The Shift from Specialist to Generalist Roles in Grocery Retail: Opportunities and Challenges

In recent times, there has been a notable shift from specialist to generalist roles on the shop floor in response to modern grocery retail’s demand for flexibility, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Traditionally, many staff members in large supermarkets held specialist roles, focusing on one area—whether that was fresh produce, customer service, or stocking specific categories. However, today, we're seeing more and more retailers moving towards a model where shop floor staff are trained to handle multiple roles. While this trend offers significant benefits, it also presents challenges that need to be addressed.

rascal systems’ primary focus is to enable retail efficiency and with that in mind I wanted to explore the implications of this trend and how retailers can adapt to overcome the challenges and realise the benefits from it.

Why the Shift?

Retail is evolving at a rapid pace, influenced by advancements in technology, changes in customer expectations, and the constant pressure to reduce costs while maintaining high service standards. The move from specialist to generalist roles on the shop floor can be seen as part of this broader trend towards operational efficiency. Retailers like Sainsbury’s and Asda have already embraced this, recognising the need for flexibility and a more agile workforce.

This trend is in response to several factors:

• Increased complexity: With a wider variety of products and services offered in-store, there’s a growing need for versatility in handling various categories and tasks.
• Technological integration: Self-checkouts, mobile payment solutions, and automated inventory management systems reduce the need for specialists in certain areas.
• Cost pressures: By minimising the number of dedicated specialists and creating more multitasking roles there is the ability to reduce labour costs and drive operational efficiencies.

The Pros and Cons of Generalist Roles

Pros:

• Flexibility: Having a workforce capable of performing multiple roles means that staff can be deployed where they are most needed, improving in-store efficiency and responsiveness during peak times.
• Cost savings: Generalist roles allow retailers to reduce labour costs without compromising on service, as fewer staff are required to cover the same number of tasks.
• Enhanced customer experience: Staff who are knowledgeable about various store sections can provide better service by helping customers across multiple areas, improving overall satisfaction.

Cons:

• Training requirements: It takes significant investment to train employees to be proficient across multiple roles. Without proper training, the risk of operational inefficiencies or a decline in customer service quality increases.
• Loss of expertise: Some tasks, particularly those in technical areas like fresh food preparation or inventory management for complex categories, may suffer from the lack of dedicated experts.
• Employee satisfaction: Some workers may feel overwhelmed by the pressure of handling a broader range of responsibilities, which could lead to dissatisfaction and increased turnover.

Trade Press Coverage

Numerous major UK retailers have adopted this change. For example, 特易购公司 has rolled out a new ‘flexible colleague’ role, where staff are expected to work across multiple departments, from restocking shelves to handling click-and-collect services.

"The move towards generalist roles allows us to maximise the potential of every colleague, ensuring we’re agile enough to meet the changing demands of our customers." - Tesco Operations Manager, cited in Retail Gazette .

Similarly, Waitrose & Partners has implemented multi-skilled roles, allowing staff to switch between front-of-store customer service and back-end operations, improving overall service while reducing staffing costs. Waitrose recently launched the Simpler Shops initiative, aiming to improve productivity by encouraging staff to take on more flexible working hours and a wider range of responsibilities.

In the Grocery Gazette Waitrose's Retail Director, Tina Mitchell , highlighted the importance of having the "right number of partners doing the right tasks at the right time" as a key part of their strategy. This flexibility helps Waitrose ensure they have enough staff available during peak hours, enhancing customer service while maintaining operational efficiency. However, this shift is not without its challenges as some employees may find it difficult to adapt.

Critics argue that a shift to generalists can dilute service quality: “A lack of specialisation may result in lower overall expertise, especially in departments like fresh produce, where product knowledge is key,” noted a report in The Grocer .

How rascal systems Can Help Retailers Navigate the Shift

At rascal systems, we’ve long recognised the need for operational efficiency in retail, especially as retailers navigate increasingly complex environments. Our solutions are designed to support retailers as they move towards a more generalist shop floor model, ensuring that these new ways of working are successful and sustainable.

Here’s how we can help:

1. Data and Process Simplification: One of the main challenges of moving to a generalist model is ensuring that staff can handle the increased workload without losing focus. rascal’s technology simplifies complex processes, such as managing direct deliveries and returns. Our app streamlines and standardises these tasks so that they become category agnostic, reducing the time needed for training while maintaining compliance, accuracy and efficiency.
2. Enhanced Visibility and Control: As roles become more generalist, it’s critical that managers have real-time insights into store operations to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. With our Power BI dashboards, store and category managers can track performance, shrinkage, and stock levels, quickly identifying areas that need attention or improvement.
3. Labour Efficiency Gains: Moving to generalist roles opens new opportunities for cost savings, but only if it’s done right. Our app is proven to help reduce manual processes across a range of categories, saving labour hours, which can then be redeployed to customer service or value-generating tasks.
4. Ongoing Service and Support: The transition from specialist to generalist is not without its bumps in the road. That’s why rascal systems provides ongoing consultancy and support, ensuring that retailers can continually refine their approach as they adapt to this new model.

Conclusion

The transition to multi-skilled roles in retail is a strategic response to the industry's need for flexibility, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Although this trend presents significant advantages, it also brings challenges that must be addressed effectively. By utilising rascal systems' data management and technology solutions, retailers can ensure they maximise the benefits of this new operating model whilst mitigating the risks. With the right support, retailers can ensure that their versatile workforce not only operates efficiently but is also empowered to enhance profitability and customer satisfaction.

This article was written by our Commercial Director, Jonty Edwards . To discuss how your retail business can benefit from rascal’s solution get in touch via LinkedIn or our website.