Janis Leigh

Great Bloomberg op-ed on why investing in retail store leaders is good for business. I love Andrea’s callout that big investments can raise eyebrows with analysts – like increasing our average Walmart store manager salary to $128,000/year with a new bonus program that gives store managers the potential to earn up to 200% of their base salary. But in the long run, she shows how these types of investments support retention, career growth, better run stores, strong stock value, and our ability to attract a broader range of customers.   Here are a couple of studies that stood out to me in Andrea’s piece: 💠 A 2012 study by Alex Edmans, Professor of Finance at the London Business School (then at Wharton School), found that firms on Fortune’s list of “100 Best Companies to Work for in America,” which have superior employee satisfaction scores on factors including pay and benefits, outperformed peers by 2.3-3.8% per year from 1984 through 2011. 💠 A follow-up study by Hamid Boustanifar, associate professor at the EDHEC Business School, and Young Dae Kang of the Bank of Korea found that the relationship still held: companies on the publication’s list earned an excess return of 2-2.7% per year through 2020, with particular outperformance during tough times.   At the end of the day, these investments also support the ability to build a pipeline of strong talent that stays and grows with a company. We want Walmart to be seen as an employer of choice and pay plays a big part in how we attract and retain talented people. #Compensation #TeamWalmart https://lnkd.in/gPVdAYG4

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We've identified 6 main operational pillars for leading execution in retail stores. One of those pillars is promotional execution. Here are some thoughts from ReStore for Retail, our Virtual Store Management platform.

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Investing in Walmart’s People Partner talent is one of the most rewarding parts of my role! Today, nearly 400 store, market, and regional People Partners across the Southwest BU spent time collaborating on our quarterly #InvestInTheBest program focused on strengthening talent management capabilities! Tied to SHRM’s Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge (BASK), it was tremendous to hear how Market People Partners Noe Cantu, T.C. Wilson, SHRM-CP, and Anthony Agnew are attracting and cultivating talent within their stores and markets! And, when you have amazing People Leads engaged and sharing best practices like today, we know it is helping others find solutions for their situations! #SamWalton said it best: “If you want the people in the stores to take care of the customers, you have to make sure you’re taking care of the people in the stores.” Focusing on attracting and cultivating talent helps us make sure we are taking care of our store associates! I am so proud to see the number of SWBU People Partners earning a credentialed skill that will stay with them forever! Next up is Q3’s focus on Digital Intelligence! Let’s go! #TeamWalmart #OurPeopleMakeTheDifference #BestPlaceToWork #YouBelong #apathforeveeyone #StriveForExcellence

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Everyone knows product returns are a problem, but now the National Retail Federation (NRF), in research with Appriss, has spelled it out in stark terms: total returns for the retail industry amounted to $743 billion in merchandise in 2023. In addition, the total return rate as a percentage of sales in 2023 was 14.5 percent. Of that figure, the research shows that $101 billion are fraudulent returns, or 13.7 percent of total returns. #returnsmanagement #retail

I’ve caught myself a few too many times responding to late-night #work emails, feeling that pull to stay connected around the clock. It’s something I’m working on—because I know that if I’m struggling with it, my team might be too. Creating a culture of #digitalwellbeing isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s essential. I’ve started encouraging my team to take real breaks and disconnect completely when on holiday. I went the extra mile to ask them not to take their laptop with. I’ve seen first hand how these small changes can make a big difference in maintaining a healthy balance and them coming back refreshed. I also promised not to disturb their break. What steps have you taken to protect your team’s digital well-being? I’d love to hear what’s working for you and your teams. #Leadership #HR #work #HybridWork #WorkLifeBalance

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Diversity of backgrounds, views, and perspectives are critical components of driving innovation and delivering solutions that exceed expectations. At Kenvue, we are very intentional in the ways we attract talent and support our workforce, to ensure our teams reflect the markets in which we operate – for our customers, consumers and Kenvuers. I am so excited to share that we have released our first ever #HealthyLivesMission Report, an annual environmental, social and governance report detailing how we’ve measured against our Healthy Lives Mission, which aims to nurture healthy people, enrich a healthy planet, and maintain healthy practice. This is an incredible milestone for us, as we continue to put the power of everyday care into action. Learn more about the progress we’ve made: https://lnkd.in/er8jtxjm Spoiler alert: As of the end of 2023, our global workforce was approximately 50% male and 50% female, while 36% of our U.S. employees identified as racial or ethnic minorities. #WeAreKenvue

