Business Skills

Being the only retail dietitian can feel like being on an island, whether you’re in a corporate or store role. You don’t have a direct colleague with whom to banter ideas and new programs. Some days, it appears that retail colleagues don’t understand what you do or may not see the impact of healthy living programs on the company’s business. Your store director or corporate boss may give you little time and attention.

In the retail work world frequent changes in management and leadership seems to be commonplace. Leadership changes also bring different perspectives and priorities which can cause tension among staff as individuals wonder what may become of their job, their projects, and the overall culture of the company. Management transitions, however, are inevitable and likely to occur many times during the course of your employment. Here are some ways to plan for surviving and even thriving during these periods:

Many consumers still carry the belief that the healthiest foods are located in the perimeter of the store. As you help shoppers navigate the total store for meal solutions, be sure to highlight new product innovations and better-for-you options that can be used to create simple, tasty family meals while building a bigger basket. Consider the following opportunities to drive sales across all departments:

Good analytical skills are critical in the workplace as they will help you solve complex issues, make rational decisions, and execute well-organized projects. Common analytical skills include troubleshooting, budgeting, data analysis, metrics and communication. Sharpening these skills can help position you as a leader and assist with your advancement up the career ladder. If you think your analytical skills need some improvement, here are 6 strategies to put into practice:

A strong and successful company operates best when employees work with a team mentality, each filling a needed role and fulfilling long-term goals for the department and corporation. Here’s what you can do to make sure your team is as strong as it can possibly be.

Negotiations are part of our everyday work and personal life whether we realize it or not. From negotiating our salary or work accountabilities with our employer to finding common ground regarding the division of household chores at home. To get what you want and need, it’s important to refine your negotiation skills. Here are 6 steps to get you started:

As a retail dietitian you may often feel overextended, but may you also think you need to hang on to all of your projects to “protect” your work. Unfortunately, this instinct ultimately weakens our impact and may not allow others to grow. To help maximize your productivity and increase your potential as a leader it’s important to hone your delegation skills. Here are 6 strategies to get you started:

Leveraging media can be an effective tool in the retail RD skill set. Consider that media segments enhance your company’s health and wellness brand and community relations, are an effective way to gain visibility with shoppers in your key market and can successfully market RD programs and services. “Media segments generate awareness with a population not necessarily shopping your stores and create loyalty with existing shoppers,” says Kerry Clifford, MS, RD, LDN, retail dietitian with Fresh Thyme.

The work world has certainly changed over the years and the typical employee no longer retires with a secure pension from the same company they started with years before. Individuals now need to take responsibility for their job security and manage their own career path. The good news is, there is a spectrum of work possibilities for retail dietitians if you recognize potential opportunities to learn and grow in your role. Here are seven steps for managing your career with confidence.

Just when retail dietitians get a handle on the buyer role, they realize that not all buyer roles are the same. In fact, there are distinct difference between the roles based on the category of the store. “It’s essential for dietitians to establish in-roads to the buying teams,” says Stephanie Schultz, MSM, RDN, CD and Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications at Skogen’s Festival Foods. “Identify a colleague who can point you in the right direction and help you navigate the differences.”