Christmas Rush in Retail: S&you managers share their experience

The busiest time of the year is approaching. For customers, it’s the season of gift shopping; for retail managers, the ultimate test of endurance. The greatest asset — and at the same time, the biggest challenge — is a skilled, motivated, and well-coordinated team.

How can you manage the pressure and turn seasonal chaos into a competitive advantage?

We invited three experts from our team to share their insights:

Martina Pavelková, HR Consultant, S&you, 10 years retail experience
Christophe Beaujard, S&you Director CZ&SK, 15+ years retail experience
Adéla Prášilová, Team Leader, Synergie

What do you see as the biggest challenge for retail stores and e-shops during the autumn and Christmas seasons?

Chris:
The main headache is people. For many retailers, the goal is no longer to have the right people — it’s to have any people at all. In a market where candidates have lost the retail culture and the career appeal of this sector has faded, attracting applicants for such a critical period is a huge challenge.

Martina:
The biggest challenge is the need for stores to quickly adapt to a massive increase in footfall, especially on weekends — a trend that often begins as early as September. With Black Friday and Advent approaching, the pace only accelerates. Both physical stores and e-shops must handle a sharp rise in demand while aligning stock availability, logistics, and customer experience. Combined with fierce competition and discount pressure, this period requires a delicate balance between efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Why is the human factor so important during the pre-Christmas period?

Adéla:
During the holiday season, customers expect quick and pleasant service, even when stores are packed. Technology, such as self-checkouts, is a great helper — but nothing replaces the human touch. A smiling, helpful salesperson can turn a stressful shopping experience into a memorable one, encouraging customers to return. That’s why a motivated and high-quality team is the key to success.

Investing in quality seasonal staff isn’t just about hourly sales. It’s an investment in long-term customer loyalty and brand value. A positive experience during a stressful purchase not only closes one sale — it builds an emotional connection that brings the customer back after Christmas. On the other hand, a poor experience can drive them away for good. Paying a little more for a well-trained, culturally aligned temporary worker is therefore an investment that pays off many times over.

How does your own retail experience influence the way you help clients with recruitment today?

Martina:
I worked in retail for almost 10 years, progressing from a sales assistant to a floor manager in a multi-brand department store. I know retail reality from the front line and understand what can happen on the shop floor. I’m familiar with key metrics like conversion, productivity, UPT, or AWT. When recruiting for a specific brand, I always try to understand its DNA and look for a personality fit between candidates and the brand.

Not every candidate fits every brand. And candidates feel more comfortable when they know the person interviewing them truly understands the retail world — because they’ve been there too.

Adéla:
Our team’s collective retail experience means we understand the day-to-day realities of stores and warehouses. We teach clients to plan ahead instead of firefighting. Even a temporary worker with little experience can become a valuable team member after a week of proper training. We help clients find the right mix of experienced permanent staff and seasonal reinforcements.

TIP: Read our article “Recruitment for Retail and FMCG is Run by Industry Experts.”

What specific benefits does working with a recruitment agency bring retailers during the Christmas season?

Adéla:
Our goal is to let clients fully focus on sales and customers while we take care of staffing. The key advantages include quick team reinforcement and complete handling of recruitment, administration, legal requirements, payroll, and even operational tasks such as shift scheduling. We also provide flexible capacity increases for the season only — with no long-term commitments and fully tailored to the client’s needs.

Chris:
Brands that outsource recruitment are smart. We take on most of the stress. Companies gain broader candidate reach, and thanks to our reputation, they attract higher-quality people.

Martina:
We don’t just look for hands — we look for reliable people who bring real added value and the right cultural fit.

TIP: Need to fill a management position? Check out the current S&you candidate portfolio.

How do you see the future of retail recruitment?

Martina:
Filling many retail positions will only become harder. The days when dozens of candidates waited for a single store opening are long gone. Retail has its specifics — irregular hours and high stress levels — which lead to high turnover. Generation Z also plays a big role. This generation thinks differently about work: they want efficiency, meaning, and work-life balance. Engaging them will be a major challenge. Companies will need to focus on retaining their best people, developing them, and offering competitive, well-being-focused benefits.

Adéla:
Hiring for retail will keep getting tougher. The winners will be those who can offer not just salary but also a strong cultural fit. With the rise of e-commerce, the demand for staff will increase not only in stores but also in logistics and fulfillment.

Chris:
Exactly. Gen Z will be selective — they won’t take a job just for quick cash. The future of retail success lies in redefining the work itself. Companies can no longer treat shop floor roles as disposable. To attract and retain talent, they must actively build a positive company culture, offer meaningful benefits, and provide clear career growth paths. Those that manage this transformation will build a strong employer brand and a sustainable competitive advantage.

Prepare for the Christmas season – book a consultation with us. Building a quality team is our priority.