Introduction

Marks and Spencer is one of the best known high street retailers in the UK. It has over 450 stores and employs over 65,000 people. It also operates overseas. In the face of more intense competition in the UK retailing sector, Marks and Spencer has had to develop a new strategy. This created a period of change for the retailer, involving a refocusing on core areas of quality, value and service along with innovation and trust. Marks and Spencer developed a promotional campaign based on the slogan 'Your M&S' which helped customers to connect with the business. The process had three key features:

• developing products that customers want

• improving stores

• providing excellent customer service.

In turn, this created a need for staff to be trained to cope with new challenges.

Organisational structure

The changes involved changing the organisational structure to make it flatter. This meant cutting out some layers of management and giving employees at the remaining levels more responsibility.

]Training needs

The new structure led to a need for more training. Marks and Spencer develops staff from within the organisation. It also recruits managers from outside at three levels:

• trainee managers who have just passed A-levels

• university graduates

• experienced managers from other operations.

Each manager requires a number of skills, such as team working, financial skills or leadership. Marks and Spencer uses a profiling system to identify skills gaps. It matches current skills against a matrix of skills required. Where these do not match, training can take place. At the end of every six months, an appraisal takes place to review performance and progress. In discussion with managers, employees identify where they have made improvements in their profile. They then agree on a plan for further development. This helps them to construct a realistic and structured career path. This process creates a cycle of improvement.

Training and development

All managers can develop their own training profile so that they can target their next role. This means that they can create their own career path. The types of training available include:

• On-the-job training – carried out in the workplace

• Off-the-job training – carried out elsewhere such as at a college.

Training is focused on the needs of the organisation, development on the needs of the individual.

Benefits

Training helps to improve efficiency and also motivates employees to do well. By having well trained and motivated staff, Marks and Spencer has developed a competitive edge over its rivals. The business has recognised that although training has a cost attached to it, it is also an investment for the future.

Conclusion

Employees are better able to manage their own training and development needs by using the cyclical process of appraisal. Through its competencies framework, Marks and Spencer is able to make a precise match between the requirements of a post and the skills of its staff. The success of Marks and Spencer proves that this is an effective process.