For many years, the United States saw a general decline in its teen workforce. But, in 2023, the number of teens seeking jobs was the highest since 2009, according to the Labor Department. For teenagers, retail remains an excellent initial job, offering opportunities to develop essential skills like time management and teamwork.
But teens don’t develop those skills on their own. Store owners and managers must empower young workers, challenge and encourage them, and steer them toward success. With proper guidance, teen employees will be more engaged in the business, view it as a career opportunity, stay on staff longer, and become more adept at the job.
At Outdoor Supply Company in Hickory, NC, store owner Charlie Mogray is helping two teen employees grow by putting them in charge of a special project. Andie Smith, 18, and Olivia Stephenson, 17, are leading the effort to create a new space for paddlesports gear.
“I put them in charge because they’re pretty mature and know how to get things done,” says Mogray.
According to Mogray, paddlesports gear generates about 40 percent of the store’s sales. For years, Outdoor Supply Co. displayed its wide assortment of boats, paddleboards, and accessories in a 7,500-square-foot room a few doors down from the main shop. However, Mogray’s landlord raised the rent for that space, so Outdoor Supply Co. is moving its boats, paddleboards, and accessories into a 3,000-square-foot room that adjoins the main store.
For Smith and Stephenson, a primary concern was representing the store’s vast paddlesports offering in a much smaller space than before. Plus, the new room was empty, so they needed to build a retail space, choosing the most effective fixtures and determining where to place products and brands.
Despite the obstacles, Smith and Stephenson say the project has proven to be a valuable experience, especially for young people early in their working years.
“I think it just makes me feel valuable to the workplace,” says Stephenson. “I really feel like I’m contributing something.”