Perception around retail sales jobs in society is changing as the sector continues to grow exponentially, experts and business owners said in a roundtable discussion.
Bangladesh's retail sector is an important contributor to the country's economic growth and provides employment to over 6 million people. It has significant potential to provide job opportunities for career progression for young people – especially women and persons with disabilities.
However, according to a baseline survey conducted by BRAC, a skills gap exists in the sector. In 2020, BRAC Skills Development Programme launched Progressing the Retail sector by Improving Decent Employment (PRIDE) project to provide retail sales skills training to marginalized youth. Under this project, the country's first Bangladesh Technical Education Board accredited retail sales training module was developed.
A roundtable, titled “Perception Change and Inclusion in the Retail Sector”, was organized by BRAC Skills Development Programme last week with the aim of changing perceptions in society about the retail sector to encourage more potential employees to undertake retail sales as a career and for the inclusion of women and people with disabilities. The roundtable was moderated by Md Rubaiyath Sarwar, Managing Director of Innovision Consulting Ltd.
MD Rubaiyath Sarwar Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune“The perception regarding retail sales jobs in society is changing. Students and fresh graduates are showing major interest in retail sector jobs,” Ashraful Alam, Aarong's chief operating officer, said at the roundtable.
According to business executives, students are increasingly seeking employment opportunities in the retail sector due to its huge potential for generating jobs.
Jaker Abdullah, human resource manager at Miniso said: “In recent times, students are increasingly choosing retail brands as a part-time employment opportunity instead of providing tuition, which previously was a more desirable option for them to earn money while studying.”
Experts believe that ensuring a safe and accessible working environment is of utmost importance to include women and persons with disabilities into the retail sector, which is mostly male dominated with only 8% of female employees, according to the baseline study referred earlier.
“From a business perspective, empowering women in the workplace is necessary not just because it's the right thing to do, but also because it's the smart thing to do,” Syed Nasim Manzur, the managing director of Apex Footwear, said, adding that the government needs to actively work with the private sector to ensure accessible environments for persons with disabilities.
For Shah Adeeb Chowdhury, a Director of Evince group, the inclusion of persons with disabilities into the retail workforce is advantageous as persons with disabilities tend to be more focused while doing their job.
Ashraful Alam, Aarong's chief operating officer, also called on his colleagues to include transgenders in the discussion as well as in the retail sector workforce.
The speakers also emphasized the need for formalized training for retail workers to minimize the existing skill gaps among the workforce.
“From BRAC, we realized that despite many people being employed in the retail sector, there was no formalized training for the retail sector workforce,” Tasmiah Tabassum Rahman, the associate director at BRAC Skills Development Programme, said.
“We have a responsibility to provide the people who are looking for employment opportunities with proper training to address the existing skill gap,” she said.
BRAC Skills Development Programme has been providing alternative livelihood solutions and learning pathways for young people since 2015. The programme is working towards gender equality, disability inclusion, skills – technical and vocational training, decent work and economic growth.
Syed Nasim Manzur (Managing Director and Co-founder, Apex Footwear Ltd):
“From a business perspective, empowering women in the workplace is necessary not just because it's the right thing to do, but also because it's the smart thing to do.”
“We need the government to work with the private sector to ensure accessible environment for persons with disabilities”
Syed Nasim Manzur Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneAshraful Alam (Chief Operating Officer, Aarong):
“Besides employment opportunities, we also need to think about how we can retain female employees in the retail sector.”
“The perception regarding retail sales jobs in society is changing. Students and fresh graduates are showing vast interest in retail sector jobs.”
“We can also include transgender in the retail sectors. There is also a big opportunity for transgenders to be included in the discussion as well as in the retail sector.”
Ashraful Alam Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneKazi Jamil Islam (Managing Director, Express Leather Products Ltd (Lotto): “What we can do is offer them (women) reduced working hours as well as additional benefits, so that women can continue to work despite family constraints.”
Kazi Jamil Islam Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneShah Adeeb Chowdhury (Director, Evince Group): “There are a lot of advantages to employing persons with disabilities in the retail sector. As they tend to be focused while doing their work which adds to the overall productivity of the company.”
Shah Adeeb Chowdhury Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneKhurshid Chowdhury (Head of Human Resources, ACI Logistics - Shwapno):
“In Shwapno, we're working to provide female employees with sanitation facilities, prayer rooms, and separate restrooms.”
“We're also providing communications skills training to our female employees”
Khurshid Chowdhury Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneMohammad Khalid (HR Lead, Apex Footwear Ltd):
“It is necessary for retail brands to believe in inclusion and the values it adds into the business, instead of just promoting it as part of CSR (Corporate social responsibility) activity.”
Mohammad Khalid Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneJohan Ahmed (Head of Human Resources, Aarong):
“We provide a very safe and flexible working environment (shift-based and with reduced working hours) at our outlets which, in turn, allows students and fresh graduates to apply as sales associates.”
“For female sales associates, we provide paid maternity leave for up to six months. They can also avail an additional six months of unpaid leave.”
“Aarong provides a safe working environment free from all sorts of sexual harassment, workplace bullying, incrimination, and intimidation.”
Johan Ahmed Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneAnanya Rohine (Assistant Manager, HR, Meena Bazar):
“In Meena Bazar, 40-42% of our workforce is female. we are working with BRAC to hire more trained graduates.”
Anannya Rohine Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneAziza Ahmed (Head of Operations, BBDN):
“We cannot pick and choose any profession or activity for people with disabilities without consulting them. It is for the person to decide based on their capacity, capability, skills, and willingness to work.”
Aziza Ahmed Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneKhan Amanur Rahman (Head of HR and Admin, Express Leather Products Ltd (Lotto):
“Good looks shouldn't be a requirement in recruitment. However, patience is one of the personality traits we usually consider while recruiting as our employees have to work from dawn to dusk.”
Khan Amanur Rahman Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneJaker Abdullah (HR Manager, Miniso):
“In recent times, students are increasingly choosing retail brands as a part-time employment opportunity instead of providing tuition, which previously was a more desirable option for them to earn money while studying.”
Jaker Abdullah Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneM Hassan Aupo (Head of Operations, Artisan):
“Consumers tend to see salespersons as their opponents. There is also a lack of belief between these two parties. We need to address the lack of respect for retail workers in society, or it will be difficult to motivate people to undertake retail sales as a career.”
M Hassan Aupo Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneLiyaqat Husain (Head of Retail, Aarong):
“In Aarong, we're already employing persons with disabilities in our retail outlets. In coming years, we're committed to include more and more persons with disabilities in backend as well as in frontend”
Liyaqat Hussain Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneSafi Rahman Khan (Director, Education, Skills Development Programme, and Migration):
“From Brac, we're trying to provide people from marginalized communities with employment opportunities. Especially women and persons with disabilities into the retail sector workforce.”
Safi Rahman Khan Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneTasmiah Tabassum Rahman (Associate Director, Skills Development Programme):
“From BRAC, we realized that despite many people being employed in the retail sector, there was no formalized training for the retail sector workforce.”
Tasmiah Tabassum Rahman Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneMohammad Sadique Hasan (Programme Manager, BRAC Skills Development Programme):
“Although the retail sector employs over 6 million people across the country, there is a massive skill gap that exists in this sector and we aim to address the skills gap through this training.”
Mohammad Sadique Hasan Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune