Must have strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Excellent communication skills are critical that managers within Sainsbury’s as managers will have to do a lot of communicating. Hey have to plan, organise, motivate and control with indicates that they will have to coach employees at their allocated store. Interpersonal skills are crucially important as to be effective in motivating people means that you have good people skill. It’s due to the number of employees, their authority, and the amount of customers in the store which makes communication and interpersonal skill vital for store managers at Sainsbury’s.
Be a leader and a team player
Store managers are there at Sainsbury’s to lead and coach their employees an help them improve and reach their potential, this takes good leadership skills; however, all employees work together as a team in order to make Sainsbury’s operation successful and managers are no exception to the team so they must be good team players in order to move Sainsbury’s forward.
Well Presented and must have a smart appearance
In order for employees and customer to take a manager seriously they must have a smart appearance. They are setting the example for their employees to follow and as a result of that they can not come in to work dressed messy and unkempt so their employees should not do the same. Managers have a large level of authority and dress and present themselves according to the effect they wish to have on people. Managers are also representing Sainsbury’s and so they should want to reflect their organization positively
The awareness of health and safety regulations and employment legislation
Health and safety should be priority in every business; employees and customers have the right to work and shop in a safe environment and are protected by The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 which is now supported by the Health and Safety commission and the Health Executive. This is why it is important that managers monitor
Being IT literate
Due to the recent improvement and development in technology it is now essential for organizations to use a wide range of IT. Store managers at Sainsbury’s need to be IT literate as their job involves various types of IT e.g. employee reports might be written up on the database and store managers would be in charge of updating the information, taking into account the size of Sainsbury it is the easiest way of communicating within Sainsbury is e-mail and so store mangers will be expected to be able to do this and also it maybe required that managers are able to present their information clearly witch could be in form of a graph or PowerPoint presentation; this would be effective in a meeting or when training employees
The following qualities are needed for Sainsbury’s supervisors
To have a good knowledge of the departments in which they work in
Supervisors in Sainsbury’s are given a set department that they are in control of and need to monitor. To be able to this productively means that the supervisors would have to have a good knowledge of that department e.g. bakery department, and know who exactly how it operates and who works in it.
Responsibility
Supervisors are seen as a lower level of management and need to be responsible. They monitor employees in their department help and advice them where possible, they are also required to make decisions and have to be sensible since they are representing Sainsbury’s and could be damaging the business this requires supervisors to be responsible.
Need to have good organisational skills
As a result of how much work they receive and their responsibilities, it is important that supervisors have good organisational skill. They are seen as leaders and need to be able to organise their team of employees and so have to be fully prepared and alert. As Sainsbury’s in a large organisation and has many departments within the store, the department supervisors need to be fully aware of what happening within the store what should be happening. In order for Sainsbury’s to operate successfully their managers and supervisors must be organised.
Be assertive
Sainsbury’s have the responsibility to guide and assign their work to their task team. They have to be assertive all times to ensure that their department is running smoothly and is operating as it should be. Also that all employees are working safely and effectively. Supervisors have to make sure tat customers are safe and are behaving safely whist on Sainsbury’s premises.
Have a good knowledge and must comply with Sainsbury’s regulations and polices
Supervisors for the same reason as managers, have to full understand Sainsbury’s regulations and polices, they need to ensure that all employees in their department are complying with these and also that they are also doing the same and working accordingly.
Good organisational skills
Good organisational skills are essential and all supervisors in Sainsbury’s must be able to organise their staff. It their job to coordinate the work and assign resources within their team.
Responsibility
A supervisor of Sainsbury’s should be willing to accept responsibility for task that should be done and that have been done and completed. They monitor employees in their department and advise them when ever needed. They have to sensible when they are making serious decisions because that could eventually destroy or harm the business.
The following are the qualities that are need to be a Sainsbury’s employee
Task 4: Training and Development Opportunities
A majority of businesses like Sainsbury’s use training schemes to ensure that staffs are able to fully meet the needs of their job role. Training enables staff to feel motivated to work hard and to deliver the organisations objectives. Many training schemes can be expensive but in the long run they can be very cost effective as they avoid wastage, rework costs and the costs of lost business opportunities. Having trained and motivated staff enables Sainsbury’s to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. Not only does training benefit the business but it also boosts staff morale and people generally prefer to be creative, innovative, adaptable and productive.
Sainsbury’s offers a number of training and support schemes. Sainsbury’s is passionate about having a clean, energetic and safe working environment for all their employees. They also believe that all their employees should be trained and have a good knowledge of the area they work in. This ensures they are working to the best of their ability and are providing customers with the service they require.