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Hello Retail Friends, convenience retailers face unique challenges. Small footprints and limited storage space require highly accurate and scalable supply chain planning – especially when charged with supporting aggressive growth targets. We’re proud to announce that OXXO, the largest convenience retail chain in the Americas, recently chose RELEX to optimize forecasting and replenishment as they focus on international growth.    https://lnkd.in/ebaedkfH   #supplychainplanning #supplychainoptimization #supplychain OXXO Internacional Enhances Retail Operations with RELEX Solutions for Forecasting and Replenishment | RELEX Solutions Focused on international growth, OXXO adopts RELEX AI-driven forecasting and replenishment solutions for smarter supply chain and inventory management.

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🌟 What does it mean to truly lead from within? 🌟 On July 9th, I launched my memoir, "Unmasked: Finding the Leader Within," and the journey has been nothing short of transformative. My story isn't just about leadership in the corporate world—it's about the raw, unfiltered path to discovering and embracing the leader within each of us. 🚀 Have you ever faced a moment where you had to strip away the layers and confront your true self to lead effectively? 🚀 In "Unmasked," I share my experiences, challenges, and triumphs, hoping to inspire others to look inward and find their own leadership potential. 👉 Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting your journey, I believe there's something in my story that will resonate with you. Let's start a conversation about authentic leadership—what does it mean to you, and how have you discovered it in your own life? 📖 Grab your copy (https://a.co/d/iOMTuVC) and join the discussion! I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. #Leadership #Memoir #Unmasked #FindingTheLeaderWithin #AuthenticLeadership #BookLaunch

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The Retail Monitor, a monthly survey from CNBC and the National Retail Federation (NRF), found that sales ticked up 0.26% from March to April. NRF CEO Matthew Shay attributed the modest increase to “a growing job market and real gains in wages,” but qualified that “consumers remain focused on value and price and are shifting their spending patterns where needed to make ends meet.” #retailsales #economicgrowth

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A really insightful read, a wonderful capture of why great leadership matters. https://lnkd.in/gmBu3Xum

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If It Ain't Fixed Don't Broke It Macy's announced another round of 150 store closures 3 years after closing 100 stores The closures and layoffs are part of a streamlining effort to better align with the ever changing consumer and marketplace Best Buy is closing 15 stores in 2024 after closing 25 stores in 2023. Additionally, Geek Squad layoffs abound as Best Buy expands the use of A.I. New Gap CEO, Richard Dickson, has stated that marketing has lost sight of the differentiation between its Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta brands Three large struggling companies with similar turnaround strategies Cut costs, improve inventory mix, align symmetries, yada yada yada One thing these companies never talk about? How do we improve the lot for our employees? How do we get our employees to care? How do we get our remaining employees engaged in our success when all we've done is beat them down Okay, that was 3 things, but you get the point Companies don't know how to engage their employees, and they don't care Why should they? The Institution of Leadership has not moved the employee engagement needle since the 1990’s, which is surprising since the same tired old solutions have been recycled as new for decades Servant Leadership hasn't improved engagement Authentic Leadership hasn't improved engagement Emotional Intelligence hasn't improved engagement The Point? Just because others continue to fail to improve employee engagement doesn't mean it can't be done Better ideas, higher engagement It really is that simple The Illusion of Competence #leadership #innovation #tech #management #emotionalintelligence

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Effective career pathing truly requires intentional cross-functional collaboration within HR and with every business function where all the TALENTed individuals and leaders are looking for help to identify skill adjacent roles as well as the skill gap(s) individuals must close to be successful in a new position. It’s definitely a shared commitment and responsibility.

