Shanghai2023/11/8 /PRNewswire/ -- During the 6th China International Import Expo on November 8, Shanghai Foreign Service released the “2023 China Retail Industry Talent Insight Report” at the FSG booth in the trade in services exhibition area. The report points out that China's retail industry is experiencing dynamic and rapid development, and the future is full of opportunities and challenges. In this rapidly evolving industry, the demand for talent is also showing new characteristics compared to the past.

Part I: Retail Industry Development and Talent Trends

In the first half of 2023, China's cumulative total social retail sales increased by 8.2% year on year to 22.8 trillion yuan, showing the development potential and vitality of the Chinese retail market.

The importance of the retail industry to economic recovery is reflected in the dialogue between DTC and consumers to reshape demand, the new consumer market for Gen Z and the silver economy, and the further decline in the retail consumer market. It has also brought about new trends in talent development in the retail industry, including diversified development of categories, diversification of talent flow, better understanding of business with data, complex transformation of talents, and flexible employment methods, so that young people can choose jobs they are interested in.

Digital transformation will be the main driver of the industry. As e-commerce, new retail concepts, and social e-commerce models continue to evolve, the market landscape will continue to change. Therefore, for talents in the retail industry, it is essential to have digital thinking and skills, and those who can understand and apply technologies such as data analysis and artificial intelligence will have a competitive advantage.

Part II: Workplace Outlook for China's Retail Industry

The top five expectations of retailers in the workplace:

In 2023, most talents in the retail industry have a cautious and wait-and-see attitude towards external employment opportunities. The market competitiveness, corresponding remuneration and benefits, and development space of most talents are the focus of their career expectations. At the same time, it also reflects that while the complex competency requirements for talents in the retail industry as a whole continue to increase, the innovation and awareness requirements for talents also continue to rise.

Comparison between retail talent supply and enterprise demand:

Where retail talents and employers are attracted to each other:

Increased sustainability and environmental awareness will drive retailers to pay more attention to sustainable products. This will not only change the product supply, but will also have an impact on the demand for relevant professionals. In the future, talents with environmental concepts and sustainability knowledge will receive more attention in the retail industry.

As China's retail industry becomes more connected to international markets, talents with cross-cultural backgrounds and multi-language skills will become more popular. This will help to better understand and meet the needs of consumers in different regions and promote the expansion of international markets.

Jobs with a high shortage of people and strong competition in retail:

Part III: Key Positions and Salary Guidelines:

The importance of online and offline integration and multi-channel sales experience can be seen. As consumer shopping behavior changes, retail experts with omni-channel sales experience and ability will become more popular. At the same time, cross-border cooperation and ecosystem cooperation will also become a trend, which will drive the demand for talents in various fields.

In this rapidly evolving industry, the ability to continuously learn and adapt to change will be a key characteristic of retail talents, and those with digital thinking, sustainability knowledge, and omnichannel sales experience will succeed in the future.

As a leading enterprise in the human resources service industry, Shanghai Foreign Service has always been committed to providing customers with cutting-edge human resources services. The report released this time not only reveals the development trends of the retail industry, but also provides a valuable reference for talents in the retail industry. In the future, Shanghai Foreign Service will continue to pay attention to industry trends and provide professional human resources services to more enterprises.