Retail workers to spend up to 300 hours – that’s 12.5 DAYS – working overtime during the festive season

Music Therapist for PPL PRS, Marianne Rizkallah: 

“When it comes to music’s ability to boost your mood when working, there’s research into the effects of rhythm as a ‘temporal organiser’ or providing ‘temporal structure’ to our movements. This means that if something is presented to you with a steady beat, you’re more likely to be able to tune in to it.  

“Much like playing familiar Christmas songs while putting up decorations at home, Christmas music can help evoke a warm, joyful and excited atmosphere. It’s therefore worth adding festive hits to the store playlist but, to avoid fatigue among teams, evenly space these out with pop songs (which our studies have perennially found to be the most popular genre given its diversity and therefore mass appeal).

“Try not to repeat tracks, or whole albums, otherwise employees risk fixating on the ‘constants’ which evoke negative feeling – like the hours they’ve spent on their feet or a song they’ve heard over and over.  Music can be a highly effective method of distraction, while boosting overall mood and energy levels. This contributes to a positive, welcome atmosphere that attracts and retains shoppers.”

Culture and Service Lead for Oliver Bonas, Donna Gutteridge:

“The ratio of Christmas music to everyday music is about one festive song every 4th or 5th song. We have perfected the frequency over the years by asking the teams for their feedback. Some of the store members would have Christmas music playing all year round so this is the perfect compromise! Plus, we handpick all our songs and curate our own playlist, so the teams would miss the everyday music. I know many really look forward to hearing our seasonal playlist kick in – it makes them feel merry and brings joy. They say it means Christmas has truly began. 

“Shoppers are likely to spend more time browsing and enjoy the in-store experience if they are listening to great tunes and I know the teams love to sing along. The style of festive music we play is a fantastic conversation-starter and helps us to engage with our wonderful customers.” 

Sales Director, EMEA, at Imagesound, which curates playlists for retail giants like H&M, Tim Hull:

“A lot of the essence of the curation around that is for retail teams because they’re in the store for 8, 9, 10 hours a day, so there’s nothing ever on repeat. You never hear the same track on the same day. We also layer in DJ commentary that speaks to them and their experiences.”  

Leadership Coach for PPL PRS, Debbie Green:

“We know that the retail sector can be hectic during the holiday season with high customer expectations and long hours. Store teams, whether permanent or temporary, are the frontline representatives of your brand, and they directly influence customer experiences.

“The pressures associated with the Christmas shopping season can significantly impact workers physically and emotionally. The season’s heightened demands expected can lead to stress, tiredness, fatigue and burnout. Mixing this with the financial strain as workers balance working overtime to manage holiday spending and their personal commitments during this time of year can amplify and impact their well-being.

“This can have an impact on the team around you as everyone is working super hard, providing an exceptional service to each and every customer. This can be draining and can lead to less tolerance and patience.  

“Whether permanent or temporary, understanding the indispensable role that retail teams play, especially during this busy season, there is a need to engage well with your team and show them that you care. You can help mitigate the overwhelming feeling amongst your team by providing regular check-ins, being visible, and acknowledging and appreciating their efforts.

“Festive activities like parties or quizzes break up the routine and give your team something to look forward to. A Christmas Quiz can encourage collaboration and communication in a creative, low-pressure setting where you can typically hear lots of laughter and enjoyment, as there is a heightened sense of camaraderie, and it can help to be a good decompressor if it’s been a particularly difficult day.

“Engaged employees often go the extra mile, which is crucial at this time of year for retailers and celebrating the season together fosters a sense of belonging and that each team member is valued.”