Excellence in Business Awards 2011: Supermarket has the magic touch at investing in staff

Each recruit starts their career by taking part in Asda Magic, a training programme that explains how the company works and the role each staff member – or colleague – can play in contributing to its success.

The company is also a passionate supporter of retail apprenticeships and academies.

The supermarket chain’s commitment to staff development has helped it to secure the Outstanding Employer of the Year Award at the Excellence in Business Awards, a category which is sponsored by Bradford University School of Management.

Asda, which employs 175,000 staff in its UK stores, believes it’s vital to treat all staff with respect, in order to deliver the best service to customers.

Sarah Dickins, people operations and policy director at Asda, said after receiving the award: “It makes us feel very proud.

“We really care about our people and the contribution that they make. When times are tough a lot of businesses can’t afford to invest, but we’ve made an investment this year that has made a difference to our people.

“We’ve got all sorts of things in the pipeline, around recognition and development; the things that really matter to our colleagues.”

The judges said: “We were awed by the diversity of our winner’s employment programmes, ranging from apprenticeships to leadership schemes.

“They look after the whole staff population to maximise the potential of the workforce. And they help give disadvantaged people a route back to a decent life.”

A company spokesman added: “At Asda, we recruit for attitude and train for skill, which means we look for people who have the right attitude and passion for delivery, regardless of their background or level of experience.

“We recruit directly from the local communities that we serve and ensure our colleague base is as diverse as our customer base.”

Colleagues are also eligible for a benefit and reward package, which includes an opportunity to enter in the Sharesave programme. This scheme allows colleagues to save part of their monthly salary and invest in the business.

Asda is also committed to promoting a work-life balance, It offers 21 flexible working schemes for colleagues, to help them juggle a successful career and home life. These range from career breaks to leave for a child’s first day at school.

Asda recognises that women are often under-represented in retail management, and has invested in a strategy designed to increase the pipeline of female talent at Asda.

The company has established the Mum2Mum mentoring scheme, which links mothers to be with other working mothers in the business.

“We also have a passionate belief in our responsibility to tackle youth employment and skills,’’ the spokesman added. “In a challenging jobs market, where higher education is becoming increasingly expensive, we have launched the Asda Skills Academy, which will provide up to 25,000 accredited apprenticeships to our colleagues by the end of 2012.

“We truly believe that our colleagues are the heart of our business, and strive every day to offer them not just a job, but a lasting career with a great team.”

Asda believes in a “go and try it” culture, which generates a spirit of entrepreneurialism.

New ideas are encouraged at all levels of the business, from shop floor to the boardroom and Asda’s chief executive Andy Clarke hosts regular listening groups with colleagues.

There’s also a “Tell Andy” function on the company’s Green Room website, which is publicly available, to understand how the business could improve.

Asda’s staff are briefed each day on the financial performance of their store, so they can understand how their actions affect the company’s performance.

Asda’s customer contact centre is ranked among the top 50 in the UK.