Professional skills and know-how are at the centre of the HR challenges facing retail and hospitality organisations. Businesses in the trade, accommodation and catering sectors are forecasting more than 520,000 recruitments in 2025. But according to France Travail's Labour Needs Survey, nearly half (45.7%) of these hires are considered difficult to secure. 48.3% of the positions in question are seasonal, indicating high staff turnover. In this context, the development of employees' skills becomes a central challenge for retaining teams and strengthening the attractiveness of the sector.
The Difference Between Competencies and Know-How in Retail and Hospitality
To put an effective HR policy in place in these sectors, it is useful to distinguish two complementary concepts that structure team development: competency and know-how.
Competency: A Broader Concept Than Know-How
The concept of competency refers to a person's capacity to mobilise several types of knowledge in order to carry out a professional activity. It encompasses know-how (technical skills), knowledge (theoretical understanding) and the behavioural aptitudes that fall within the domain of professional conduct. In the current context of skills obsolescence, specialists in frontline sectors are evolving from soft skills to super skills in order to create a positive working environment and adapt their practices to market transformations.
Frontline Professional Know-How: From Practice to Critical Competencies
Know-how encompasses the operational, technical or practical skills needed for the concrete execution of tasks. These hard skills are acquired through various professional experiences. In the retail domain, professional know-how covers capabilities such as producing a quote, negotiating a contract, using CRM software, managing a sales team or developing a client portfolio.
This technical mastery translates over the long term into critical competencies that need to be valued and transmitted to sustain the activity. It is this knowledge acquired through action that makes the difference between a high-performing team and an organisation in a constant state of reconstruction.
Why Recognise Professional Know-How in These Sectors?
Recognising professional know-how improves employee engagement and team spirit. A skills development policy adapted to the needs and objectives of the organisation reduces turnover and optimises service quality through accumulated expertise.
A Lever for Retaining Frontline Teams
One million employees will retire by 2030 in French industry. The growing volatility of younger generations points to a talent shortage. Generation Z is characterised by an average tenure of 18 months per role. Turnover costs between 6 and 9 months of salary per departure, with a significant impact on performance and a loss of know-how.
Recognising and valuing the achievements of employees translates into a feeling of consideration and belonging. By offering a development and skills monitoring plan aligned with their aspirations, organisations limit the feeling of stagnation and improve talent retention.
A Key Factor for Service Quality and Performance
The retail and hospitality sectors are subject to complex regulation and growing client expectations. Retaining experts and well-managed internal mobility guarantee the preservation of valuable know-how for the organisation.
Stable, valued and experienced teams optimise operational effectiveness. The result is better service quality and gradually improving client satisfaction. According to the Journal of Corporate Finance, team retention translates into a revenue increase of over 2.5%, with a direct impact on the quality of the products and services offered.
How to Strengthen the Skills of Operational Teams
Professional competencies, and more specifically technical skills, are subject to rapid obsolescence. The "Transformations, Competencies and Learning" barometer from Cegos confirms this: for HR Directors and HR Managers, this threat concerns 20% of roles in 2025, at the heart of the retail and hospitality professions.
Soft Skills and Super Skills: Investing Beyond the Technical
The key competencies in high-turnover sectors include strong interpersonal skills, a sound sense of client service and the ability to manage stress. Organisations understand that know-how is acquired through training and professional experience, but that behavioural competencies are harder to teach.
Investing in profiles with strong soft skills — even if their technical competencies are still to be developed — is often more rewarding over the long term. The capabilities to be developed as a priority: emotional intelligence, decision-making, active listening, team spirit and cooperation.
Mapping, Training and Monitoring Skills Development
Skills mapping provides a clear, quantified view of the transversal and technical capabilities required at each position. It facilitates the onboarding of new recruits and supports the lasting skills development of frontline employees.
HR indicators make it possible to continuously adjust professional training: dropout rates, the evolution of competency levels, promotion rates following training. By cross-referencing this data with the needs identified in the field, HR managers structure coherent development pathways, adapted to the operational realities of retail and hospitality.
