How sport can motivate a workforce

As retailers look forward to 2012 for the sales boost it is hoped the Olympics will provide, the sporting extravaganza is proving a valuable hook to boost staff morale, too.

John Lewis - the official department store provider to the Olympic and Paralympic Games - is encouraging employees to become sport coaches and provide valuable services to local communities.

The retailer’s scheme, called Partners in Sport, was launched in 2008 and has, so far, trained more than 200 of its partners to be coaches in sports such as football, athletics, swimming and netball.

It says the aim is to engage its workforce with the spirit of the Olympics and help them to lead healthier lifestyles.

Development manager of Partners in Sport Simon Wardell says: “The training and development of our staff is inherent to our future success and with London 2012 fast approaching we were keen to try and incorporate the two. For us, a workforce that is happy and healthy is the secret to ensuring healthy sales.”

The programme will run until the end of 2012. It allows employees access to 27 different training sessions and works in partnership with Sports Coach UK, the Government-backed agency that is responsible for the development of the UK coaching system. John Lewis is hoping to train up to 1,000 coaches, helping the agency achieve its goal of increasing the amount of grass-roots coaching in the UK.

Wardell says that, as well as giving employees the chance to learn new skills, there are business benefits too. The courses teach them “everything from how to plan each coaching session to the best ways to communicate with a wide range of age groups,” he says. “All of these skills can be transferred and applied to their day-to-day roles, whether this is on the shop floor communicating with customers or at a managerial level where setting goals and targets is key to the smooth running and progression of a team.”

He says the scheme also helps improve customer service by motivating employees and ensuring they “keep the organisation’s best interests at heart”, adding: “We are always looking for new ways to help our staff develop, alongside the training that is already in place.”
Motivating staff may be a constant effort, but those who are dedicated can do it - and if sales are suffering, motivated and helpful staff will help retailers stand out.