Ecommerce staff retention: Keeping your team happy

Did you know that ecommerce staff retention is a big challenge for 48% of our 2018 salary survey respondents?

That’s right! Keeping the team happy and engaged is becoming more of a focus as brands fight to secure the top ecommerce talent. So, using insights from our 2018 ecommerce salary survey & insights report, we thought we’d delve into this big challenge!

Why are ecommerce professionals leaving their jobs? What company benefits are important to them? What is essential in a role? Let’s find out, shall we?

The top reasons for leaving ecommerce jobs

Our first exploration into keeping ecommerce professionals in their roles is to find out why they left their previous role! You can’t get better insight than that! Here’s what our respondents told us…

• 21% of our respondents stated that lack of essentials in their ecommerce job was the main reason they left their previous role. These essentials include feeling valued and respected, progression opportunities, company culture and benefits.
• 18% left their last role simply because they didn’t enjoy it anymore. It’s important to make a note of this – regular check ins with employees can make a huge difference. If there’s an aspect of the role they don’t enjoy, this will grow until they no longer feel challenged or no longer feel engaged with the company.
• A further 18% selected ‘other’ for this question. Reasons included: left due to a restructure, moving from a permanent role to freelance (and vice versa), company closure, redundancy and a desire for progression. Others accepted new roles that meant they had less time commuting and more time to enjoy home-life.

What is essential in a role for ecommerce professionals?

Let’s take a deeper look at the essentials mentioned above. 21% of professionals left their previous role because these needs were not being met. Below are the 2018 top 5 essentials!

1) Feeling valued and respected

2) Salary

3) Opportunity to progress

4) People/Team

5) Company culture

Feeling valued and respected holds on to the top spot for the fourth year in a row! However, it was very closely followed by salary which jumps into number two this year, knocking opportunity to progress into 3rd place. The 4th and 5th positions remain unchanged from 2017. Ask yourself – how often do you address these essentials with your team?

Other important aspects of an ecommerce role, outside of the top 5, include:

• Management
• The brand
• Company reputation
• Company goals
• Location
• Industry

Do company benefits matter? Are perks of the job really a reason for people staying in a role – or is it about the responsibilities and overall impact it will have on their career?

As seen above, benefits did not even crack the top 5 essentials in a role! 12% of respondents say monetary benefits are essential to them when looking for a new role, while 10% say non-monetary benefits would be essential.

These aren’t huge numbers, though it is still important to reward employees. However, don’t mistake regular treats, outings or bonuses to be the things that keep them in the role either!

Understanding what makes ecommerce professionals happy

No two employees are the same…what motivates one individual might mean nothing to another. That’s why regular check-ins with your team are vital for staff retention – understand what their day to day is like, ask them what makes them happy and find out about their overall ambitions. You can really make a difference to their career and they can make a difference to your team if they are in the right mindset.

Remember, if you have yet to see the full report, download our 2018 ecommerce salary survey & insights report for FREE!