Sainsbury’s have five main principles. Their fifth principle is to be a great place to work. Sainsbury’s regard themselves as being a ‘Great place to work’ after having been voted one of the top 100 graduate employers, one of the top 50 places Where Women Want to Work and the Best place to work in IT with the Retail Sector. Sainsbury’s are proud of the hard work and commitment their colleagues have. They believe all their employees must be valued, supported and given the chance to develop their skills. In 2007, Sainsbury’s gave 118,000 colleagues the chance to share in the success of Sainsbury’s by paying £56 million in colleague bonuses. Also, Sainsbury’s was the first supermarket to sign the Government’s Skills Pledge in June 2007 which gave colleagues the opportunity to gain a nationally recognised qualification.
One example of a training scheme that Sainsbury’s offer to their employees is Get Ahead which enables certain employees to work in retail management. In order to take part in the Get Ahead scheme, applicants must have 3A levels with some retail experience and must have an enthusiastic and friendly personality. The management training scheme trains applicants to become a Department Manager in a period of nine to eighteen months. Applicants are trained in store with the support of other Sainsbury’s employees. The training scheme enables employees to pick up new skills such as communication, problem solving and team playing which will help them through life. They will also learn about work that they will need to carry out when they become a Department Manager and this includes:
- Stock Control
- Display and trading
- Customer service
- Human resources
- Checking tills
- Hiring people
- Operating machinery
- Dealing with customers.
- Health and Safety and Food Safety
- Security
- Price Control
- Retail Law
- A thorough knowledge of the products in the supermarket.
Part of the scheme also includes the applicant visiting a rival supermarket to review their performance. Also, they will meet all the department managers of a certain Sainsbury’s supermarket and will take part in meetings and getting a good understanding of what the job entails. The Get Ahead scheme is a type of on-the-job training which enables the applicant to earn money whilst they learn new skills. Employees will earn between £250 to £300 per week. At the end of the training, applicants will be equipped to be a Department Manager in store with their own team of employees to manage and guide.
Another example of a training scheme that Sainsbury’s provides its customers is the Pre-registration pharmacy scheme. Qualified pharmacists will be taught all the skills needed to become a retail pharmacist in the course of a year. The scheme follows the guidelines set down by The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. Applicants receive both technical and professional training to help them towards becoming trained retail pharmacists. Also, applicants are provided with a tutor who will guide them through the course and help in any aspects of the training scheme. Sainsbury’s will offer support after applicants have passed their registration exam in areas such as technical development and will offer additional professional and management training in store and off site. The scheme runs in conjunction with the National Pharmacy Association and once applicants become trained pharmacists they can look forward to earning a salary of £21.5k!
Sainsbury’s also offer a scheme which is called the Bakery, meat and fish apprenticeship scheme. This offers Sainsbury’s employees with the opportunities to gain a qualification that is nationally recognised during their time with them. Between 2007 and 2008, Sainsbury’s recruited 110 apprentices. With this scheme, colleagues are given the chance to become fully qualified in a matter of 12-18 months. This not only benefits the employee but also tackles the serious problem of a skills shortage in the UK.
The other schemes that Sainsbury’s offers are:
- Retail
- Logistics
- Buying (food)
- Product Technology (food)
- Product Development
- Customer and marketing
- Human Resources
- Information Technology
- Property
- Commercial
- Sainsbury’s online
- Buying (non-food)
- Merchandising (non-food)
- Product Technologist (non-food)
- Location planning
- Finance
Sainsbury’s know that it is important to provide support to all their employees. Employees are encouraged to get involved in activities which will allow them to develop in their skills. Sainsbury’s run a learning and development programme which helps graduates to develop their commercial and management skills. It is structured so that each graduates needs are met in some way. During graduate schemes, Sainsbury’s promise to ensure they support an employee’s transition from university to the world of work. Coaching and support is offered which includes a buddy, a management mentor and a line manager. Additionally, a member of the employee’s division HR team will also support them throughout the scheme and their future career.
Motivation
Motivation of employees is very important in any business as it helps employees to perform better therefore leading to a higher productivity. Employees that feel unmotivated to work are unlikely to work as well as they could, are more likely to want to leave. This could lead to a competitor gaining an advantage over the business as the competitor may provide a more satisfactory working environment. Motivating staff is a hugely important factor as employees will feel happy in their work place, are likely to stay at their current work placement , their performance level will rise and this working environment is likely to attract potential new recruits.
