Your payroll is still running even when the floor is empty. Here’s how to make every minute count.
Originally, I shared just 50 of these ideas. The response was so strong, I decided recently to expand it. Now there are 75 ways your employees can stay sharp, useful, and ready until that next shopper walks through the door.
This isn’t busywork.
This is about building a culture of ownership, pride, and hustle – especially when no one’s watching. Of course, it starts with basic cleaning and maintenance, but take a look, I’m sure you’ll find dozens of new ones that can help grow your business.
Print it. Laminate it. Tape it to the breakroom door. Just make sure they use it.
75 Things Retail Employees Can Do When They’re Not Busy
☑ Cleaning & Maintenance
☐ Dust and clean the shelves
☐ Vacuum or sweep the floors
☐ Clean the windows and mirrors
☐ Sanitize door handles and high-touch areas
☐ Wipe down counters and registers
☐ Straighten up fitting rooms
☐ Polish fixtures
☐ Clean the breakroom
☐ Take out the trash
☐ Refill hand sanitizer stations
☐ Perform a safety walk-through for tripping hazards
☑ Visual Merchandising
☐ Tidy up displays
☐ Re-fold clothes
☐ Restock size runs
☐ Face products to the front
☐ Replace missing signage
☐ Swap out outdated marketing material
☐ Check mannequin outfits are seasonally appropriate
☐ Refresh window displays
☐ Create a new themed endcap
☐ Audit signage for accuracy and grammar
☑ Inventory & Stock
☐ Reorganize backstock
☐ Check for misplaced items
☐ Scan shelves for out-of-stocks
☐ Perform inventory spot checks
☐ Unbox and process new arrivals
☐ Break down boxes for recycling
☐ Rotate products with expiration dates
☐ Label merchandise more clearly
☐ Match inventory to planograms
☑ Customer Engagement Practice
☐ Practice greeting customers with confidence and eye contact
☐ Role-play walking the floor and spotting customer cues
☐ Practice offering tailored product recommendations
☐ Study customer profiles to learn names and preferences
☐ Call a customer to inform them of a restocked item
☐ Write thank-you notes for large purchases
☐ Prepare or update a clienteling folder or book
☐ Review the returns process to improve speed and tone
☐ Practice role-playing common objections
☐ Create conversation starters based on top products
☐ Review recent feedback and brainstorm service improvements
☑ Digital & Marketing
☐ Take in-store photos for social media
☐ Record a 15-second product demo for Instagram or TikTok
☐ Monitor store reviews and respond if needed
☐ Suggest content ideas for store emails
☐ Verify business hours on Google and Yelp are current
☐ Check your store’s website for any broken links or outdated offers
☐ Collect quotes or testimonials from happy customers
☐ Tag merchandise that could go viral
☑ Learning & Development
☐ Watch a SalesRX lesson
☐ Take a product knowledge quiz
☐ Role-play selling the most expensive item in the store
☐ Review a competitor’s layout and pricing online
☐ Practice using positive language
☐ Shadow a coworker in a different role
☐ Review your last shift and write down what you could improve
☐ Create flashcards on add-on items for top-selling SKUs
☐ Learn 3 benefits of a new product
☐ Practice on how to handle a difficult return
☐ Refresh yourself on store policies
☑ Team Building & Culture
☐ Recognize a teammate for a job well done
☐ Organize a quick huddle with a positive quote
☐ Plan a small in-store celebration for a goal met
☐ Update the employee bulletin board
☐ Clean and organize the team workspace
☐ Refill supplies for gift wrapping or POS
☐ Write a peer shoutout for the team newsletter
☑ Manager Tips
- Encourage associates to own this checklist during slow hours
- Keep clipboards with printed versions in the backroom or if you can import directly into your CMS, make it a daily digital checklist on your tablets.
- Assign one category per associate per shift to build routines
- Review completed tasks during pre-closing huddles
- Praise initiative and build it into employee recognition
Of course, once a customer comes in, all of this stops to greet the customer.
See also, 11 Ways Your Retail Employees Convert Buyers Into Lookers
In Sum
When business is slow, retail staff can take hundreds of actions that will set your store up for success when it picks up. That’s why you need a specific list like this one—the old saw, “If you can lean, you can clean,” is far too limiting.
If you do this well, you’ll not only get more done, you’ll also build a team with stronger morale, more motivation, and a greater sense of accomplishment. That leads to better retention and a culture that thrives.
Be specific and have fun with it. You’re paying them anyway, so why not keep them learning, moving, and engaged, not just sweeping and straightening?
We are pleased to mention that the author, speaker and retail consultant Bob Phibbs aka the Retail Doctor (who has contributed to BRA with outstanding articles like this one and so many others that we have reposted over the past few years) has also contributed to BRA monetarily. We value his relevant retail insight and encourage you to learn more about his offerings by clicking on the following link to his website: www.retaildoc.com
– Doug Works, Executive Director BRA
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