Retailers urged to put staff wellbeing at the centre of festive season planning

As South Africa heads full throttle into festive season, many industries begin to slow down, closing offices and preparing for a year-end pause.

Retail, however, is one sector that moves in the opposite direction.

Instead of winding down, it ramps up.

Trading hours are extended, foot traffic increases sharply, and pressure begins to mount well before the holidays officially arrive.

Ashwin Raja is the founder of the Stress to Success System and Mindset Matters and a partner at Change Partners.

He's urging retail bosses to remember that peak season success is not driven people and he's warning that failing to take care of staff now, will hit the bottom line later.

He says many bosses are failing to understand the corrolation between absenteeism and productivity losses and the mental health of staff.

"People's performance is directly linked to mental wellbeing and stress."

And that performance is directly tied to revenue, says Raja.

Where companies are falling short is in implementing risk managment measures rather than preventative or proactive measures, he adds.

"I'm advocating for implementing for them."

Raja says forward-thinking organisations are beginning to recognise stress as a performance variable that must be integrated into planning.

"You can start operationisling mental wellbeing...making sure everyone is at a certain level."

Recognising 'stress triggers' and then eliminating them is crucial, explains Raja.

"When an organsation has certain stress patterns due to the leadership approach and style, that is what inhibits performance.'

To listen to  Ashwin Raja in conversation with CapeTalk's Clarence Ford, click audio below: