This
award looked for training interventions which have significantly benefited the
business or organisation, particularly if the trainers involved had developed
new approaches. The judge wanted to see evidence of improved performance and
gains in employee skills and capabilities. Entrants had to demonstrate how
training had boosted motivation and helped focus staff on key organisational
objectives. The judge also looked for well designed and delivered training
programmes
Category judge
For the past two years Colin Steed has been the chief executive of the
Institute of IT Training, which he helped set up in 1995. He spent 10 years in
the ITdepartment at British Airways before founding the Training Information
Network in 1981. Following this, he launched ITTraining, the first magazine in
the field. Steed has also co-launched ITSkills magazine for the Hemming Group
and is author of Web-based Training
B & Q
e-training programme
About the company
B&Q is the country’s biggest DIY retailer employing over 30,000 staff in
around 300 stores. Founded in 1969 it is now the largest DIY chain in Europe.
The company operates superstores and warehouses and has 50 stores overseas.
The challenge
To ensure a consistency and quality of training within a workforce that is
growing by 15 per cent a year. It also needed a robust learning process that
would help manage staff turnover and improve customer service.
What the company did
– £2m investment to improve the provision of training and development
– Introduce an e-learning solution
– A blended approach comprising e-learning, workshops and in-store coaching
– 315 stores installed with more than 400 training PCs
Benefits and achievements
– Mandatory health and safety training for 17,051, saving £279,115
– New IT system training rolled out to 24,000 customer advisers
– 881 training for the B&Q credit card system in just 11 days – 1,636
trained since March
– Administration of the induction process brought in-house saving £200,000
per year
– Stores now have access to online training reports
Colin Steed says: "It has proven to be an outstandingly
successful business-led programme, encompassing 30,000 employees, which
utilises a blended mix of training delivery that has provided a step change to
the company’s ability to deliver real business solutions for a growing and
competitive organisation. There is clear evidence of in-store productivity and
the programme’s foundation provides a clear base for future efficiency of the
company."
The team
No. in HR team 4 in project team, 200 in HR team
Staff responsible for 30,000
Mike Cutt HR director
Adrian Jones e-learning manager
Graham Bell B&Q university controller
Caryl Roberts B&Q university development manager
GNER
Training and development
About the company
GNER operates a high speed, long distance train service over a 920 mile
route between London and Scotland. It took over the operation of the Intercity
East Coast line from British Rail in1996 through the rail franchise process.
GNER inherited 2,600 employees and now has over 3,200 staff.
The challenge
To become a major driving force in identifying and delivering cultural
change within the rail industry
What the company did
– Launched Green Light scheme to encourage staff suggestions
– Introduced the Service-Profit Chain model
– Partnership with the University of York for enhanced qualifications
– Face to face conflict resolution training
– Evacuation training for all 900 on-train crew
– Closer links with unions
Benefits and achievements
– High employee satisfaction and no strike action despite new terms and
conditions for 90 per cent of the workforce
– 2,000 employees now have training days rostered every eight to 12 weeks
– Managers of stations can now design and deliver their own customer service
development programme
– One in five managers currently studying for a certificate or diploma
– Improved staff to passenger ratio
Colin Steed says: "An extremely successful attempt at involving
all stakeholders in positive, business-led culture change in a ‘traditional’
workplace that is steeped in labour cultures. Proven business and quality
models underpin the design and creation of the training interventions adding
structure and rigour to the creative art of training design."
The team
No. in team 6 in project team, 50 in HRteam
Staff responsible for 3,200
Aileen Downie training & development manager
Deborah Bunker employee development consultant
Dave Button recruitment manager
Angela Seal employee development consultant
Sam-Lines-White training consultant
Janice Fell HR assistant
Barbara Hardesty training & development assistant
Tesco Distribution
Learning team
About the company
Tesco is Britain’s leading supermarket chain employing over 195,000 people
at 729 stores in the UK. The company was founded by Sir Jack Cohen in 1924 who
used gratuity money from the army to start trading in London’s East End.
The challenge
To develop a single, clear process for making appointments and moves around
regions and store groups, creating a more objective system. The group wanted to
achieve a more consistent quality and supply of store managers.
What the company did
– Increased monitoring, development and on-the-job training
– Stores put into clusters to work together
– Frequent meetings to review vacancies and possible moves
– Enhanced talent spotting
– Five-step appointment process
Benefits and achievements
– More than 1,939 staff have been developed under the scheme
– 170 senior team members and 262 section managers moved to a new format
– 278 general assistants became section managers
Colin Steed says: "An exemplary business-led culture change programme
that was designed to be sustainable and provide stakeholders with a clear
framework for continuous skills and knowledge development. Tesco Distribution
is particularly commended on its exemplary trainer development and continuous
assessment processes. It is an outstanding example of how a change programme,
when fully supported by the company and integrated with the business, can
deliver first class results."
The team
No. in team 7 in project team, 20 in learning team
Staff responsible for around 240,000 worldwide
Kim Birnie learning director
John Metherell process manager for leadership skills
Ondrej Roubicek process manager for performance and development
Michelle Hepden-Dyer programme manager for Tesco Academy
John Callan programme manager for Tesco Way
Edith Fotheringham programme manager for shared learning
Nicola Steele process manager for organisation design
Caroline Gilbert project manager, operational skills
The
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