In order for Sainsbury’s to operate a successful business, they must ensure that all of their employees are motivated and feel happy when they are working. Without some sort of motivation, Sainsbury’s could suffer from poor performance from their employees and high staff turnover rates. Poor performance could seriously damage the successfulness of Sainsbury’s as it can cause a loss in business and high staff turnover. This is extremely costly as Sainsbury’s will lose money that they have invested in staff training and development, will face a loss of performance and disruption from the lack of staff and it will have to pay out money to recruit new people to fill vacant posts.
Sainsbury’s must therefore find a number of different ways to motivate their staff so that they stay in the business and perform to their highest ability possible. The different ways that Sainsbury’s could motivate their staff includes a variety of financial and non-financial motivators. Sainsbury’s could offer these types of motivators on top of or instead of their employee’s basic pay.
Financial Motivators
Financial motivators are things offered to employees to help motivate them that are money orientated. The amount of money employees receive can affect their motivation at work and their performance. One of the main financial motivators that employees at Sainsbury’s will receive is their wages. Sainsbury’s must be able to provide a reasonable salary to their employees otherwise they could feel that they are working for nothing. Also, employees may feel that the competitors of Sainsbury’s are offering a better wage for the same amount of work and are therefore more likely to leave. There are a number of different ways in which Sainsbury’s can pay their employees wages and these include:
- Another kind of financial motivator is called a perk. Instead of providing their employees with extra money, Sainsbury’s could give their employees a company car, health insurance, free uniform, discounted products or first class travel. Providing good perks, employees at Sainsbury’s will feel encouraged to stay at Sainsbury’s and will feel reluctant to leave. Some of the financial motivators that Sainsbury’s provide include:
- Pension – Sainsbury’s offer their employees with a pension plan. By contributing 4% of their pay, Sainsbury’s can match it and therefore provide a secure future for their employees. This will make employees feel reluctant to leave Sainsbury’s as they will want the security of their future that Sainsbury’s provides.
- SSA – This is the Sainsbury’s Staff Association. Employees can pay 15p a week to become a member of the SSA which offers outings, leisure activities and discounts. Yet again, this motivator will encourage employees to stay at Sainsbury’s.
- Share save (SAYE) – This enables employees to purchase discounted shares in J Sainsbury’s plc. This will help employees to feel a part of Sainsbury’s. Employees will feel respected and valued as part of the company.
- Sick Pay – This enables employees to receive company sick pay when they are absent from work through illness.
- Annual bonus scheme – Employees that meet their targets have the chance to receive an annual cash bonus. If employees have worked the full financial year, then they will receive the full bonus otherwise they will receive a bonus on a pro-rota basis.
- Colleague Discounts – employees get a 10% discount on their shopping.
Non-Financial Motivators
Non-financial motivators are things other than money that are given to employees to motivate them to work to their best ability. An American psychologist named Abraham Maslow developed a hierarchy of needs in the shape of a pyramid. He placed the most basic needs at the bottom of the pyramid and the most advanced needs at the top of the pyramid. When people have met one level of needs, they can then work their way up. His hierarchy of needs was based this upon his research about what types of things motivate people to work. There are five levels of need that employees must be provided with at their place of work in order for them to work to their best ability. These levels of needs are:
- Basic Needs – these are the needs that are necessary to keep people alive e.g. food, drink, shelter, toilets, a fair wage.
- Safety Needs – these are needs that satisfy the requirement to be safe in the place of work e.g. protection against danger and threat, safe working conditions, job security, the essential health and safety laws in place, pension schemes.
- Social Needs – this is the need to be social e.g. meeting new people, making friends, acceptance, team working, social facilities such as a gym, club, sports pitch etc.
- Self-esteem Needs – these are the needs that help employees feel valued at work. This is how people see yourself in a place of work such as reputation or status and can be met through rewarding staff with status symbols such as cars, offices, new job titles etc. Sainsbury’s offer training schemes where employees can gain qualifications and this can increase employees self esteem too. An employee needs to feel respected and to be given recognition for what they do.
- Self-actualisation – This is the ambition to achieve as much as they possibly can and these needs can be met through taking part in training programmes, continually trying to better themselves at work, promotion.
The needs at the top of the hierarchy are the most important. The needs below the top ones can not be achieved until the most important needs are met. Once an employee’s basic needs have been met, then they can strive on to meet the higher needs of the hierarchy. Some examples of non financial motivators include the following:
Job Rotation
This is a system where employees are moved around and complete different jobs at work. Job rotation is done to avoid employees from getting bored by doing the same work all the time. It gives employees with the opportunity to learn new skills. This type of motivation is mainly used amongst unskilled workers in places such as factories, retail etc. However, the disadvantage of job rotation is that employees may get annoyed with being constantly moved around and may not enjoy and be as skilled in certain jobs as others.
