Mike Osorio

The Container Store: The Employee as an 'Extension of the Brand'

March 21, 2009

FROM RETAILWIRE:
In the retail industry, a 100 percent plus annual employee turnover is not uncommon. However, The Container Store experiences just 10-to-15 percent annual turnover. How does the retailer achieve a number virtually unheard of in the industry? Do you know of other retailers with unique hiring processes?      [more...]

I've watched the Container Store for years and have always been impressed that they have never wavered from their "commitment to time" in talent acquisition, education, and ongoing improvement of these processes. We all know that having extraordinary people outweighs any temporary lack of extraordinary products, services, or strategies. But few companies focus on the people side with the same level of intensity that The Container Store executes daily. Why? It started at the beginning with the founders' personal focus on hiring and educating the best workforce anywhere.

For any company wishing to emulate The Container Store's success, it must start at the very top. The leader must ensure their lieutenants share their focus and stay on this forever. Any relaxation in this focus will allow slippage. There is no shortage of information on developing excellent hiring, education, and retention processes. There is, however, a terrible shortage of leaders willing to make this the company’s #1 priority.