Austin-based startup helps hire retail workers
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- There's a good chance you or someone you know has worked in retail.
But one of the industry's biggest issues is an ongoing labor shortage.
Here in Austin, one startup is trying to fill that gap and give workers full control over their time.
Reflex allows people to pick up a shifts where they want and when they want.
As Austin springs forward toward a busy tourist season, the retail industry has struggled with staffing.
"You have to work tough hours, you have to work on weekends, you have to work holiday times." Mike Meyers, Reflex's CEO said. "So what's happened is a lot of retailers are struggling with the so-called labor shortage."
With this in mind, Meyers founded Reflex, an online platform connecting retailers to reliable workers.
"There's actually a lot of people that want to work in retail, they just don't want to work in retail the way they always have, and what they want is flexibility," Meyers explained.
His company tailors toward brick-and-mortar retail, giving employees flexibility and better work-life balance.
Tatiana Arias works through Reflex. She said she has a passion for fashion. "As a freelancer, that flexibility is what I look for," she said.
After a brief background check, Reflex workers can start picking up shifts at spots such as Vineyard Vines, J. Crew and Everlane.
"You can find shifts at your favorite brands, choose when and where you work, get paid in 24 hours instead of two weeks," Meyers said.
"You can choose the day before or the platform will have a list of all these open options," Arias explained. "I see what days I'm available so then and there it's easier for me."
Shelby Parrish runs Party & Co, a mom-and-pop local shop that expercined a fair share of struggles hiring employees.
"No one really seemed to want to be hired or, you know, apply and we would get applications here or there, but it was always hard to keep people," Parrish said.
Over the past year, she's partnered with Reflex.
"They have some sort of background in retail, so that kind of takes the pressure off of us as owners," Parrish said.
All Relfex workers are paid directly through the platform.
Right now, the Austin-based startup works with over 60 shops in austin, Dallas and Houston.