Team Working
Team working is a system where employees are placed into teams that are full of a range of skills and abilities that are required to make the product or carry out a task. The team are also likely to be given the responsibility for how they carry out the work and organise it. This enables employees to feel they have more responsibility and they will feel more determined to carry out the work to a high standard to make their team successful. Team working will increase job satisfaction and morale. One disadvantage of team working is that employees may take twice as long to complete the task through chatting or arguments.
Fringe Benefits
Fringe benefits are also known as perks. These are often related to the seniority of the employee. For example, the directors and senior managers of Sainsbury’s may get fringe benefits such as a company car, free use of houses, education fees paid for their children, expense accounts, private health care for themselves and their families, pension schemes and trips abroad. Whereas, shop floor workers may get fringe benefits such as transport to work, free uniforms, discounts on the business’s products, recreational facilities such as a gym, savings schemes, company shares and luncheon vouchers.
There are many more different types of non-financial motivators that Sainsbury’s could use. Some of these include job sharing where employees all share the work load, training employees so they can increase their status within the company and feel respected, consultation is where employers meet their employees so they can air their views and ideas etc. Some of the non-financial motivators that Sainsbury’s provide for their employees are:
- Life Assurance – Employees have the chance to be a member of the Sainsbury’s pension scheme. These members will also receive life cover of three times their final salary for death in service. This will then rise to four times if the employee has been with Sainsbury’s for a year.
- Holiday Entitlement – Sainsbury’s employees receive twenty two days of holiday, or the equivalent if they work part time, as well as all Bank Holidays.
- Voluntary Benefits – Employees are able to pick a wide range of voluntary benefits including healthcare, cash plans and discounted products and services. This will encourage employees to stay at Sainsbury’s as they are providing a wide range of motivators.
- Uniform – All employees at Sainsbury’s get the benefit of wearing a company uniform. This helps employees feel a part of the company and valued as an employee.
- Company Gym – certain employees have the privilege of the use of a company gym. This is only available after paying a minimal membership fee.
- On-Site physiotherapy and On-site chiropody – these treatments are available to employees to ensure that employees are fit and healthy. If a large amount of employees are ill, then they are likely to take time off work. This would damage Sainsbury’s as they will be short on staff, so by offering these services it ensures that employees are as healthy as possible.
- Complimentary tea and coffee all day – this is mainly available to head office employees. This will ensure that employee’s feel refreshed all day which is likely to lead to them working harder.
- Taste testing of Sainsbury’s products – employees are able to taste test all of Sainsbury’s new products. This enables employees to feel a part of Sainsbury’s and a part of the production process there for leading to them feeling respected and valued.
- Vending machines on all floors – employees are able to buy snacks and drinks from vending machines that are found on all floors. This ensures that Sainsbury’s is taking care of their employees basic needs.
It is very important that Sainsbury’s keep their staff well trained and motivated. Sainsbury’s would benefit from offering training schemes and motivation because highly motivated and well trained employees will work harder, are likely to produce a higher quality of work and are less liable to take time off. Offering a generous wage is a good incentive for employees, however often this money is not enough alone. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs shows that employees also need to feel valued in the workplace; they need to feel that they belong and they need to be rewarded for good work. Sainsbury’s must ensure that they have introduced a wide variety of motivators to ensure that the needs of their employees are met and are working to a high quality.
Task 5: P.E.S.T (Political, Economic, Social, Technological Factors.
A P.E.S.T analysis is an examination of the political, economic, social and technological threats and opportunities faced by a firm by their surrounding environment. It is used by firms, such as Sainsbury’s, to find the opportunities that the firm can take advantage of that will benefit them in the long run and the threats that may face the firm. P.E.S.T analysis can be used during the recruitment process.
A business such as Sainsbury’s is constantly recruiting new staff and there are several reasons for this. Sainsbury’s can use a P.E.S.T analysis to accurately project the quantity and quality of human resources available. One reason for recruiting more staff could be down to an increase in demand, however Sainsbury’s must carry out further research about changes in its commercial environment and the changes within its business to make an accurate analysis of the amount and quality of human resources available. A P.E.S.T analysis of employee demand is part of a process called Human Resource Planning. Carrying out a P.E.S.T will enable Sainsbury’s to look closely at any external factors that could affect their need for staff. Political, economic, social and technological factors could all have an influence on Sainsbury’s human resources e.g. it could cause an increase or decrease in the need for staff. These changes in the commercial environment of Sainsbury’s could be favourable or unfavourable. Some of these changes could create better opportunities for the business; however these changes could also make Sainsbury’s subject to more constraints.
