Human Resources

Walmart is moving its greeters back to the front of the store three years after the retailer moved them to the back.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the retailer is experimenting with moving the greeters back to the front of the store in part to deter theft. Walmart is testing the approach in several hundred of its 4,500 or so U.S. stores, the newspaper says.

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New York -- Greeters are back on the job welcoming entering shoppers at select Walmart stores, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The chain moved most of its greeters away from the entrance and to other areas of the stores several years ago. But it has returned the associates to the entrances in several hundred stores in a move that is partially designed to stop theft, the report said.
 

Designer clothing and accessories retailer Rent the Runway’s business is dependent on an advanced reverse logistics and transportation network, which is why the company just hired a leading logistic executive from an online competitor.

New York-based Rent the Runway named Chris Halkyard its first ever chief logistics officer to oversee the company’s just-in-time reverse logistics and vertically integrated operating systems.

Brooklyn, N.Y. - Home furnishings retailer West Elm has named Johanna Uurasjarvi as senior VP of design, responsible for guiding the overall creative direction of the West Elm brand across its retail, catalog and online channels. She will lead the product design team and report to West Elm president Jim Brett.

Farmingdale, N.Y. -- Ferrandino & Son, Inc. has been named one of the largest landscape companies in North America by Lawn & Landscape magazine.
 
Ferrandino & Son, Inc. ranked within the top 10 on the 2015 Lawn & Landscape Top 100 list, which was published in May.
 
“Ranking in the top 10% of the largest landscaping companies in North America is a major accomplishment for us,” said Kevin Smith, COO, Ferrandino & Son,
 

Texting and checking social media sites aren’t on any retailer’s job description for store level hourly positions, but those and other Internet-enabled activities are sapping the productivity of workers, according to a CareerBuilder study.

The study of 2,175 hiring and human resources managers didn’t look just at the retail industry, but who hasn’t been in a store and seen a smartphone obsessed employed distracted by their device to the detriment of customer service.

Albany, N.Y. - Scott Hoffman has been named chief merchandising officer of Trans World Entertainment Corp., owner of the FYE music/video/video game chain. In his new role, Hoffman will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of merchandising strategy.

New York -- One of the world’s largest retailers has undertaken a search is underway for a new CEO to execute a massive transformation. But getting to the interview will require U.S. executives to take a very long flight and the successful applicant will need good listening skills to decipher the accent of co-workers.