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Walmart has removed degree requirements from most of our jobs, with over 75% of our U.S. roles now not requiring a degree.    We are collaborating with The Burning Glass Institute and other leading companies in the Skills-First Workforce Initiative, such as Bank of America, Blackstone, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, PepsiCo and Verizon. Our skills-first approach aims to open up career opportunities, meet employer talent needs and strengthen the economy. The framework will be open source and available to all U.S. employers by September 2025.    Our initial focus is on the nine most prevalent job roles across various sectors, which collectively account for over 11 million American jobs. By creating a shared language, or taxonomy, for assessing and valuing skills, we can promote the widespread adoption of this hiring approach.    Read more here: 

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It’s always nice to have the opportunity to reflect on your journey and where it’s led you. In my career, I’ve had many opportunities and challenges that have shaped my perspective and contributed to my success. Thank you Patrick Leddin, PhD for the great conversation and for the opportunity to share some of the lessons I’ve learned over the years. Check out our conversation on the latest episode of C-Suite Conversations. #Kroger #WeAreKroger #Leadership #Career

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NOSTALGIC RETAIL SERIES: 15 - LINENS 'N THINGS "In November 1958, Eugene Wallace Kalkin established a leased-linen department in the New Jersey discount retailer Great Eastern Mills. In August 1970, Great Eastern Mills opened the first Linens 'n Things store in East Brunswick, New Jersey. After a succession of corporate ownership changes and the bankruptcy of Daylin, Inc. in 1975, Kalkin bought seven locations out of bankruptcy and founded an independent parent company, which became Linens 'n Things, Inc.." *[Home Textiles Today]* In 1983, Melville Corporation acquired the 55 unit chain. By 2006, the chain boasted 571 stores in the U.S. and Canada. The company's business strategy was "to offer a broad selection of high quality, brand name home furnishings merchandise at exceptional everyday values, provide superior guest service, and maintain low operating costs."*[The Wayback Machine]* But with a ton of debt from private equity buyouts (I know we have never heard this story before), all Linens 'n Things stores were closed in late 2008. As with many of the retailers in this series, the brand went online only with a relaunch in early 2009 and then shut down their online-only presence in 2018. The rights to the brand were acquired by Retail Ecommerce Ventures in 2020 and the website was relaunched. As of today, it is active with brands of yesteryear showing on the top banner that live on in an online only fashion. Missed any posts in the series? Click here for the website with the full list: https://bit.ly/3YxvVfR #nostalgicretail hashtag#retail hashtag#shopping hashtag#brands hashtag#retailrealestate Photo: By Ildar Sagdejev (Specious) - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://bit.ly/40tAiK6

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🌟 Post-Election Reflections 🌟 As we move forward from the U.S. elections, it’s a meaningful time to reflect on what this season brings to us as leaders and as a workforce. No matter where we stand individually, this moment invites us to think about unity, inclusion, and the shared responsibility of shaping a positive future for our organizations. For us in retail and convenience, we’re at the front lines of our communities—serving diverse people with unique perspectives, needs, and backgrounds. Our job, as leaders, is to ensure that everyone on our teams feels valued, respected, and heard. We know that diverse viewpoints drive stronger results, creativity, and resilience. It’s our privilege and duty to foster a culture where differences are celebrated, collaboration is championed, and growth is universal. Looking forward, let’s commit to: 1️⃣ Building workplaces that thrive on inclusion and empathy. 2️⃣ Continuing conversations that honor different perspectives. 3️⃣ Creating safe spaces for our teams to connect and grow, regardless of external events. Now more than ever, let’s focus on our mission to support and uplift our people. Together, we have the power to create lasting change. #Leadership #Retail #Convenience #bp #Amoco #Thortons #Travelcentersofamerica

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Hello Retail Friends,   I cannot stress enough how important fresh products are to grocery retailers. When it comes to inventory planning, “point solutions” that lack end-to-end integration and only address store-level planning simply are not enough!   Retailers need proven, multi-echelon planning solutions that extend beyond the store - unifying, automating, and optimizing planning in stores, DCs, and omnichannel. This is the only way to get crucial visibility and insight across the end-to-end value chain.   https://lnkd.in/ej53RsFV #supplychain #grocery #freshproduce How to improve retail fresh food inventory management | RELEX Solutions Tackle fresh food inventory management challenges head-on with the right strategies and robust planning software. www.relexsolutions.comhas context menuCompose

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Leadership is at the core….clearly articulated impacts, and quick read.

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