly different at any foodservice organization, but a restaurant’s daily task list usually includes opening and closing tasks and procedures, as well as all other tasks that are to be completed by employees of the store throughout the day. These lists are often broken up between the front of house and back (or heart) of house staff. 

 

Here’s an example of a front of house opening task list:

  • Conduct security inspection of premises
  • Activate lights and other devices and appliances
  • Perform opening housekeeping duties
  • Conduct and record cash count
  • Activate POS equipment
  • Launch POS software
  • Enter daily cash float
  • Conduct inventory check and restock, if necessary
  • Prepare dining area
  • Coordinate ‘specials’ with back of the house, if necessary
  • Open the doors for business

 

Here’s an example of a back of house opening task list:

  • Turn lights and kitchen appliances on
  • Perform opening housekeeping duties
  • Check cold table levels and replenish, if necessary
  • Conduct dry storage, fridge and freezer inventory and make order notes
  • Prepare soup of the day
  • Prepare specials and communicate them to front of the house staff
  • Conduct prep of items to be used frequently throughout the day
  • Open the kitchen for business

 

Task management: Supporting optimized restaurant operations

Why is foodservice task management so important? In order to ensure an optimized operation and the delivery of an experience that meets and surpasses the expectations of restaurant patrons, employees have got to be set up for success. They’ve got to be comfortable and confident within their roles and be armed with the right information to help them do their jobs to the greatest effect. And, if this is achieved, satisfaction within their roles will increase exponentially, helping to combat one of the biggest scourges within the foodservice industry today.

According to the 2021-2022 release of The Deskless Report: Foodservice Edition, turnover is the biggest challenge faced by foodservice leaders today. When combined with the report’s reveal that an alarming 38% of foodservice employees currently want to quit their jobs, there’s a very obvious issue to address. However, when analyzing some of the top reasons for workers to want to leave their jobs – poor management or working environment, staffing issues, overworking and burnout – it becomes just as obvious to understand the ways in which an effective task management system can help to alleviate the current employment dilemma. 

With the right strategy and tools, the implementation of a smart task management system can help restaurant owners and managers align their staff with the right executables. It can help to create a winning, team environment that’s rooted in accountability and cooperation, and provide their staff with the motivation and encouragement to go above and beyond, expending discretionary effort that ultimately benefits their progression, the experience enjoyed by patrons, and the profitability of the business.

Other benefits resulting from effective task management include:

  • Clearer understanding among staff of goals and objectives
  • Greater awareness and appreciation for the roles and responsibilities of others
  • Increased morale among an empowered group of employees
  • Greater innovation and willingness to go above and beyond requirements of job

 

The importance of scaling task management

Running a successful restaurant can be complicated. The speed at which service is required to move throughout the day can lead to a level of volatility that other industries can’t even imagine. As a result, it can prove to be incredibly difficult to ensure that all staff are moving in the same direction toward the attainment and completion of the same goals and objectives. 

However, when you multiply the challenges within a single restaurant across a national (or global!) brand, the job of uniting and aligning staff becomes that much harder. And, if communication is an issue, as the Deskless Report suggests that it might be for many, managing consistency across stores is nearly impossible. The report reveals that 94% of foodservice leaders feel that they’re sending meaningful, quality communications to their employees. Yet, 54% of their workers say that the communication they receive is only somewhat to not at all useful.

When organizations enhance their communications through the development and leveraging of effective task management systems and processes, engagement among employees increases. And, anyone who’s ever worked within the fast-paced foodservice industry knows, an engaged employee is a motivated and productive employee. By ensuring the same consistent message across multiple locations and groups of employees, foodservice district and regional managers responsible for networks of stores are better equipped to align their staff’s efforts and elevate the experience offered to customers and employees, resulting in success for the business.

 

Digitally enabling foodservice staff with the right task management tools

With the right tools in place, the implementation and maintenance of a task management process at scale becomes infinitely less daunting. 

Using the latest in digital technologies to support an effective task management system allows for a number of powerful outputs. First and foremost, the right digital solution provides restaurant owners and managers with the ability to consolidate and track information related to tasks and performance for individual locations as well as across entire networks of stores. And, by leveraging mobile devices to communicate messaging to employees concerning tasks and performance, restaurant operators are enabling their staff and empowering them to excel within their roles. 

