Recruiting Leaders Who Prioritise Wellbeing in Retail Head Offices

Step into any busy retail Head Office and you’ll feel it straight away – the energy, the ambition, the pace. It’s where product launches take shape, where national campaigns are mapped out, and where ideas move from “what if” to “let’s go.”

It’s exciting. It’s rewarding. And, let’s face it, it can be relentless.

When the pressure’s on, the right leader can make all the difference. Not just to the results, but to the people delivering them. That’s why, more than ever, brands need leaders who look beyond the numbers and genuinely care about the well-being of their teams. Because the truth is, a healthy team is a high-performing team.

Leaders who champion wellbeing know that mental health, resilience, and work-life balance aren’t “extras” you add when things calm down. They’re the foundation for sustained performance. When people feel supported, valued, and trusted, they do their best work, and they stick around to do it long term.

At Zachary Daniels, we see it every day. We work with leaders who inspire not just through their strategies, but through the way they listen, adapt, and protect their teams from burnout. The kind of leaders who know that numbers tell part of the story, but it’s the human energy behind those numbers that makes the story possible.

Why Wellbeing-Focused Leadership Matters Now

Recruiting leaders who put people first isn’t just the “nice” thing to do; it’s a real competitive advantage. When employees know their manager genuinely cares about them, they show up differently. They’re more engaged, more motivated, and more likely to put in that extra bit of effort when it counts. That sense of trust and support feeds directly into productivity, with teams delivering more because they feel invested in the work and in the people around them.

It also has a huge impact on retention. We’ve all seen talented people leave otherwise great brands because the pressure became too much. Leaders who actively protect their team’s well-being reduce the risk of burnout and create an environment people want to stay in, ultimately saving the business the time, cost, and disruption of constantly replacing valuable staff.

That same focus on wellbeing builds morale that can weather even the toughest trading periods. Head office life has its high-pressure moments, but a leader who is empathetic and encourages open communication makes those peaks far more manageable. Teams back each other up, share the load, and keep moving forward – together.

There’s also a measurable difference in absence rates. A culture that prioritises health and balance leads to fewer stress-related illnesses and fewer sick days overall, leaving you with a healthier, more resilient workforce.

And let’s not forget the pull factor. Today’s candidates are looking closely at company culture before committing to a role. If your brand is known as a place where leaders genuinely look after their people, you’ll attract stronger applicants – and often from talent pools that might otherwise have been out of reach.

The benefits will also show up in decision-making and creativity. Burnt-out teams tend to play it safe or miss opportunities entirely. In contrast, well-rested, well-supported teams bring more ideas to the table, adapt faster, and find smarter solutions to challenges. That kind of thinking sets the business up for long-term success.

Spotting the leaders who’ll make wellbeing a priority

Hiring retail leaders like this means looking deeper than just their CV. The best wellbeing-focused leaders likely share some common traits, and there are ways to find them if you know where to look.

1. Make it clear from the start
If well-being leadership matters to your brand, be upfront about it in your job descriptions. Use language that shows you value work-life balance, psychological safety, and a supportive culture as much as you value commercial results. Candidates who share those values will see themselves in your ad, and those who don’t will self-select out.

2. Ask better interview questions
Skip the tired questions that don’t really tell you anything about the candidate, and go for the ones that reveal real-life behaviours:

• “Tell me about a time you spotted a team member struggling. What did you do?”
• “How do you make sure your team maintains balance in peak trading periods?”
• “Have you ever had to challenge unrealistic expectations to protect your team?”

By asking the important stuff outright, you show that you’re looking for more than a textbook answer – you’re looking for empathy, practical problem-solving, and the confidence to lead with people in mind.

3. Use scenario-based tests
Give candidates a realistic Head Office challenge. For example:
“It’s two weeks to a major campaign launch. The workload is intense, and your team is showing signs of fatigue. How do you handle it?”
Their response will tell you how they balance short-term pressure with long-term team health.

4. Look for emotional intelligence
Wellbeing-focused leaders tend to listen more than they talk. They pick up on what’s not being said. They can adapt their style to suit different personalities. Notice how a candidate listens to your questions, how they speak about past teams, and how they approach sensitive subjects.
And remember, “cultural fit” isn’t about hiring clones of your current team. It’s about finding leaders who respect your existing culture while bringing in fresh perspectives and ideas that help it grow.

5. Bring in your wellbeing champions
If you’ve got HR professionals or internal champions who focus on staff welfare, involve them in the process. They can add a valuable lens when assessing whether a candidate truly “gets” wellbeing.

6. Ask the right references
When you’re speaking to referees, go beyond performance metrics. Ask how the candidate supported their team in high-pressure periods, whether they encouraged flexible working, and how they handled wellbeing conversations.

7. Show them what you stand for
If you want leaders who prioritise wellbeing, you have to demonstrate that it’s part of your culture already. Share your existing initiatives and policies during the process. Be open about how you handle workload, communication, and flexibility. Honesty will attract people who want to lead in that kind of environment.

Wellbeing Leadership in Practice

A leader’s influence on wellbeing isn’t measured in big, one-off gestures, but in the small, consistent actions that happen every day. It’s in the way they set realistic goals and have the confidence to push back when deadlines threaten to push the team past its limits. It’s in those one-to-one conversations that go beyond performance metrics, creating space for open, honest dialogue about how someone’s really doing. It’s in the genuine encouragement of flexible working, and the respect shown by actually honouring it in practice.

Great leaders also make a point of recognising success in all its forms, whether it’s a major project delivered flawlessly or a quiet moment of going above and beyond. And, perhaps most importantly, they lead by example. They show that taking breaks, logging off on time, and looking after yourself aren’t signs of slacking, but vital parts of doing your job well. Over time, these habits create a culture where wellbeing isn’t a box to tick, but a natural part of how the team works and thrives.

Recruiting Your Next Retail Leader

Recruiting leaders who value wellbeing is an investment in your people, your culture, and your long-term success. It’s about finding the individuals who can deliver results and make the journey to those results sustainable and rewarding.

When your head office is led by people who understand the human side of performance, you don’t just hit targets once, you build a team that’s ready to hit them again and again.

If you’re ready to find leaders who’ll put your people first while still driving your brand forward, we can help. Let’s talk about how to make your next round of retail head office recruitment your most impactful yet.