HAVING a balanced gender representation is important to any type of business, Zainab Shaaban, Recruitment Supervisor, REDTAG KSA said in an interview, noting that men and women bring complementary skills and competences to the workplace. "But, in fashion retail and specifically in Saudi Arabia, it is crucial to have female sales and customer service professionals as part of your team," she pointed out. As it is obvious that REDTAG's primary audience is women, and "given the cultural and legal considerations of KSA, it is mandatory to have well-trained female professionals to deal with customers," she remarked. In addition, women are natural listeners and communicators, which are vital skills in customer relations. They also understand the needs of customers (other women) more than men, which make them a more relevant and authentic source of information when it comes to purchasing decisions. Excerpts of the interview follow: l How do you target female talent to join REDTAG's team? We work closely with the National Labor Gateway, TAQAT, who are helping us identify and recruit Saudi talent, including female nationals. We also take part in school and university job fairs and engage with fresh graduates and even students who would be interested in joining the REDTAG team. l What is the rate of females working among the REDTAG's KSA team? 20% (540) of REDTAG's employees in the Kingdom are female. They hold positions of cashiers, customer service representatives and supervisors in the close to 120 operational stores across the Kingdom. They also work in our headquarter office, handling recruitment, training and administration. They are considered core team members and play an active role in REDTAG business. They are also instrumental in the growth and expansion of REDTAG's network in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. l How do you target female talent to join REDTAG's team? We work closely with the National Labor Gateway, TAQAT, who are helping us identify and recruit Saudi talent, including female nationals. We also take part in school and university job fairs and engage with fresh graduates and even students who would be interested in joining the REDTAG team. l Do you find it more challenging to recruit female talent than it is to recruit men? If you asked me this question three years ago, I would say yes; but currently it isn't the case anymore. The Saudi society is becoming more and more open to offering growth opportunities and empowering female citizens, as their role is being more recognizable. l What is the average age of female Saudi nationals at REDTAG? The average age of female Saudi nationals working at REDTAG is 28 years. l Do you find it more challenging to retain female Saudi staff than male ones? No, we don't see Saudi female staff retention as an issue. We have experienced that their retention is quite encouraging. l How has the rate of female employees changed over the last few years? We've noticed a very positive growth in the number of female Saudi nationals willing to peruse a professional career. The government and the society are more supportive to this trend and we expect it to grow even more in the future. l Do you think that women-only offices are a good option to offer a comfortable work environment to both genders? Definitely. Providing a comfortable work environment makes a huge difference in performance and retention rates. Women only offices are mandatory by law, and the more we have of them, the more women will be encouraged to work and contribute to the welfare of their families, and the economy of their country. Women have great potential and we, at REDTAG, are very proud of our female employees and our approach to female employment.