Other benefits that rise from the centralization of information include:

  • Head office can manage and direct SOPs, opening and closing checklists for different shifts and staff, pre-shift team huddle agendas, and any other messaging that might benefit employees and the organization as a whole
  • All employees, despite the location they work at, have the same access to the same information, ensuring a deep understanding among workers and enhanced operational consistency
  • District and regional managers are better able to monitor at scale, resulting in a clear understanding of the performance of each store across the network
  • Operators can cultivate and develop a culture of cooperation and teamwork, guaranteeing a clear and collective understanding among all employees concerning the tasks that need to be completed in order to achieve success
  • Head office can easily source feedback and facilitate best practice sharing to better understand the employee experience as it pertains to restaurant operations – and quickly identify ways to improve it

 

3 restaurant challenges that task management can solve for

Scaling task management to reach your entire foodservice workforce can do wonders for driving efficiency, safety, productivity, and more.  Here are some of the common remedies provided by an effective task management process:

1. Scaling onboarding 

With one of the highest turnover rates of any industry, restaurants need consistent onboarding processes that ramp up staff quickly. When restaurants leverage digital task management tools, new hires are more easily and seamlessly onboarded and can hit the ground running in less time than by using conventional tactics, providing them with a clear understanding of the standards and processes of the brand and the expectations of them as an employee and ambassador of the restaurant.

2. Addressing knowledge gaps 

When task assignment is executed through more traditional or legacy approaches (like clipboards or word-of-mouth) there are less (or no) opportunities to identify completion barriers or knowledge gaps that are preventing staff from executing on their daily tasks. Digital solutions provide the analytics and supporting resources to identify and remedy this challenge.  

3. Reducing manager burnout

Managers wear many hats. When task management is executed manually by the managers, it needlessly increases the workload, while also increasing the chance of inconsistencies. On the other hand, when employees are empowered with the information they need through a scalable digital solution, managers can focus on higher level responsibilities with greater focus and intent.

 

Choosing a restaurant task management tool

When exploring potential digital task management solutions to implement with in your locations, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Enable staff with Nudge task management

Consider the user experience 

Make sure that any tool you’re considering is suited to your staff. Keeping the tool mobile-friendly with an easy to navigate interface for ease of use is a safe bet. 

Make it compatible

It’s critical to consider solutions that are part of a larger frontline enablement suite of tools and services, which may include communication, feedback, training, and other functions. This enables centralization of information for the organization as a whole. 

Future-proof your technology 

Let’s face it: the foodservice world is evolving at a rapid pace. Make sure that the technology explored is adaptable and has the ability to evolve with the changing digital needs of the business. 

Psst… Did you know that Nudge’s guided task management feature provides everything you need to keep your foodservice staff focused on the right tasks – and get oversight into what may be at-risk? Learn what Nudge can do here.

 

Tips for leveraging task management to improve restaurant operations

The ways in which restaurant owners and managers establish and implement solutions to help organize tasks and manage and support employee performance vary. However, in seeking to receive their greatest benefits, they should always be used with the goal of setting employees up for success and enabling them with the digital tools they need to perform to the highest standard.

In order to achieve this objective and optimize the effectiveness of task management tools, operators will want to look beyond the rudimentary and utilitarian functions. To engage and empower staff and begin nurturing a culture of teamwork and performance, consider the following tried-and-tested tips:

Focus on clarity

Properly engaging and enabling foodservice staff means providing them with clear and concise direction, and sharing how proper completion of their tasks contributes to the overall success of the team. Be clear and concise to get your message across.

View performance holistically

A task management tool is all about guiding and informing, not auditing. With that in mind, avoid jumping to conclusions as a result of an incomplete task or two. Rather, use the information long-term to identify trends around locations or regions that might require additional support or resources to succeed. 

Celebrate achievements

Digital task management tools allow head office to track and monitor real-time performance, which means they can easily celebrate achievements reached by individuals, stores, or the entire network, making it an incredible team building tool.

Make it fun

If you want your foodservice staff to stay engaged and loyal, you want them to enjoy their work – finding ways to make the process fun is always win-win. So, consider ways to implement a scoring system for points that can be applied to staff discounts or gift cards, turning mundane duties into opportunities to excel.

—

There’s no doubting the fact that the foodservice industry and restaurant experience has changed dramatically as a result of impacts related to the pandemic. And, the changes that have occurred have likely left indelible marks. However, with the right strategy, task management system and processes, as well as the digitally-enabling tools to help support it all, restaurant operators will have the opportunity to realize a number of different benefits that provide the power to raise the bar concerning the experiences received by both patrons and employees, and to increase the success and profitability of their establishments.

Ready for more?

Check out our resource hub for guides, webinars, podcasts, and more!

Head to the hub!

A guide to retail task management

A guide to retail task management

by | Aug 8, 2022 | Employee Productivity, Operations, Retail

It’s time for retailers to re-think their approach to task management. Why? 

