Abercrombie & Fitch made one change that unexpectedly boosted worker morale

Abercrombie & Fitch gave workers more responsibility - and the company says it unexpectedly boosted worker morale.

The retailer recently gave workers the freedom to make changes in its namesake and Hollister stores, according to Retail Wire.

"If they see something selling well, they can move it within the store. They have some latitude around moving fixtures," executive Jonathan Ramsden told analysts on a recent conference call with investors.

An analyst on the call commented that workers "seem much happier and a lot less stressed" than before the change was made.

Abercrombie is also investing in training to improve customer service.

The added responsibility doesn't come with a pay raise, but Tom Ryan at Retail Wire theorizes that workers feel more of an incentive to succeed when they are the ones making decisions.

For years, Abercrombie & Fitch was synonymous with preppy polo shirts, sexy ads, and loud logos.

But as sales decline and teens move away from the brand names that once ruled the mall, the retailer is trying a different approach by toning down ads.

Abercrombie & Fitch's same-store sales fell 8% and total sales dropped 14% in the most recent quarter.