Tesco’s Recruitment And Selection Process

It is vital for the department manager to get a clear picture of what kind of persons are needed which can be accomplished by designing a job description along with a person specification. A job and person’s description is an organized process of assembly and interpreting information about the essential duties, tasks, and responsibilities of the job to be performed. An individual specification or job specification is important to any business as it allows the business to find the perfect “person- to-job-fit”. Furthermore, it is also vital that the skills, aptitudes, and information outlined in the person specification are directly related to the needs of the job: if this is not so expectations will not be met, and both employers and staffs will be disappointed. Recruitment may be internal or external as per the needs and necessities. The benefits of internal recruitment considered that saving can be made, as they know the company and the job very well and hence they need a shorter period of training. It is like extra money to all staff to work harder within a business which is basically called Incentives, Perks and Bonus etc.

External recruitment helps to pull a wider range of talent and provides the chance to bring new experience and ideas to the company. It is very costly and expensive way of recruitment as full training needs to provide to the new recruits.

There are numbers of stages, which can be defined and set out the nature of particular jobs for recruitment purpose. Selection then consists of the processes involved in choosing the right applicants to fill the post.

Recruitment, selection and retention procedures for Tesco:

For any business it is vital to have right staff or people to run the business in the competitive world to be ahead. Tesco makes sure that every experience of its customer is valued and greatly which need to have right customer service staff.

Tesco’s core purpose is to create value for customers to earn their lifetime loyalty.

Values:

Our success depends on people: the people who shop with us and the people who work with us.

The way we work:

The way we work is how we deliver Every Little Helps to make a Tesco place to shop and work in. We use simple processes so that shopping is better for customers, Simpler for staff and Cheaper for Tesco.

Tesco recruitment and Selection process:

Tesco is the biggest private sector employer in the UK. The company has more than 360,000 employees worldwide. In the UK, Tesco stores range from small local Tesco Express sites to large Tesco Extras and Superstores. Around 86% of all sales are from the UK.

Tesco operates in 12 countries outside the UK, including China, Japan and Turkey. It has recently operated in the USA as well. Tesco’s strategy includes diversifying and growing the business by international expansion.

In its non UK operations Tesco builds on the strengths it has developed as market leader in the UK supermarket sector. Tesco uses the approach as per the needs of the market such as in Thailand and Bangkok where the goods are not pre packaged as it would be in the UK.

Tesco needs people across a wide range of both store based and non store jobs:

In stores, it needs checkout staff, stock handlers, supervisors as well as many specialists such as pharmacists and bakers.

Its distribution depots require people skilled in stock management and logistics.

Head office provides the infrastructure to run Tesco efficiently. Roles here include human resources, legal services, accounting, and marketing property management and information technology.

Tesco’s business objectives aim to ensure all work together towards achieving its objectives. It needs to ensure is has right number of people in the right jobs at the right time. To do this, it has a structured process for recruitment and selection to attract applicants for both managerial and operational roles.

Workforce planning:

Workforce planning is the process of analysis a business’s likely future needs and requirement for people in terms of numbers, skills and locations. It helps a business to recognize how those needs can be met through recruitment and training. It is very vital for a company like Tesco to plan ahead. As there is a competitive market and Tesco needs to grow in this market. It requires recruiting the right people on a regular basis for both the food and non food parts of the business.

Position become available because:

New stores are open in the UK and International market as well which requires recruiting new people for the new position.

Jobs are created when someone retire or resign or get promoted to other positions within Tesco.

New jobs can be created as the company changes its processes and technology.

Tesco uses a workforce planning table to establish the likely demand for new staff. This includes both managerial and non managerial positions.

For example in 2009/2010, the workforce planning suggested to have 3000 new managers for its business growth.

The planning process runs through each year from the last week in February. There are quarterly reviews in May, August and November, so Tesco can adjust staffing levels and recruit where necessary. It allows to have sufficient time and flexibility to meet the demands for staff and allows the company to meet its strategic objectives.

Tesco generally seeks to fulfil its vacancies internally than going to externally as it believes to motivate its current staff. It practices what it calls ‘talent planning’. An individual can apply for higher positions through the annual appraisal scheme. Employees identify roles in which they would like to develop their careers with Tesco. Managers set out technical skills, competencies and behaviors necessary for the roles, kind of training to be given, so that a person can be ready to take the applied role. This helps Tesco to achieve its business objectives and employees to achieve their personal and career objectives.

A very important element in workforce planning is to have clear job descriptions and person specifications.

Job Description:

Job title

To whom the job holder is responsible

For whom the job holder is responsible

Job description of roles and responsibilities

A person specification set out the skills, characteristics and attributes that a person need to do a particular job

Together with the job descriptions and person specifications provide the basis for job advertisements. This helps job applicants and a post holder to know what is expected of them. They should:

It contains enough information to attract suitable people

It helps to select the right applicant with the right skills to be called for interview

Set targets and standard for job performance

Job descriptions and person specifications show how a job holder fit into the Tesco business. They help Tesco to recruit the right people. They provide a benchmark for each job in terms of responsibilities and skills.

Attracting and Recruitment:

Recruitment involves attracting the right standard of applicants to apply for vacancies. Tesco advertises in different ways depending on the job available.

Internal Recruitment:

Tesco first looks at internal talent plan to fill a vacancy. Internal recruitment process list all current employees who are looking for a move, either horizontally or vertically growth. Tesco advertises the post internally on the intranet for two weeks. It helps to motivate the current staffs to grow internally stronger and shape their career growth.

External Recruitment:

For external recruitment, Tesco advertises job vacancies via Tesco website or through vacancies board in stores. Managerial positions are made online.

The right applicants are invited for an interview followed by attendance at an assessment center for final stage of the selection process.

People interested in store based jobs with Tesco can approach stores with CV or register through job center plus. The store then prepares a waiting list of people applying in this way and calls them in as jobs become available.

Pharmacist and bakers

Tesco uses the external sources of advertisement which is:

Through offline media and its website

Advertising through magazines such as The Appointment Journal or on Google

Through radio and television

Tesco will seek the most cost-effective way of attracting its right applicants. As we know that advertising through television, radio or some magazines are really expensive however at times it becomes really important for any companies to advertise the right job to the right people so that they can learn more about the job. Tesco uses the easy way to advertise its job vacancies and has a simple application process. When any applicants browses the Tesco’s website it becomes easy for them to find which jobs are available like local jobs, management jobs and head office positions. Tesco’s website also has the online applications for candidates to apply their application forms directly.

Selection:

Now comes the real difficult time to choose the right candidates from the applicants who have applied for the vacancy, whilst keeping in mind the employments laws and regulations. Screening is the most important part of the selection process. This makes it easier to understand that the selected candidates are the right fit for job requirements.

In the first stage of screening, Tesco selectors will carefully look at each applicant’s Curriculum Vitae (CV). The CV summarizes the applicant personal details, education and job history to date. A well written and positive CV helps Tesco to analyze whether an applicant matches the person specification for the job. Most of the company also provides a ‘job type match’ tool on its careers web page. This tool helps the people who are interested in working with Tesco and can see where they fit before applying for the job.

There are several stages in this process which Tesco uses to select the external management candidates.

As the candidate passes the screening stage attends an assessment center. The assessment center is taking place in the store and run by the managers. They help to provide regularity in the selection process. Applicants are given various tasks, including problem solving or team-working activities. This involves the problems they might have to deal with at work.

As the candidate passes the assessment center they are put in an interview. When interviewing takes place the Line managers for the job on offer takes part in it to make sure the right candidate fits the job requirements.