Retail is ever-evolving. It’s an industry whose players are used to shifting and pivoting with market conditions, consumer preferences and behavior, and just about everything in-between, in order to remain viable and successful. However, the changes that have occurred as a result of impacts influenced by the pandemic have turned the industry upside-down. Driven by an accelerated digitization of the world around us, the retail landscape has altered. So, too, has the physical environment and the subsequent experiences enjoyed by both customers and employees of the store.

In order to navigate this change and to continue meeting and exceeding the needs and desires of customers while equipping their employees to excel at their jobs, retail organizations are increasingly exploring the adoption of digital tools. If implemented thoughtfully, digital technologies can serve to support and streamline business processes and achieve greater operational consistency and efficiency. And, given how important a prepared, organized, and motivated frontline is to the success of any retailer, organizations will need to prioritize the digitization of task management processes, enabling their employees with the task management tools they need to succeed, resulting in higher task completion rates, increased performance and happier, more engaged employees.

With that, here’s our guide to task management for the ever-evolving world of retail.

 

What’s in this guide: 

What is task management?

Task management: the backbone to operational success

The importance of scaling task management

The power of task management tools

3 retail challenges that task management can solve for

Choosing a task management tool

Tips for successful task completion

 

What is task management?

Task management is one of the more critical cogs within the retail operations machine. Yet, it’s traditionally also one of the most overlooked layers contributing toward operational consistency and efficiency and, as a result, the overall customer experience.

If implemented and maintained properly, task management is often defined by organizations within a set of processes and procedures that allow store managers to organize their staff, providing them with greater oversight concerning the daily tasks that need to be executed while ensuring a clear and collective understanding among employees of the goals and objectives set out by the organization.

For district managers, effective task completion enables greater consistency across multiple stores, resulting in the same level of customer service and experience provided across an entire network.

Though it can become complicated depending on the retailer’s level of internal organization, task management is, in essence, a store’s daily task list which includes opening and closing tasks and procedures, as well as all other tasks that are to be completed by employees of the store throughout the day.

Here’s an example of an opening task list: 

  • Conduct security inspection of premises
  • Activate lights and other devices and appliances
  • Perform opening housekeeping duties
  • Activate POS equipment
  • Launch POS software
  • Enter daily cash float
  • Check all merchandising displays and signage
  • Restock shelves, if necessary
  • Conduct inventory count, if necessary
  • Open the doors for business

 

Task management: the backbone to operational success

There’s no question that it’s been an incredibly challenging time of late for retailers with respect to attracting and retaining the right talent to their organizations. In fact, according to the 2021-2022 release of The Deskless Report: Retail Edition, turnover is the number one challenge identified by retail leaders. The second biggest concern, which often directly influences the first, is communication. 

According to the report, 37% of retail employees don’t feel heard by the organizations they work for, while a whopping 68% say that communication and feedback from their managers is extremely important to them. In short, in order to attract and retain top retail talent, organizations have got to increase communication with employees, thereby deepening engagement and enhancing productivity. And, at the heart of this engagement is effective task management.

In addition to supporting increased operational efficiencies and consistencies across networks, the proper use of task management enhances employee satisfaction, loyalty and retention, and decreases absenteeism, lending toward the cultivation of a culture of cooperation and teamwork. And, as a result of motivated, inspired employees, the customer experience is elevated, ultimately benefiting the organization by way of an enhanced reputation among customers and increased revenue.

Other benefits resulting from effective task management include:

  • Clearer understanding among staff of goals and objectives
  • Greater awareness and appreciation for the roles and responsibilities of others
  • Increased morale among an empowered group of employees
  • Greater innovation and willingness to go above and beyond requirements of job

 

The importance of scaling task management

Although it may seem complicated enough to organize a group of frontline employees and guide them in the same direction toward a common goal each shift, it’s critically important to ensure the success of any store. For retailers that operate multiple locations, however, the importance of scaling task management across their network to ensure alignment and consistency can not be overstated.

According to The Deskless Report, there is a general disconnect that exists within individual retail locations concerning communication – a disconnect which tends to become a divide between multiple locations. The report suggests that while 81% of retailers say they send meaningful communications to their employees, 59% of employees feel that the communications they receive are not useful. In addition, 54% of retail leaders say that they share information daily. Yet, only 27% of employees agree. As a result, just 58% of retail employees feel connected to the roles of coworkers outside of their location.

