Ragtrader talks business with H&M Australia country manager Hans Andersson.
Andersson will be profiled as part of an exclusive spread in the next edition of Ragtrader.
In a teaser for ragtrader.com.au, Andersson revealed the importance of staff training programs for H&M Australia.
“What we try to offer is not only good quality fashion at a good price, but also an ambience which only the people in the store can offer,” he said.
“We started recruiting for staff in Melbourne early last year and we have been training people in stores across the world since – including our full-line concept stores in Singapore and London.”
Andersson said the H&M Melbourne team will also have a lot of international support to help them “cope with the first waves here."
“The challenge we have in all stores is to get that feeling, that ambience that makes people want to go and like it. You can only really achieve via passionate staff."
Andersson added that the most important point to consider when hiring is to look for people who share the same values as the brand.
“We were founded in '47 in Sweden and, although it is on the Swedish Stock Exchange, the majority of the votes belong to the founder's family.
"The founder's son is the chairman – and the man who hired me. The CEO is his son, the grandson of the founder.
“So even though we have over 60,000 staff across 54 countries, H&M still has the values of a small family company and I think that is very different from very many international groups. It sets us apart.”
Find out what else H&M has planned for Australia in the Ragtrader May print edition – out April 28. Subscribe here.