Understanding the Problems and Challenges Faced by Female Sales Executives in the Retail Shopping Malls of Visakhapatnam: A Study

Abstract

This paper presents the problems and challenges of female sales executives working in the retail shopping malls of Visakhapatnam. It is observed that the women who completed the intermediate and graduation programs join as sales executives in different shopping malls. They get a salary between Rs.10,000-Rs.20,000/- per month, plus incentives based on their performance. But it is noticed that the women working in the retail shopping malls face a few physical and psychological health problems due to stress in their job and long-standing. Sexual abuse, applying heavy makeup, and working on holidays and festival days are also challenges for them. This is a quantitative study conducted in Visakhapatnam City. This study adopted a descriptive research design and employed a purposive sampling method. The data were collected from 94 female sales executives through a structured interview schedule shared via Google Form and analysed through SPSS. The study found that the majority (97.9%) of the respondents work 9 hours a day. And 66 per cent stated that they have 4 leaves in a month. The majority (95.7%) of the respondents stated that they do not have membership in any association or union. It was found that out of 94 respondents, 63 respondents said that they have backaches due to spending more time standing in the malls, 84 respondents said that they have headaches due to working in the heavy lighting area, 74 respondents reported body overheating, 84 respondents reported that they are feeling stress due to targets. The majority, 97.9%, said that make-up is compulsory. The study suggested that the management should initiate more incentives, salaries and basic facilities for female executives. They need more capacity-building programs to improve their sales performance and job satisfaction.