Preparing for the Upturn - Hear from leading retailers at the Retail HR Summit 2010

Senior HR personnel from Morrisons, Best Buy, Co-op, Carphone Warehouse, Clinton Cards, Pets at Home, Punch Taverns and Dell will share valuable insights at the 3rd Retail HR & Work Force Management Summit 2010 -

Despite the inevitable redundancies and cost cutting measures imposed by the recession, recent research has shown that demand for goods and services in the UK is now increasing causing retail HR executives to re-evaluate their strategies. 

Many retailers who were streamlining their operations in the last 18 months are now implementing new initiatives to with fresh approaches to recruitment, motivation, adding customer value, succession planning, retention and flexible working practices. 

With and increased amount of talent now looking for new job opportunities, eager to prove themsleves in an insecure job market; the smarter retailers are viewing the economic climate as an opportunity to maintain competitive advantage and market share through creating a leaner, motivated, highly skilled  and adaptable workforce that is well placed to capitalise on the upturn.

Following on from success of our last 2 Retail HR Summits, The Retail Bulletin is delighted to announce that this popular event returns at our new 'retreat' venue, The Reigate Hill Golf Club & Conference Centre on 9th February 2010  

This summit, sponsored by Torex and RetailChoice.com will enable Retail HR executives to benchmark their HR strategies and share ideas in a relaxed environment.  The programme will enable delegates to build improved recruitment, retention, development and engagement strategies that focus on delivery of bottom line results so they will be well placed to capitalise on the economic upturn. 
 
This interactive summit has been designed to allow a focused peer group of UK retail executives the opportunity to network and discuss best practices of Retail HR. 
 
With regular networking opportunities throughout the day you'll learn how to:

• Attract real talent and strengthen your workforce to cater for an improving economy
• Build a training, learning and development strategy that enables your business to capitalise on the upturn
• Establish best practices of maximising engagement and retention during a period of substantial change
• Boost employee motivation and commitment in challenging times through targeted, cost effective employee engagement strategies
• Maximise market share through cost effective, flexible retention strategies
• Identify and develop leaders that create competitive advantage for your company and engage your workforce
• Prepare for the upswing through cost effective, tailored retail HR strategies

"With demand for goods and services increasing together with a large pool of quality talent eager to prove themselves and an insecure job market; retail HR executives are now refocusing their strategies towards creating a leaner, more motivated, highly skilled  and adaptable workforce that is well placed to capitalise on the upturn" said the event's producer Carl Goodman. 

Mark Higgins, Editor of The Retail Bulletin said "After a challenging 18 months, UK retailers are now recruiting staff again as they prepare for the upturn with a higher quality of personnel.    With that in mind, we are delighted to have Best Buy's Head of Retail HR, Anne McCafferty presenting our recruitment keynote" 

After taking over 50% of Carphone Warehouse, BestBuy; the largest consumer electronics retailer in the world with over 1300 locations and 155,000 employees world-wide; have recently strated a recruitment drive for the first of 8,000 jobs it hopes to create in the UK over the next five years.  
Speakers already confirmed for the event include:

Anne McCafferty, Head of Retail HR, Best Buy Europe/The Carphone Warehouse Group  PLC

Annette Middlebrook, Group Human Resources Director, Clinton Cards

Karen Caddick, Group Director of HR, Punch Taverns

Ryan Cheyne, Head of HR, Pets at Home Ltd (winner of the 2008 Employer of the Year Award at the People in Retail Awards and nominated for The Reward & Recognition Award at The 2009 Personnel Today Awards)

Liz Bramley, Head of Employee Engagement & Diversity, The Co-operative Group (one of The Great Place to Work Institute's 50 Great Places to Work 2009)

Rachel Howard, EMEA Consumer HR Business Partner, Dell

Nick Rowe, Group Head of Learning and Development, Punch Taverns

Naomi Hewitt, HR Director, The Net-a-Porter Group (one of Times Online's Top 100 companies to work for 2009)

Rowena Cooper, Retail Recruitment Manager, WM. Morrison Supermarkets PLC

Delegates can expect to network with like-minded UK retail HR executives as well as a select group of product and service providers and exhibitors. 
If you or one of your colleagues would like to attend this crucial event, please visit
http://www.retailbulletinconferences.com/
To exhibit at the event please contact Ian Sprange on 01737 647100 or email ians@theretailbulletin.com