Inside UNIQLO Singapore’s plan to win the retail talent war

As hybrid shopping reshapes retail, Juliana Tan is making sure talent transformation keeps pace at UNIQLO Singapore.  

As Singapore’s retail landscape evolves with technological advancements and shifting consumer preferences, organisations face the challenge of adapting to stay competitive. With the rise of hybrid shopping behaviours and a digital-first approach, retailers are embracing new technologies to enhance the customer experience. But behind this transformation lies another critical challenge: attracting, developing, and retaining top talent in a fiercely competitive job market.

For Juliana Tan, Human Resources Director at UNIQLO Singapore, navigating these challenges requires a forward-thinking approach to talent development. With over a decade of experience in HR, spanning retail, services, and hospitality, Tan has cultivated an environment where employees are empowered to grow both personally and professionally. She believes that while the skills gap in the retail industry is widening, the key to overcoming this challenge lies in strategic investments in training and leadership development programmes.

Adapting to a changing retail landscape

The Ministry of Manpower of Singapore recently reported that retail roles, such as sales associates and store managers, will undergo significant changes in the coming years, driven by the adoption of digital technologies and personalised services. Under Tan’s leadership, UNIQLO has embraced this shift by equipping employees with the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital retail environment.

“We see customers readily embracing hybrid shopping behaviours, seamlessly blending online and offline retail experiences,” Tan told HRM Asia. “To continue improving the customer experience and deliver frictionless shopping experience across all our channels, we have been doubling our efforts to equip employees with essential technological skills, such as tech-centric operations. We implemented the use of RFID technology in 2017 across all clothes, which allows for a more seamless self-checkout and inventory management. This empowers our employees to invest more time in meaningful work such as providing customer recommendations.”

However, technological innovation is just one piece of the puzzle. The real challenge lies in addressing the ongoing talent shortage. In Singapore, 83% of employers report difficulties finding the skilled talent they need. At UNIQLO, Tan and her team tackle this issue head-on by focusing on long-term employee retention and development.

“While there is no silver bullet to recruitment and talent retention, particularly in the retail sector, UNIQLO is heartened that many of our employees have started as fresh graduates and developed into leadership roles,” she added. “We believe this is due to our focus on leadership training, mentorship programmes, and offering opportunities for internal mobility to encourage long-term employee retention and foster continuous growth.”

Furthermore, UNIQLO Singapore’s commitment to fair compensation is evident through its Progressive Wage Mark (PWM) accreditation. “Locally in UNIQLO Singapore, we are a PWM-accredited firm, where we have raised the salaries of lower wage employees by 24% since June 2022, before the PWM even kicked in for the retail sector in 2023,” Tan emphasised. These initiatives contribute to a positive work environment where employees feel valued and are motivated to contribute to UNIQLO’s mission of Changing clothes. Changing conventional wisdom. Change the world.

Bridging the skills gap through the UMC programme

Building on this foundation of employee investment, UNIQLO recognised the growing interest in management programmes as a means to provide career stability and growth and thus developed the UNIQLO Management Candidate (UMC) programme. “According to a graduate employment survey, even top-performing graduates face challenges securing employment. As such, management programmes have become crucial for jobseekers seeking career stability and growth,” Tan observed.

The UMC programme is a fast-track initiative designed to groom individuals into Store Managers within a year, regardless of their background, as Tan explained, “Even if applicants do not have any retail or business-related background, the UMC programme will provide a year-long intensive training for candidates to fully manage their own store, team and profit and loss.”

The programme is also unique in its inclusivity, offering equal opportunities for all candidates, irrespective of gender, age, race, or religion. Tan highlighted that the programme has successfully shaped long-term careers within the organisation.

Tan continued, “By having a strategic training programme to empower individuals with essential business skillsets, clear career progression path and international global leadership opportunities, the UMC programme has successfully groomed candidates with long tenures within the organisation.”

READ MORE: A workplace for all: Developing a culture of inclusivity

The UMC programme’s success is evident in its graduates’ achievements. Tan shared the stories of Charmaine Lee and Hazwan Aziz. Charmaine, a mechanical engineering graduate from the UMC batch of 2021, became a Store Manager within a year and now leads a large team while mentoring future leaders. Hazwan, from the UMC batch of 2012, has built a diverse career within UNIQLO, progressing from Assistant Store Manager to roles in e-commerce, store auditing, and currently as a Corporate Planning Manager.

“Both Charmaine and Hazwan come from diverse backgrounds, but what unites them is their clear sense of purpose and aspirations to become true business leaders,” Tan said. “What’s most important is that candidates have that grit, drive, and desire to provide excellent service for UNIQLO customers.”

Reflecting on her own career, Tan offered valuable advice for aspiring leaders: “One key advice that I hold dear to heart is that growth often comes outside of your comfort zone. When you’re in a role that feels uncomfortable, that’s when you’re truly levelling up and learning how to become a better technical expert and business leader.”