For our Retail Rising campaign, we spoke with Stefano Melani, General Manager Retail of Luxottica in France & Northern Europe, and a retail leader who has mastered the art of motivating teams through clear strategy, engaging competitions, and a deep commitment to his people. His philosophy? When employees believe in the plan, they invest back into the business.

Here’s what we learned from our conversation with Stefano about driving performance, fostering engagement, and making retail a place where people thrive.

Journey into Retail

Serendipity or Strategy?

When asked if his path into retail was intentional or accidental, Stefano shared that it was driven by a natural connection to the industry. Retail appealed to him as a space where he could see the immediate impact of his work, whether through employee development, customer satisfaction, or community engagement.

Proud Moments

Moments That Inspire:

A defining moment came when Stefano visited a store where employees had just won a competition. Their excitement, their drive to push each other, and their sheer pride in their achievement reinforced a key lesson—a well-structured incentive can transform not just performance, but the entire team culture.

One Defining Thing:

One of Stefano’s boldest moves was launching a £10,000 prize for the top-performing store manager. This high-stakes reward created real excitement across the organization, proving that significant recognition can be a game-changer in how employees engage with their work.

Empowering Your Team

Your People’s Journey:

Stefano believes in clarity and consistency when leading teams. His mantra? “Keep the message simple and repeat it often.” To create real buy-in, employees must understand the plan, believe in it, and see the direct link between their performance and rewards.

This thinking is embedded in all of his team initiatives, from:

• The “Spectacular” Program – A monthly incentive that rewards top sales associates with double commission the following month. Sales teams compete within their store tier, ensuring fairness across different store sizes.

• The “Ultimate Spectacular Experience” – A quarterly incentive offering high-value travel rewards for top-performing store managers and sales associates, again grouped in fair clusters.

This system ensures that success isn’t limited to the biggest stores or top 1% of sellers—everyone has a shot at winning.

Defining Success

What Success Means:

Stefano has a clear success formula in retail:

• For the business – Achieving challenging but realistic growth targets.

• For employees – Ensuring that at least 50% of stores hit their targets so incentives are both motivating and attainable.

• For customers – Consistently delivering a great experience, measured through footfall conversion and customer satisfaction.

This keeps the team focused on clear, simple metrics that drive performance.

The Road Ahead

Looking Forward:

Stefano is most excited about technology’s role in performance management. Real-time dashboards, gamified incentives, and instant feedback loops will continue to make retail more engaging, measurable, and rewarding for employees.

Impact & Creativity

Beyond the Ordinary:

To keep things fresh, Stefano introduces a new competitive challenge every year. One of his favorites? The Holiday Season Jingle Bingo. How does it work?

• Each employee receives a bingo card with weekly challenges—some based on KPIs, others on fun team activities (like taking a selfie in a Christmas jumper).

• Employees earn points, and the store manager with the most wins £1,000 in vouchers. Other prizes go to smaller-tier stores, ensuring multiple winners.

• Results are communicated weekly, creating excitement and friendly competition.

Impact Beyond Sales:

These competitions aren’t just for fun—they are designed to fund themselves through higher performance. Targets are set slightly higher, ensuring that the extra incentives are paid out only when additional results are delivered.

A Step Ahead:

A key focus for Stefano is ensuring incentives reach the right percentage of employees. His rule of thumb?

• Commissions should make up 20-30% of earnings.

• At least 50% of stores should be hitting their targets.

By balancing broad participation with high-value rewards, Stefano keeps motivation levels high while maintaining the integrity of the incentive structure.

Personal Reflection

Perspective Shapers:

Stefano credits his success to colleagues who understand that retail is about people first. The best leaders balance commercial goals with a strong focus on employee experience, creating a workplace that drives both performance and satisfaction.

A Heartfelt Message:

When asked what he would say to his employees, Stefano’s response was clear:

“Your passion and dedication are what make this business thrive. We ask a lot of you, and you always deliver. Thank you for your energy, your commitment, and for making this more than just a job—it’s a community.”

Final Thoughts

Stefano Melani is a leader who gets it. He knows that a thriving retail business isn’t just about products—it’s about people. By fostering a competitive, fun, and rewarding workplace, he’s not just driving sales—he’s building a culture where employees feel valued and motivated to succeed.

This is what Retail Rising is all about—celebrating leaders who redefine what’s possible in retail.