Title        =       Retailers Looking to (R)Tech to Help Build a 21st Century Workforce            FileRef        =       /news/retailcheckout/Lists/Posts/377_.000            Author        =       Caroline Stec (Contact)            Editor        =       Caroline Stec (Contact)            FSObjType        =       0            PermMask        =       0x7fffffffffffffff            ProgId        =                   File_x005F_x0020_Type        =                   Body        =       <div class="ExternalClass7C9868DE8E2842929F13EDBB80291FE0"><p><em>By Evan Armstrong, Vice President, Government Affairs</em><br></p><p>​A lot has been said about the way technology has transformed the retail experience for consumers. From new apps to VR to new delivery <img src="https&#58;//fonteva-customer-media.s3.amazonaws.com/00D61000000dOrPEAU/GuiyAzOA_Evan%20Armstrong%202016.jpg" class="ms-rtePosition-2" alt="" style="margin&#58;5px;width&#58;150px;height&#58;226px;" />methods, the way retailers interact with their customers is drastically different today than even five years ago. But in my role as RILA's vice president of government affairs handling workforce issues, I'm focused on how innovation in the industry has changed the way retailers interact with the people powering their organizations from the stores, through the supply chain and at headquarters.<br></p><p>New technologies have enabled new workforce trends across every business sector – the way people search, apply, and secure jobs is all changing drastically. It is up to companies to adapt and integrate components of these trends into their organizations to compete for top talent in this new economy. In addition, the rise of the platform and technology-based economy is challenging retailers to provide more flexible opportunities and find new ways of approaching the hiring process and constructing their workforce mix.</p><p>In talking with HR executives from our retail member companies, they're increasingly investing in technologies to help them address their biggest challenges and exploring innovations that enable the future of work.</p><p>To that end, RILA recently launched our first ever <a href="https&#58;//rila.force.com/cpbase__form?id=a0R6100000AL6mo&amp;site=a0c610000017lsyAAA&amp;challengeid=a2c61000000pjfs">(R)Tech HR Innovation Awards</a>. The Awards call on solution providers dedicated to helping employers innovate in areas like delivery, portable benefits, staffing &amp; hiring, payroll management, and shift sharing to apply. Submissions will be evaluated by top HR executives from RILA member companies and finalists will be chosen to present their technology before CHROs at RILA's Human Resources Leaders Council meeting in January 2019.&#160;<br></p><p style="text-align&#58;center;"><img src="https&#58;//fonteva-customer-media.s3.amazonaws.com/00D61000000dOrPEAU/oEwmkfpi_RTech%20HR%20Innovation%20Award.jpg" alt="" style="margin&#58;5px;width&#58;375px;height&#58;188px;" /><br></p><p>Engaging directly with startups that help enable innovation within the industry is just one key to building a 21^st century workforce. The recently established <a href="/news/retailcheckout/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=373">(R)Tech Talent Pipeline</a> connects retailers with tech talent and exposes young people with tech backgrounds to the opportunities in retail. In addition, retailers are investing substantially in the personal and professional growth of current team members by offering training opportunities and career development programs that establish a clear path for growth within the industry. </p><p>We're excited about the transformation taking place across the industry and even more excited that retailers – particularly in the HR field – are helping drive it. In supporting over 42 million American jobs, we've always known retail is a place of opportunity; with this commitment to innovating for our workforce, retailers are ensuring those opportunities remain in today's economy and beyond.&#160;<br></p><p>To learn more about how retailers are innovating in the workforce space, contact <a href="mailto&#58;evan.armstrong@rila.org">Evan Armstrong</a>.<br></p></div>            File_x005F_x0020_Size        =                   PublishingRollupImage        =                   Comments        =                   ID        =       377            Modified        =       2018-09-21 08:50:25            Created        =       2018-09-17 12:45:07            _Level        =       1            PublishedDate        =       2018-09-17 12:41:00            WebId        =       efbeee77-4209-4a75-a7af-aee9adefaf7f            ListId        =       538abc7d-dcd6-46f2-8316-01bd11cd855b            _x007B_94f89715_x002D_e097_x002D_4e8b_x002D_ba79_x002D_ea02aa8b7adb_x007D_        =       news/retailcheckout/Lists/Posts/377_.000            PubDate        =       Fri, 21 Sep 2018 12:50:25 GMT            FileExtension        =                   FileSize        =                   DocumentIconImageUrl        =       /_layouts/15/IMAGES/icgen.gif            LinkUrl        =       https://www.rila.org/news/retailcheckout/Lists/Posts/377_.000            Style        =       RetailCheckoutFirstPost            GroupStyle        =       DefaultHeader            __begincolumn        =       True            __begingroup        =       False