Let’s talk about a trend I keep seeing on LinkedIn—and if you work in retail, you’ve probably seen it too.

Retail executives, many of them incredible leaders, are using their personal LinkedIn profiles to communicate what should really be internal messages. They’re tagging field leaders, using branded hashtags that only their internal teams understand, and posting shoutouts that seem designed more for their store teams than for their professional network. The intent is great—recognition, visibility, motivation. But here’s the problem: they’re accidentally handing their best people over to headhunters on a silver platter.

This isn’t just a theoretical issue—we’ve seen it happen. A high-performing DM gets a glowing shoutout on LinkedIn: “Crushing her KPIs, leading her region, driving results!” She’s tagged, she comments, others chime in with congratulations. Within days, recruiters are sliding into her DMs. And why wouldn’t they? You just told the world she’s a rockstar.

And that’s only one of the risks.

What’s Really Going On

The reason this happens is pretty straightforward. A lot of retailers don’t have a solid internal platform for communication and recognition, so leaders get creative. LinkedIn becomes the place to motivate the field. But let’s be honest—LinkedIn isn’t built for that.

It’s public. It’s noisy. It’s not where frontline associates spend time. And when a VP uses it like an intranet, it can send the wrong message internally and create a whole lot of unintended consequences externally.

What Can Go Sideways

  • Your best people get recruited. You spotlight your top talent—so does every recruiter with a LinkedIn account.
  • Others feel left out. You meant to highlight great performance, but now five other regions are wondering why their work didn’t get a mention.
  • Mixed messaging. Your customers, competitors, and candidates are reading internal hashtags and KPIs they don’t understand. It can confuse your brand.
  • Privacy and security. Some associates may not want their name or image posted publicly. Did you ask them? Did they consent?

There’s a Better Way

This is exactly why we built INCITE Posts. It’s a feature of our retail communication and training platform that gives leaders a dedicated internal space to celebrate wins, share updates, and communicate with their teams—without broadcasting it to the world.

Think of it as your brand’s private LinkedIn, purpose-built for your stores. You can still tag, highlight, and shout out your top performers—but you do it internally, where it motivates your team and reinforces your culture without putting anyone in the spotlight they didn’t ask for.

Even better? Posts can include links to training, product updates, or policy changes—so recognition isn’t just about “great job,” it’s tied to action and performance. And field leaders can track engagement so they know who’s reading what, and who might need follow-up.

Here’s What It Looks Like

Let’s say you just launched a new collection. With INCITE Posts, your VP of Stores can drop a quick internal message:

“Shoutout to the Dallas team for an amazing launch week—highest UPT in the region! If you haven’t seen the styling tips video yet, check it out here.”

The post appears right in the app your teams already use for training and communication. Associates can like, comment, and share—but only with their internal peers. No recruiters. No competitors. No awkward HR follow-ups.

Real Recognition. Real Results.

Recognition is powerful. It builds engagement. It drives performance. But when it’s public, you lose control of the message—and sometimes, your talent.

Private recognition in a platform like INCITE keeps your team connected, motivated, and focused. It protects your culture. And it ensures that when you celebrate your best people, it’s for their benefit—not someone else’s recruitment strategy.

Want to see how INCITE Posts can help you take back control of your internal comms? Let’s talk.