Human Resources

Staples wants to help its associates pay back their student loans.   The retailer is launching a new student loan repayment plan for sales associates as part of a broader recruiting effort. The first part of the program initially targets specific new hire sales associates and existing internal candidates who have been identified as high potential and top performers. Staples said it will expand the program to additional groups in the future.  

One of the retail industry’s most environmentally-activist brands is shutting down operations for Election Day.   Patagonia will close its 30 U.S stores and headquarters in Ventura, Calif., on Election Day, Nov. 8, in an effort to encourage customers, employees and citizens to head to the polls. The company, which is giving its employees a paid holiday for the day, will also shutter its distribution and customer service center in Reno, Nevada.  

To bolster its omnichannel efforts, Lowe’s promoted Michael McDermott to chief customer officer.   McDermott, who currently serves as Lowe's chief merchandising officer, will be responsible for creating experiences that best serve customers and differentiate Lowe's in an omnichannel environment. This includes lead-ing strategies, customer insights, customer experience design and market-ing.   

Clarks Americas has moved its head office to a historic location that provides employee- and eco-centric amenities.   After setting up shop in Newton Upper Falls for nearly 18 years, the footwear brand has moved into the historic Polaroid building in Waltham, Mass. The 120,000-sq.-ft., four-story office houses Clarks’s design and marketing operations, and retail and wholesale business support — divisions that are comprised of more than 400 employees.   

Boxed.com, the online wholesale shopping club with no membership fees, on Thursday named former Sam's Club executive Heather Mayo the company's chief merchandising officer.     Mayo will lead the development and execution of all merchandising strategies and initiatives, and will be responsible for delivering the optimal product assortment as dictated by the brand's strategy and unique target customer profile.  

Elliot S. Jaffe, ascena retail group’s co-founder and non-executive chairman of the board of directors, announced his plan to retire.   Jaffe co-founded dressbarn in 1962 and served as CEO until 2002. He was ascena’s chairman of the board until January 2011, and then transitioned to non-executive chairman.  

Nordstrom’s longtime CFO is stepping down.    Nordstrom announced that executive VP and CFO Mike Koppel has decided to retire from the company in spring 2017. Koppel will remain in his role until then to support the search for a new CFO and assist with his successor's transition.    Koppel joined Nordstrom in 1999 and has been the company's finance head since 2001.  

Walmart recently announced that it provided pay increases for its managers who are currently making approximately $45,000 per year. By raising their salaries to $48,500 and keeping their duties intact, Walmart will not need to worry about the new federal overtime rules that go into effect on Dec. 1. As we all know, Walmart sets the pace for change (e.g., selling unboxed deodorant and antiperspirant, selling groceries and general merchandise in the same store, etc.) but will retailers follow suit here by simply increasing wages? Likely not.