Canadian Retailer - Winter 2014 - 33

Benefits and incentives

LIDS offers an employee benefits program and a bonus incentive program for store managers and above. All employees who work more than 30 hours per week, which is 30 per
cent of the company's current workforce of about 600, are entitled to long term disability, group life insurance, RRSPs and
extended healthcare benefits for medical, vision, dental and
unlimited prescriptions. The company offers a tiered matching contribution RRSP program for the first five per cent of
salary (100 per cent for the first three per cent of salary and
50 per cent for the next two per cent of salary). Employees are
also entitled to a 40 per cent discount at LIDS stores and at
Journeys and Johnston and Murphy, two LIDS partner companies that have recently opened operations in Canada.
"Our retention rates are typical of those for retail in general, but because we are growing so quickly there is a lot of potential for entry level and store positions, for people to move
up into the executive ranks and to move around the country
and into the U.S." Lynch says.
LIDS AT A GLANCE

* LIDS Sports Group's retail businesses make up more than
1,000 mall-based, airport, street-level and factory outlet
locations across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
* LIDS Canada has grown to almost 100 stores in 10 years and
is adding between 15 and 25 new stores each year.
* Retail footprint is small stores focused on providing highlypersonalized customer service.
* Strong business growth provides numerous opportunities
for entry-level, store and management positions.
* Company provides training programs, advancement
opportunities and employee health and retirement benefits.

The manager-in-training program that Matthews took
to become a district store manager gave him all of the necessary skills and information he needed to successfully
transition into more senior management. It consisted of a
12-module program that takes anywhere from 6 to 18 months
to complete, depending on the individual, covering all the
major aspects of retail management, including recruitment,
human resources, information technology, merchandising,
marketing, loss prevention and financing.
"It's like a college-level course that gives you all of the
building blocks you need," says Matthews. "You learn and
then, because you're working, you can put it into practice. It's
a great opportunity."
LIDS' success can be attributed to taking an idea, adapting
it to the unique needs and preferences of local markets and
customers, hiring people with a passion, and providing them
with opportunities for training and development, the skills
necessary to offer great customer service and the chance to
have a lot of fun on the job.
"The idea for Hat World was just that-an idea," says LIDS
President Ken Kocher. "Our success stems from assembling
a team of first-class professionals who stay on top of the
wants of the consumer and put customer service first."

More than 1,000 locations meeting customer demand.

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Canadian Retailer - Winter 2014

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