Political factors are often influenced by the government for example, the introduction of new laws and legislation. Political factors define both formal and informal rules that the firm must abide by. The choices that the government make upon the commercial environment will affect the business. The Political factors that could have an impact on Sainsbury’s prior to the recruitment process could include:
- New employment laws could limit the number of hours can work each week. This would mean that Sainsbury’s would have to employ more staff to make up for the hours that other employees can no longer work. This would lead to Sainsbury’s needing more money to spend on wages for their increase in employees.
- If the number of older employees that were deciding to work past the traditional retirement age increased, then Sainsbury’s would need fewer staff. The older staff may choose to stay on at the business therefore meaning Sainsbury’s would not need to recruit more staff. This would save Sainsbury’s money as they would not need to pay out more wages, however the older staff may not have the adequate skills that younger employees may have.
- Wage legislation would have an impact on the recruitment process of Sainsbury’s. If the law concerning wage legislation was the change then this would impact the amount of money that Sainsbury’s has to spend on wages. If the minimum wage was to rise then Sainsbury’s may find that they have to pay money in wages for their staff. However, if the minimum wage was to decrease, then Sainsbury’s could find that they would be saving money that they would otherwise spend on wages, to spend on other aspects of the business such as marketing. Also, this would affect Sainsbury’s because if wages were to increase then they are likely to recruit fewer staff and vice versa.
Economic factors will also have an influence on the recruitment process of Sainsbury’s. Economic factors affect the purchasing power of potential customers and the firm’s cost of capital. Any economic changes to the commercial environment will affect the recruitment process of Sainsbury’s. Some of the factors that could affect Sainsbury’s recruitment process include:
- Changes in the economic environment can lead to either an increase or decrease in a businesses demand. This can lead to a company such as Sainsbury’s experiencing staffing implications. If tax rates were to increase would lead to a decrease in the amount of money that consumers have to spend. This will lead to a decrease in the demand for Sainsbury’s products and therefore Sainsbury’s will need fewer staff as the supermarket will not be busy.
- Interest rates will also affect Sainsbury’s recruitment process. If interest rates were to decrease then customers would have more money to spend and would feel confident spending this money. This is likely to lead in an increase in demand and income for Sainsbury’s. Sainsbury’s is likely to recruit more staff as the supermarket gets busy to ensure there is enough human resources to enable the business to operate efficiently.
- Inflation rate is another economic factor. If the inflation rate is high then Sainsbury’s and other retail companies are likely to increase their prices. This will lead to a higher demand in products and therefore Sainsbury’s will need to recruit more staff. However, if the inflation rate was to increase too much and prices became very high then people would not be able to afford to spend their money leading to a decrease in demand. Therefore, Sainsbury’s are likely to recruit less staff.
The next factors in a PEST analysis are Social factors. Social factors include the demographic and cultural aspects of the surrounding environment. These factors can affect customer needs and the size of potential markets. Social factors will have an impact on the recruitment process of Sainsbury’s and these impacts could include:
- Employment levels and education can affect Sainsbury’s recruitment policy. Factors such as level of education, age and lifestyle will have an impact on the amount and the quality of potential employees that Sainsbury’s want to employ. For example, if one branch of Sainsbury’s was located in an area where the population had generally low educational qualifications then they may not have the skills that Sainsbury’s need and they could therefore find it hard to find the employees that they need. Also, if Sainsbury’s was located in an area of high unemployment then this area is likely to have a large number of people who would want to work at Sainsbury’s. Therefore, Sainsbury’s would find it easy to find staff in an area like this.
- Age is also an important factor that will influence Sainsbury’s recruitment policy. If one branch of Sainsbury’s was located in an area where the population were generally older then Sainsbury’s may have trouble looking for employees. The majority of the older population are likely to be retired and will not be looking for work. However, if they were located in an area with a younger age distribution, such as students, then these people are likely to need a job to fund their lifestyles therefore meaning Sainsbury’s would find it easier to find the staff they need.
The last factor of a PEST analysis is Technological. We are currently living in a period of great technological development. New technology has a major impact on a business and its staffing levels. Technology is vital if a business wants a competitive advantage against companies such as Tesco, ASDA and Waitrose. Technological factors that could affect Sainsbury’s recruitment process are as follows:
- If new technology was introduced to Sainsbury’s which lead to an increase in efficiency, then Sainsbury’s is likely to reduce the number of staff they have. The new technology may be more productive and reliable than some of their staff and Sainsbury’s will therefore reduce staff levels and are unlikely to recruit new staff. However, this highly efficient technology could lead to an increase in demand meaning Sainsbury’s will need to recruit more staff.
