November 24, 2008
Employee Training Starts With the Basics
By Bernice Hurst, Managing
Partner, Fine Food Network
One of the UK’s top four
supermarket chains, Sainsbury’s, announced recently that it will work with
an external awarding body to help employees achieve qualifications in a
range of industry-relevant skills as well as essentials such as literacy
and numeracy. The practical skills to be measured will include stock control,
merchandising and health and safety. For those wanting to improve their
math and English, training will be online with personal tutors so everyone
can work at their own pace.
Ensuring that employees
have a wide range of basic, as well as job-related, skills is becoming
increasingly important to UK-based retailers. National Vocational Qualifications
(NVQs) are a means of accrediting on-the-job experience. They start at
the most basic level and work all the way up to pretty substantial management
competences but are entirely based on proving the necessary competences
rather than relying on classroom studies and exams. External specialist
assessors and organizations make the awards to ensure objectivity and consistency.
NVQs are recognized, like any other government-approved qualification,
wherever the recipient goes. They are generally seen as an addition, or
alternative, to purely academic achievements.
According to newspaper
reports, Sainsbury’s believes that 25 percent of its 150,000 strong workforce
will get one of the new qualifications in the next five years. Sainsbury’s
chief executive, Justin King, was quoted as saying, "Every one of
our colleagues can improve their skills, which not only benefits our customers
but also supports our colleagues, to achieve their full potential." Existing
apprenticeship schemes in the bakery, fish and meat departments will continue.
The company is reportedly the first retailer, and largest employer, to
offer such a range of opportunities to its entire workforce.
By using an external
awarding body, Sainsbury’s employees’ qualifications are more likely to
be transferable than any designed by the company itself. Endorsements came
from the government’s Skills Secretary, John Denham, and Richard Wainer,
head of education and skills at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
Mr. Denham said, "We know that those companies that invest in skills
are best equipped to weather tough economic times, and are also best placed
to capitalize on opportunities for growth." Mr. Wainer commented, "It
shows how employers can play a valuable role creating opportunities for
people."
Discussion questions:
Should retailers help employees gain industry-accredited and relevant
qualifications? Which skills would be most suitable (and useful)?
[Author’s
commentary] The Sainsbury’s project resembles that introduced by McDonald’s
(see RetailWire, 1/30/08: Uproar
in UK Over Approval Of McDonald’s Qualifications) at the
beginning of this year with the difference that this one is externally
structured and examined. When discussing McDonald’s, RW contributors largely
applauded the idea of encouraging employees to improve their qualifications.
BrainTrust
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
Poll
Training is not only valuable in increasing productivity, it also enhances team morale. Using external resources for training adds more value to the ‘job’ in the eyes of the employee. In all the workshops I have facilitated, there is always someone in the group who will ask how much this is costing the company. My answer is always the same: “I can’t really say but just know that your company loves you!”
Employees put value on training and the availability of resources. There is even more apparent value when it is done externally. Whatever the subject matter or industry relevance, I find staff gets pumped and is ready to take on the world after an external session. My observations suggest that students (especially the ones I have encountered) are quick to apply what they have learned in the field.
My advice is to scrutinize the material and make sure whoever you are sending will not be bored. You want them to be able to take away something valuable from the workshop or seminar.
This seems like a no-brainer. Better trained employees equals smarter employees, equals better customer interactions, equals better sales. I can’t see the downside.
It is hard to see how they could go wrong with this. Well-trained employees tend to be both more productive and more loyal. In addition, this will probably make it easier to attract the most motivated employees in their sector.
I’m of two minds.
Mind One:
Yay! Bring it on–this will be huge for employee engagement at Sainsbury’s and any company that takes this on and takes it seriously. And it’s a great thing for corporate citizenship as well. Not to mention–the better-trained, better-engaged work force gives the company that sponsors the training and engagement a huge competitive advantage, not least because the content can reinforce that particular company’s culture, values and processes.
Mind Two:
If we’re looking for excuses to stop supporting public education, here’s another one. In parts of the US, I can see this approach to training taking hold precisely because the schools are failing. If Walmart is going to take over the job of educating workers in a given region, how much support will the public schools get from voters? At that point, Walmart will essentially be deciding what young people need to know in order to be functioning adults. And the educational choices will be Walmart training, parochial schools and a very vestigial public school system.
So I’d like to see not only an independent certification body but perhaps also a partnership with regional educational institutions–precisely so the schools get a lift out of this and not another kick in the teeth.
It is a refreshingly old-fashioned approach to a contemporary problem.
