Kluczowe cechy pracowników w rozwoju przedsiębiorstw handlowych

The main aim of the paper was to specify features of employees that are the key ones for retailers selling products in Podkarpackie region. To do this, the retailing entities were categorized in a way allowing to search for employees’ features resulting in better economic results. The enterprises were cathegorised according to the place of activity and number of employees, taking into consideration the potential employees that gain a special interest of managers were identified. Direct interviews were carried out, with the use of an original questionnaire form, in 300 retailing enterprises in two quarters in a turn of 2013 and 2014 year. The analysis concerns many characteristics of the entities that were adopted as classifying criteria. The results show that professional experience, active attitude, personal initiative and organizational abilities are seen by managers as key competences of the employees. The level and type of education and professional training were rarely acknowledged as a base for retailing activity. The entities with the highest indicators of gross sale profitability were relatively more likely to consider also activity and elasticity of the employees while hiring people, as they perceived these features as a chance for rising the company’s competitiveness and market efficiency.