- New technology and changing consumer demands will have a huge effect on the need for new skills. For example, if Sainsbury’s had introduced brand new tills then they may need to recruit new employees that have the skills to use these tills. Sainsbury’s may have to meet the needs of their consumers by either hiring consultants or freelance subcontractors as a temporary measure or by recruiting new staff or retraining part of the workforce.
The P.E.S.T factors of Sainsbury’s are:
Political Factors
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Sainsbury’s wages – Sainsbury’s pay all of their employees receive a wage that is in excess of the National Minimum Wage. The National Minimum Wage is £5.73 an hour for workers aged 22 and older, £4.77 per hour for workers aged 18-21 and £3.53 an hour for worker under the age of 18. "Payment will not be lower than that required by local law or, in the absence of law that paid generally within the industry. Wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income, as well as having regard to what is needed to maintain family life above subsistence level." Source: J Sainsbury plc-Code of Conduct for Socially Responsible Sourcing.
- Age Discrimination – Sainsbury’s do not discriminate against age. Only people above the age of 16 can work at Sainsbury’s
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Sex Discrimination – It is against the law for Sainsbury’s to treat both employees and potential employees differently because of a person’s sex. Under the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act it's unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee because of their sex.
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- work time regulation
- Disability.
Recruitment Documentation
All businesses including Sainsbury’s will need to recruit new employees at some time. These may required to fill the vacancy made by some leaving the business or by the business expanding and therefore needing additional employees. With an absence of the right employees, Sainsbury’s will not achieve its aims and objectives effectively and so this is why it is vital that suitable people are recruited. Selected the right employee (recruitment and selection), however is a lengthy and usually cost process. On the other hand, cost of getting this process wrong is even greater.
The internet is becoming increasingly used for recruitment and can make the process easier for both employer and candidate. Recruitment agencies such as Monster have created websites where details of vacancies are posted similarly as advertisements in windows of employment agencies or vacancies pages in local and national newspapers.
Vacancies arise for several reasons such as
- New jobs are created due to expansion or restructuring
- Promotion of the jobs holder
- Retirement or dismissal of an employee
- The job holder has left for employment elsewhere
Once a vacancy arises within an organisation a popular thing to do is recruit someone to fill the position, however, there are alternatives to recruitment which include:
- Overtime working by other employees
- Employing part-time staff
- Restructuring the work
- Increasing productivity
In the Sainsbury’s store in Dartford we created the vacant position of a store trainer. Following this we researched about the position and used our notes from the interview with Kimberly Watts (the store trainer in Dartford) in order to design and produce the required recruitment documentation which includes the following:
- Recruitment process
- Job advertisement
- Job description
- Person description
- Application from
- CV’s
- Interview questions
- Interview assessment forms
- Employment letters
The purpose and structure of the job advertisement
The purpose of the job advertisement is to catch the attention of job seekers with the required skill and qualifications to fulfil the position advertised. Job advertisements are a vital part of the recruitment process as they are the first piece of information which informs the potential employees of a vacancy. All adverts should be consistent with the job description and the person specification, which should be prepared before the any position is advertised. Adverts should be worded to attract suitable candidates who match the essential job and the person criteria and providing a good public image for the business. Sainsbury’s advertise job vacancies in a variety of ways including on the internet, in local and national newspapers, television and on the radio. They use these methods of advertisement in order to ensure that the advert can reach as many people as possible. It is used to encourage those with the abilities that they are looking for to apply and discourage those who don’t have the necessary qualities and qualifications. The presentation of the advertisement is crucial as it gives potential employees a first impression of the business.
I firstly considered that my advertisement would be published in The Sun newspaper as this is a popular paper and many people would see the advertisement. Therefore I carried out some research and decided that i would publish my advertisement over four columns in The Sun newspaper, this will cost approximately £102 per day. However, I then realised that the job i am advertising for is in the Crayford branch of Sainsbury’s therefore, I have decided that I will advertise in the local newspaper such as Kent Messenger. I will place my job advertisement in the Kent messenger which will cost around £25 – 35 a day. Nevertheless if no applicants are obtained during the first month of advertising I will advertise on a national level in The Sun newspaper. The structure of my job advertisement is as follows:
- Job title: The name of the job being advertised is in bold writing to attract the attention of potential employees.
- Company information: This includes the company name, location, website, phone number and e-mail address.
- Job description: In brief detail this will show the requirements needed and the experience that is required.
- Salary: This will show the amount of money that the employee is likely to earn.
- Qualifications: This will show the minimum qualifications requirements required for the job.
- Qualities: This will illustrate the qualities needed for the role.
