Canadian Retailer - Winter 2016 - 28

CULTURE

"A lot of people in retail don't come for careers;
they come for jobs," says Russ Miller, senior vicepresident for Western Canada, Costco Wholesale
Canada Ltd.
The question then is: how do you reinforce the service culture and take people from job to career? Miller says you need to offer a range of opportunities
and the path to navigate them, from the start.
Under Costco's College Student Retention Program, students work only during summer vacation
and holiday breaks. This encourages students to
continue their courses while maintaining their seniority and pay scale. If they remain with Costco postgraduation, they already have considerable experience and a chance to advance within the company.
Another Costco initiative, the University Graduates Retention Program, exposes new talent to different areas and can fast track them into management.
For up to 18 months, staff learn about membership,
merchandising, receiving and other warehouse
areas, gaining the skill set to become managers. If
a role is posted in any of those areas, people who've
gone through the program are eligible.
Loblaw, likewise, manages a rotational program
Aliana Rozenek will be part of a panel discussion at RCC's HR Conference 2016.
called Grad@Loblaw. College and university graduates spend the first part in the stores, to learn why and how
"We teach our co-workers to use our
customers matter most. Participants experience the company
from many vantage points to understand the whole business. strong values in every decision they
Final placements may be in operations, merchandising, sup- make. This creates responsibility and
ply chain, or another store support function.
energy, while allowing us to meet
Hansen says Loblaw also recently refreshed its high-potential targeting and talent management succession principles the customer in an authentic way."
to align more with company values. As well, the company is
- STEPHEN BOBKO, IKEA Canada
placing added importance on cross-functional experience for
leaders, with deliberate moves. "You see things from a different support our customers," says Rozenek.
perspective and you grow," she says.
In concert with internal training, the company's development process is extensive, with a
Decisions based on values
continual focus on the talent pipeline and bench
To nurture talent at all levels, IKEA offers some 95 learning strength. What are the signs of success in nurand development programs and workshops in Canada. These turing your people and your service culture?
cover everything from logistics to interior design to service to Home Depot looks at three benchmarks: leaderculture/values. The high potential (HiPo) program also identi- ship effectiveness, learning and development
fies talent that's hungry, whether a young new hire or someone effectiveness, and associate engagement.
with years of experience. In the end, they're ready to lead a store.
"We hold leaders responsible to ensure the
Bobko says the company looks at potential and who someone culture continues to be high performing," says
is as a person more than at a CV. Skills can come from training Rozenek. "If we as an organization take care of
and experience. But at their essence does the prospective em- our associates, they take care of customers, and
ployee grasp the idea of tillsammans?
the rest takes care of itself."
"We teach our co-workers to use our strong values in every decision they make," says Bobko. "This creates responsibility and Attend Retail Council of Canada's 2016 Human
energy, while allowing us to meet the customer in an authentic way." Resources Conference in April to see an onstage
Similarly, Home Depot invests heavily in education, internally panel discussion concerning ways to Build
and externally. Every full-time associate can get $5,000 a year for High-Performing Cultures. For more information
continuing university education, and part-time associates can get concerning conference registration, visit
$3,000. "We believe the more people are educated, the more they www.rcchrconference.ca/content/register.
28 |

CANADIAN RETAILER | WINTER 2016

http://www.rcchrconference.ca/content/register

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Retailer - Winter 2016