Developing your best staff

Tesco’s new chief executive Phil Clarke started his career filling shelves in his home city of Liverpool. Developing the skills and careers of staff who want to progress is crucial for retailers, and stores at the Liverpool One shopping centre are working hard to do just that.

Liverpool One HR director Sara Carthy says the retail industry is a central part of the region’s economy, and by 2020 it will account for 8.6% of employment. With this in mind, the centre is working with retail skills shop Academy One to provide retailers in the area with the skills they need.

Debenhams is one retailer working with both Liverpool One and Academy One. It has put 30 staff from its Liverpool One store through the Retail Skills Level 2 NVQ, teaching all aspects of retail at sales adviser level. Debenhams store trainer Maureen Scollins says it improves staff performance in every area, from visual merchandising to the technical side of handling touchscreen tills.

As well as helping the retailer develop bright people, Scollins says it helps staff, too. “Morale is better and so is job satisfaction,” she says. The next step for 26 Debenhams staff is to embark on the next level of the NVQ. This will involve the staff learning more in-depth knowledge and gaining more advanced skills.

Clothing retailer TK Maxx is also working with Academy One, after the academy helped the retailer recruit staff when it first opened in the shopping centre. Store manager Lee Abbott says 12 staff are taking the NVQ. “We want to give anyone we employ the opportunity to progress,” he says. “You do find people who just want a job, and that’s fine, but we also get people who want a bit more.”

Academy One says it’s working hard to make sure young people see the opportunities in retail and view it as a career. Tutor Lorna Dainton says it’s crucial to focus on training even when times are tough. “The recession has hit hard and we are investing in the economy in this area,” she says. One of the best ways to keep consumers spending, she says, is by providing good customer service, which high-quality training can help produce.

It might not always be highest on the list of priorities during a recession, but training at this level has obvious benefits. Not only does it lift service, but talented staff are rewarded - something Liverpudlian Clarke would no doubt be pleased to hear.