Below is the actual size of my job advertisement that will be placed in the Kent Messenger
Job Description
Job Title: Store Trainer
Company: Sainsbury’s
Based at: Dartford
Report to: Store Manager
Hours of work: 40 hours per week (full time)
Brief Description: You will be required to work with store management to plan, co-ordinate and produce training that ensures everyone is able to work efficiently and effectively. You will achieve this by:
- Helping out store colleagues when required
- Designing and carrying out store training sessions
- Ensuring that all paperwork is accurate and up-to-date
Main duties and responsibilities
- To ensure that all members of staff are trained and working at a set standard which is suitable to Sainsbury’s
- To ensure that all employees complete health and safety training to comply with legal requirements
- To recognise any individuals who are underachieving or not working to their best ability and train them
- To motivate the team and set a positive working atmosphere
- To support all members of staff at all times
- To help Sainsbury’s meet its aims and objectives
Person specification
General Information
As a store trainer you will be responsible for planning and training of all employees from the shop floor colleague’s right through to managers therefore a good knowledge of food retailing will be desirable. You’ll also have to be confident as you will be communicating with a large number of employees so good verbal and written communication skills are required. Equally, a trustworthy and reliable individual is essential.
Interests
We are looking for someone who is passionate about Sainsbury’s and its products and who is dedicated to contribute to its success. A highly professional attitude is beneficial and essential in this role and a positive outlook.
Qualifications
- At least 5 GSCE’s required from grade C and above preferably in Maths and English
- A-levels aren’t essential but would be preferred
The purpose and structure of the application form
Many employees ask applicants to complete application from in order for them, as the employer, to compare the applicants on a like-with-like basis in terms of their approach to and the completion of the standard from. Application from can be completed in two ways; on an actual form given to the applicant or the applicant can complete the form on the internet. An increasing number of organisations are asking their applicants to fill out application forms online such as Republic and Top shop.
The use of applications forms normally signifies a more scientific and clear approach to recruitment on part of the employers. In applications form there are usually some information about the vacant job being applied fro with notes provided on how to complete the form. When an application from is being completed it is advised to the applicant to image that a systematic reader is checking that they are clearly meeting the set criteria as this is what is done.
In the structure of my application from I have included:
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Questions about the applicant’s personal details: In order for Sainsbury’s to obtain information about the applicant and so they have the required contact details.
- Questions and space in order to find out more about the applicant’s education and qualifications: Sainsbury’s require this information as being a staff trainer and carrying out the job to suitable level does require the employee to have certain qualifications. This also helped shortlist those who are not suitable for the position.
- Space’s for two referees: This is required by Sainsbury’s in order to get references about the applicant.
- A section about skills and abilities: Again this benefits Sainsbury’s as the job requires the individual to have specific skill and abilities. Furthermore, it gives the employer a wider understanding of the applicant’s abilities.
- Competency based on questions: These questions ask the applicant to produce details answers based upon their own personal experience to demonstrate a skill required in the job.
Therefore, main purpose of my application form is to provide Sainsbury’s with all the information required about the applicant in order for them to be able to shortlist those individual not suitable for the role and to take the recruitment process further for those applicants who do not seem suitable.
About us
Here at Sainsbury’s we’re very enthusiastic about providing our customers with excellent service, great food at fair prices. The Sainsbury’s team is the key to achieve this and we value them greatly. We look after the staff who work here as well as the customers.
If you have an interest in our company and are inspired about what we have to offer, along with a passion for our products then you should apply for our team! In order to do this please complete this application form and return to the address shown above. Thank you for choosing Sainsbury’s and good luck.
Personal Details
Please tick:
Mr Mrs Ms Miss
First name(s): ……………………………………………………………………
Surname: ………………………………………………………………………….
Address:
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Postcode: …………………………………………………………………………
Telephone Number (Day): ……………………………………………….
Telephone Number (Night): …………………………………………….
Mobile: …………………………………………………………………………….
Date of birth: …………………………………………………….
Please state your ethnicity:……………………………………………..
Do you consider yourself to have a disability?
If so please state:……………………………………………………………..
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Qualifications
Please write below any qualifications or training that you think is relevant to the job you are applying for.
Can you provide proof that you are legally allowed to work in the UK?
Yes No
Are you facing any criminal prosecutions?
Yes No
If yes please give details:
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Have you been convicted of any criminal offences, which are not yet "spent" under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974?
Yes No
(Ex offenders will be considered on an individual basis and their offence will be taken into account during the recruitment process).
The hours you are vacant to work
Are you looking for full time or part time work?
Full time (40 hours) Part time (less than 40 hours)
You should be familiar with the opening times of our store so please bear this in mind when detailing your availability. When are you available to work?