Enabling frontline staff with the same set of tasks management tools – and processes by which to complete those tasks – allows the entire organization to move in the same direction, providing not only the same experience for their employees, but the same consistent experience for customers of their brand. It also allows employees across the network to maintain the same messaging and efficiency of service. And, considering the volatility of the industry as we enter into a post-pandemic environment, the need to focus on providing a consistent experience is going to be paramount, and could very well be a key differentiator for the brands that can get it right.

 

The power of task management tools

Enabling task management solutions within retail operations to not only organize employees and productivity, but to integrate within an evolving technology-driven landscape as well, can seem daunting. However, with the implementation of the right digital tools, retailers can empower and enable their employees to excel within their roles.

Leveraging these tools and innovations to develop and maintain effective task management also poses tremendous benefits to the retailer in the way of consolidation of all communication and performance tracking for the store or stores. With the right task management tools, retail head offices are equipped with the ability to control and guide SOPs, opening and closing checklists, pre-shift team huddle agendas, and any other form of communication that’s important to the success of the overall team.

Other benefits resulting from the centralization of information include:

  • Tasks are accessible to employees across store networks, ensuring a collective understanding and operational consistency
  • Managers and district managers can easily monitor at scale, providing a clear understanding of the performance of each store
  • Every employee possesses a clear understanding of the tasks that need to be completed in order to achieve success, driving cooperation and teamwork
  • Task management tools can be leveraged to elicit employee feedback concerning their tasks and more efficient ways to complete them

 

3 retail challenges that task management can solve for

Scaling task management to reach your entire retail workforce can do wonders for driving support, success, productivity, and more.  Here are some of the common remedies provided by an effective task management process:

1. Streamlining the onboarding process 

Digital task management tools allow new hires to hit the ground running, bringing them quickly up-to-speed with the standards and processes of the brand and the expectations of them as an employee and ambassador of the store.

2. Filling existing knowledge gaps

Sharing communications and information digitally ensures that all employees are on the same page, filling any knowledge gaps that might otherwise exist.

3. Reducing the need for manager intervention

Providing centralized information for employees also removes the requirement for managerial intervention. When employees are empowered with the information they need, managers can focus on higher level responsibilities with greater focus and intent.

 

Choosing a task management tool

When exploring potential digital task management solutions to implement with in your stores, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Enable staff with Nudge task management

Consider the user experience 

It’s important to make sure that any tool explored is mobile-friendly and includes an easy to navigate interface for ease of use. Employees need to be set up for success. Any digital tool they’re armed with should support that success.

Ensure compatibility

It’s critical to consider solutions that are part of a larger communications enablement suite of tools and services. This enables centralization of information for the merchant. 

Plan for the future 

Make sure that the technology explored is adaptable and has the ability to evolve with the changing digital needs of the business. 

Psst… Did you know that Nudge’s guided task management feature provides everything you need to keep your staff focused on the right tasks – and get oversight into what may be at-risk? Learn what Nudge can do here.

 

Tips for successful task completion

Though there are certainly a plethora of ways by which retail organizations can establish, develop and implement their task management process, they should all be leveraged with the same objective in mind: to enable and support employee and store success.

In order to achieve this objective and optimize the effectiveness of task management tools, retailers will want to look beyond the rudimentary and utilitarian functions.To engage staff and begin nurturing a culture of teamwork and success, consider the following tried-and-tested tips:

Focus on clarity

Properly engaging and enabling associates means providing them with clear and concise direction concerning their tasks and the ways in which their proper completion contributes to the overall success of the team. 

View performance holistically

Be sure to leverage task management to guide and inform. So, avoid jumping to conclusions as a result of an incomplete task or two. Rather, use the information to spot worrisome trends or warning signs that might indicate that additional resources may need to be shared. 

Celebrate achievements

Because digital task management tools allow head office to track and monitor real-time performance, it provides them with the opportunity to celebrate achievements reached by individuals, stores, or the entire network, making it an incredible team building tool as well.

Make it fun

Wherever possible retail employees should be having fun. So, consider ways to implement a scoring system for points that can be applied to staff discounts or gift cards, turning mundane duties into opportunities to excel.

—

It’s clear as we approach closer to a truly post-pandemic world that neither the retail environment or experience will ever be the same. The technological shift that’s occurred, combined with the consumer behaviour and attitudes that it’s impacted and influenced, is forcing retailers to rethink they’re service and offering. And, to support their rethink, they’ve got to be empowering their employees and managers with the latest digital task management tools and solutions, enabling them to raise their individual and team performance and enhance the retail experience as a whole.

Ready for more?

Check out our resource hub for guides, webinars, podcasts, and more!

Head to the hub!