Home Depot Takes a New Approach: Management as Sales Staff

The increasing pressure in retail, particularly on employees, requires innovative solutions for employee retention. Home Depot, a leading company in the home improvement sector, has now taken a remarkable step to bridge the gap between the executive level and the sales floor. Starting from the fourth quarter of this year, the company will require its corporate staff to work shifts in retail stores. According to a statement by CEO Ted Decker, published in Bloomberg, the new policy entails that every non-practical employee must work an eight-hour retail shift once per quarter. The aim of this measure is to provide corporate employees, including senior management and remote workers, with a better understanding of the daily challenges and opportunities faced by sales employees. This is intended not only to strengthen the connection to the front lines but also to alleviate pressure from increased labor disputes. Described by Bloomberg as "unusual" for industry standards, this step also emerges against the backdrop of a decline in sales figures at Home Depot. This development followed a phase of intense consumer home improvement activities during the pandemic.