Days (7am-6pm) Evenings (after 6pm)
Nights (after 8pm) Weekends (Sat, Sun)
Have you been in full or part time employment previously?
If so give details: …………………………………………………………………………………………..
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References
In order to progress the application we will need to take up references. Your references can include management from any previous employment or educational institutions. If you are currently unemployed and are not in education and haven’t been in the last 5 years then you may provide personal references who are not members of your family.
Reference 1:
Title:…………………………….
First Name(s):…………………………………………………………………………
Surname:………………………………………………………………………………..
Address:………………………………………………………………………………….
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Postcode:…………………….
Occupation:…………………………………………………………………………….
Relationship to you:………………………………………………………………..
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Reference 2:
Title:…………………………….
First Name(s):…………………………………………………………………………
Surname:………………………………………………………………………………..
Address:………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
Postcode:…………………….
Occupation:…………………………………………………………………………….
Relationship to you:………………………………………………………………..
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End of section please proceed to your skills and abilities on the next page.
Your skills and abilities
Have you got the right talents?
We understand that your ability to communicate with customers and members of staff, spot their needs and respond accordingly, and enjoy being part of a team is what makes a Sainsbury’s store trainer effective in their job. Below are some questions we have developed in order to identify whether your individual talents match our current requirements. Read through the questions below and select one approach that you would be most likely to take.
You notice that an employee is not working to the required standards how do you approach them?
You immediately confront the employee and tell them to get back to work.
You approach the employee and ask them if they need any help and ensure
that they are alright.
You arrange to meet the employee privately and suggest a course of training that they could complete to bring them up to a suitable standard.
You are giving a presentation to new recruits and want to keep them motivated as it is quite lengthy. What would you do?
Carry on talking at the recruits making sure you give eye contact.
Involve the recruits in a relevant activity or game related to the presentation.
Cut the presentation short, they deserve it.
Whilst on the shop floor you are confronted by an angry customer who can’t find a specific product. The customer seems to be getting even more frustrated. How would you diffuse the situation?
You apologise for the situation and personally show her where the product is. You ask her if there is anything else you can do to help.
You become angry yourself and retaliate by raising your voice. It’s not your job to show her around the store.
Ignore her, someone else will sort it out eventually.
Thank you for applying for the store trainer role at Sainsbury’s. We wish you the best of luck and if your application is successful you will be hearing from us within the next two weeks of us receiving this.
*We are an equal opportunities employer. Selection or promotion within the company is based on the individual having the ability and skills required to do the job. Sainsbury’s is also a member of the Employers Forum on Age and does not discriminate age.
Curriculum Vitae (cv)
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a marketing tool which is used by an individual to promote themselves. Its purpose is to show a person’s qualifications, interest, hobbies, achievement and personal detail. A CV will also usually include two referees. This document is vital when selecting the most suitable employee for a vacancy.
The structure of a CV portrays the following :
- Name and address, telephone number(s), and email address
- Date of birth and age of the applicant
- Marital status
- Education and qualifications
- Any other training or achievement
- Employment history (plus part – time work and work experience)
- Interest and hobbies
- Two referees
The above is included in the applicant’s CV in order to give the employer the required information about that individual and help them identify whether this person would be suitable for the vacant position.
The following two page show CV’s of the applicants that I interviewed, Miss Meron Kiros and Paliwasha Rihimi. Both CV’s looked professional and were presented clearly which was beneficial, however, Miss Meron Kiros CV didn’t contain her interest and her hobbies consequently meaning that I as the interviewer knew less about her compared to Miss Rihimi
When someone applies for a vacancy at Sainsbury’s, a CV is usually asked for in order for the relevant management to find out more about the applicant and decide whether they are qualified to the suitable standard for the job they have applied for. If this is the case then further action will be taken.
When planning my interview with the above applicants their CV’s were very beneficial as I adapted the question i would be asking them to suit the information given in the CV and their applicant form. This enabled me find out what the applicants had learnt from their experience and what skill they consider themselves to have
http://www.buzzle.com/articles
http://www.j-sainsbury.com/files/reports/cr2005/index.asp?pageid=36
http://hubpages.com/hub/10-Traits-of-a-Successful-Manager
http://wovre.com/-160965-a-supervisors-role-in-a-supermarket.html
http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Supervisor-Role-In-A-Supermarket-/837436#ixzz1De4NqSbR
http://www.hsabc.org/webuploads/files/member_services/collective_agreements/css/benchmarks/Ret_Super.pdf
http://www.ehow.com/list_6758829_duties-responsibilities-supermarket-cashier.html
Last printed 08/05/2012 22:30:00 Obiageli Umekwe Page of