It will attract ambitious individuals to work for the company. A formal training program will give the staff ownership on their tasks and the company and it will improve efficiencies which will attract additional consumers and increase brand appeal. It is not a short term program, but effective programs are never short term.
A smart move by Sainsbury’s.
Sainsbury’s investment in its employees is, in turn, a significant investment in its future success as a retailer. Enhanced skills have a direct and lasting impact on department-level operating efficiencies, while positively affecting associate self-confidence and the quality of customer interactions. Everyone wins.
Bravo to Sainsbury. Helping your employees gain job-related skills is never a bad idea. While fostering employee loyalty, these programs also lead to better customer service and more efficient operations. More retailers in the US should adopt this model.
A lot of companies offer their “management level” employees opportunities for education and self betterment by paying for their college. I think it’s a great idea.
I disagree with Mary’s concerns about it replacing our public school system. Something in our education system needs to change. We can’t keep pouring money into the same, ineffective, bureaucratic system that is in place today. If public schools were doing their job, maybe employers wouldn’t need to educate them on the basics.
Kudo’s to Sainsbury for helping their employees.
With certification should come recognition. With recognition should come pride. Let’s give retail employees all the pride they can handle…then, and only then, will they treat customers with care.
Hooray for Sainsbury. Let’s hope many others jump on this bandwagon.
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Training is not only valuable in increasing productivity, it also enhances team morale. Using external resources for training adds more value to the ‘job’ in the eyes of the employee. In all the workshops I have facilitated, there is always someone in the group who will ask how much this is costing the company. My answer is always the same: “I can’t really say but just know that your company loves you!”
Employees put value on training and the availability of resources. There is even more apparent value when it is done externally. Whatever the subject matter or industry relevance, I find staff gets pumped and is ready to take on the world after an external session. My observations suggest that students (especially the ones I have encountered) are quick to apply what they have learned in the field.
My advice is to scrutinize the material and make sure whoever you are sending will not be bored. You want them to be able to take away something valuable from the workshop or seminar.
This seems like a no-brainer. Better trained employees equals smarter employees, equals better customer interactions, equals better sales. I can’t see the downside.
It is hard to see how they could go wrong with this. Well-trained employees tend to be both more productive and more loyal. In addition, this will probably make it easier to attract the most motivated employees in their sector.
I’m of two minds.
Mind One:
Yay! Bring it on–this will be huge for employee engagement at Sainsbury’s and any company that takes this on and takes it seriously. And it’s a great thing for corporate citizenship as well. Not to mention–the better-trained, better-engaged work force gives the company that sponsors the training and engagement a huge competitive advantage, not least because the content can reinforce that particular company’s culture, values and processes.
Mind Two:
If we’re looking for excuses to stop supporting public education, here’s another one. In parts of the US, I can see this approach to training taking hold precisely because the schools are failing. If Walmart is going to take over the job of educating workers in a given region, how much support will the public schools get from voters? At that point, Walmart will essentially be deciding what young people need to know in order to be functioning adults. And the educational choices will be Walmart training, parochial schools and a very vestigial public school system.
So I’d like to see not only an independent certification body but perhaps also a partnership with regional educational institutions–precisely so the schools get a lift out of this and not another kick in the teeth.
It is a refreshingly old-fashioned approach to a contemporary problem.
It will attract ambitious individuals to work for the company. A formal training program will give the staff ownership on their tasks and the company and it will improve efficiencies which will attract additional consumers and increase brand appeal. It is not a short term program, but effective programs are never short term.
A smart move by Sainsbury’s.
Sainsbury’s investment in its employees is, in turn, a significant investment in its future success as a retailer. Enhanced skills have a direct and lasting impact on department-level operating efficiencies, while positively affecting associate self-confidence and the quality of customer interactions. Everyone wins.
Bravo to Sainsbury. Helping your employees gain job-related skills is never a bad idea. While fostering employee loyalty, these programs also lead to better customer service and more efficient operations. More retailers in the US should adopt this model.
A lot of companies offer their “management level” employees opportunities for education and self betterment by paying for their college. I think it’s a great idea.
I disagree with Mary’s concerns about it replacing our public school system. Something in our education system needs to change. We can’t keep pouring money into the same, ineffective, bureaucratic system that is in place today. If public schools were doing their job, maybe employers wouldn’t need to educate them on the basics.
Kudo’s to Sainsbury for helping their employees.
With certification should come recognition. With recognition should come pride. Let’s give retail employees all the pride they can handle…then, and only then, will they treat customers with care.
Hooray for Sainsbury. Let’s hope many others jump on this bandwagon.