This week on Retail Pulse Check, Craig Patterson and Stephen O’Keefe are joined by industry expert and HR specialist, Suzanne Sears. A portion of the conversation focused on the employee/employer relationship in terms of best procedures for keeping everybody safe as the economy slowly reopens.
Sears talked about dealing with employee fear and resistance when returning to the workplace, creating a safe working environment and employers’ responsibilities to do so, and the importance of building trust between both parties as everyone begins the transition back to the ‘new normal’.
Patterson and O’Keefe also discussed the future of ecommerce post-COVID, the changing dynamics within enclosed retail environments such as shopping centres, and the significance of eliminating ambiguity when it comes to relaying necessary protocols to consumers and staff alike.
Speaker Details:
Craig Patterson, Founder, Editor-In-Chief @Retail Insider
Craig Patterson is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Canada’s most-read online retail industry news publication, Retail Insider. He is also a Director at the University of Alberta School of Retailing, as well as a research consultant at Retail Council of Canada. Craig has studied the Canadian retail landscape for over 25 years, and has also been involved with strategy pertaining to urban revitalization in several cities, as well as retail and shopping centre-related design. He is an industry consultant who also gives retail tours and and is a public speaker. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and Bachelor of Laws degree.
Stephen O’Keefe, Founder @Bottom Line Matters
Stephen O’Keefe is a 30 year veteran of the retail industry having worked with major brands such as Sears, Hudson’s Bay, and Walmart where he was Vice President of Loss Prevention and Risk Management. He founded Bottom Line Matters as a source for retailers of all sizes to draw upon his experience and expertise and deal with what matters – maximizing their bottom line. Stephen clients have included major retailers, BIAs, vendors as well as the Industry Association itself. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with the retail loss prevention community, sharing best practice to combat shrinkage and advocating for legislative changes to support retail business.
Suzanne Sears, President @Best Retail Careers International Inc.
Suzanne Sears is the present of Best Retail Careers International Inc. (BR Careers International Inc.) which is a boutique recruiting agency, located in Toronto and New York City. With a global co-broker network that spans to Australia, Canada, Dubai, Japan, USA and the U.K., Best Retail Careers International Inc. has the right people at the right time!
