To learn how to steer your success as a team leader, the ARA Retail Institute runs multiple workshops on leadership and team culture. Join the ARA Retail Institute in a range of both accredited, and non-accredited courses, workshops and training events.

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Informing team members of policies and procedures

One essential requirement of working well within a team is clear communication. For the team to operate effectively there must be open and efficient communication between the members of the team.

Team communication is important for the following reasons:

• Security-related information needs to be shared.
• Each member of the team needs to be striving for the same goal.
• Each team member has specific skills and knowledge that must be utilised and imparted to other team members to help minimise theft.
• Any decisions taken in relation to security must be imparted to all the members.
• Effective and open communication creates feelings of trust and of commitment to the team.

There are many methods of communicating security information to the team. These include:

• Team meetings.
• Individual discussions.
• Signage/Posters.
• Newsletters/Handouts.
• Communication book.
• Memos/Emails.
• Video conferencing.
• Webpages, blogs.

Provide ongoing feedback to your team

Team members need constant feedback on security matters; this provides them with the opportunity to contribute ideas on how store security can be improved; and encourage them to report matters likely to affect store security.

The aims of feedback are to:

• Exchange information regarding teams and individuals implementing security procedures.
• Confirm expected standards of performance with regards to security.
• Work towards minimising theft by providing examples.
• Identify areas where additional security training and awareness is required.
• Allow team members to contribute to solutions, not be the cause of problems.
• Provide encouragement and support towards reducing theft.

It would not matter how sophisticated any security system is, or how up-to-date policies regarding store security are, if team members do not receive the appropriate training, and are not provided with on-going supervision to facilitate awareness and detection of theft, these systems could become totally ineffective.

Security training is of particular importance when:

• New policies and procedures are introduced.
• New security technology is being implemented.
• A new team member commences employment.
• The incidence of theft has increased.

The importance of regular training

Trained team members that are alert and aware are the best security measure that retailers can implement. The benefits of investing in ongoing team members training in security include:

• Decrease in theft.
• Increased team members confidence and awareness.
• The chance to upskill team members.
• An improvement in the level of service that you provide for your customers.
• Increased profits.
• Less time spent correcting mistakes.
• Opportunity to focus on building the business.

About ARA Retail Institute

ARA Retail Institute is Australia’s leading retail training provider for both accredited and non-accredited learning programs. For more information, please visit: www.retailinstitute.org.au