Recruitment & Selection of Woolworths: Policies, Practices and Recommendations

This report discusses the recruitment, selection and induction policies and practices of Woolworths, an Australian retail company. It also provides recommendations for improving recruitment and selection procedures. The report covers legislation, regulations and codes of practices related to recruitment and selection in Australia. The implementation of the recommendations is also discussed.

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Executive Summary –
Recruitment, selection and induction are the important elements for every organization
because it helps the organization in acquiring new talents and innovative skills within the
organization for continuous increment in their performance and productivity. Woolworths
also use effective process for recruiting new employees in their organization. They use
various policies related to recruitment process such as equal employment opportunity act,
privacy act, merit based selection, treat equally to every candidates who want to apply job in
their organization. There are various legislation and regulations related to recruitment and
selection in Australia such as public services act 1999, privacy act, anti- discrimination act,
equal employment opportunity act and fair work act 2009. So, the above acts related to
recruitment process have to be followed by every organization while acquiring new
employees within the organization. Woolworths also use various practices related to
recruitment and selection such as advertising, proper job description of vacant position in the
organization, adoption of proper selection process and implementing various training
programs for increasing the knowledge and performance of the company. Company should
focus on the controlling the cost for the incentives, attractive policy related to recruitment and
training programs such as conducting regular meeting and face to face communication
sessions with their employees. Company can implement the above recommendation by
effective communication strategy, effective channel and proper process has to be followed for
implementing new procedures in the organization.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Recruitment, Selection and induction policy for Woolworths –................................................3
Recruitment, selection and induction practices at Woolworths –..............................................5
Conclusion & Recommendation –.............................................................................................6
Implementation of the above recommendations –.....................................................................7
References –.............................................................................................................................10
Appendixes –............................................................................................................................12
Appendix 1...........................................................................................................................12
Appendix 2...........................................................................................................................12
Appendix 3...........................................................................................................................14

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Introduction
Woolworths is an Australian company which is engaged in retailing and the Australia’s
second largest company due to higher revenue and incorporated in 1924 in Sydney. Company
has many products such as food, general merchandise, liquor, home improvement, petrol and
hotels (About US, 2019). These include Australia food segment and New Zealand food
segment. There are more than 2015000 employees within the organization and more than
3000 stores in New Zealand as well as Australia. Its competitors are Avenue, The Best
Things and ASMC Industrial. They work directly with the Australian farmers and cultivators,
so that they can supply best products to their customers (Keith, 2012). Woolworths follow
hierarchical structure in their organization where director controls all the managers of all
departments within the organization and they set their organizational structure as per the
needs and requirements of their employees as well as their customers and for achieving the
overall goals of the organization. They follow bureaucratic system in their organization, it
means rules and regulation for management of the organization has to be follow strictly
within the organization. Main goal of Woolworths is to customers prefer them than its
competitors. So, for achieving the above goal, company has various strategies such as
adoption of E2E processes, which help the company in delivering better services to their
customers, try to create differentiation in their products and services than its competitors,
innovation and technologies & connected and convenient and personalised shopping
experiences for their customers (Strategy and objectives, 2019). Changes in the organization
are an essential tool which is managed by the change management of the organization and it
helps the organization in growing continuously in long run and in achieving organizational
objectives. There are various changes which are implemented by the company such as
implementing various training programs, innovative strategies and structure of the
organization (Weichhart, et al, 2016). The report consists of recruitment, selection and
induction policies and practices of Woolworths and recommendations for improving
recruitment and selection procedure for the company.
Recruitment, Selection and induction policy for Woolworths –
Recruitment, selection and induction are important elements for every organization which are
managed by the human resource management of the organization because organization
requires new talent and skills as a new employee in their organization in the dynamic
changing environment (Adams, 2019). HR manager of Woolworths also use recruitment and

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selection procedure and policies for recruiting new employees with innovative talents in their
organization. Woolworths follow the following policy and procedures for recruiting new
employees in their organization (Appendix 1):
1. Woolworths follows various legislation related to recruitment and selection such as
equal employment opportunity and anti- discrimination act for hiring new and
innovative employees in their organization. At the time of recruitment process, skills,
knowledge and behaviour of the candidate has to be considered as per the available
job position for recruiting them in their organization. They treat all the candidates
equally during recruitment process, so there is no collusion between management and
any candidates in their organization.
2. They hire the candidates in their organization on the basis of merit, which ensures that
best and right employee has to be selected for the right job and at right place.
3. The company also follow Privacy Act, so as per this act they do not allow to share any
personal information of their employees and other staff members to any other person
within their organization.
4. During the process of recruitment and selection, they treat professionally to all the
candidates and give respect to all of them at every time.
5. They motivate and encourage the large number of candidate to apply for the job in
their organization through their websites. They communicate with the applicants by
emails and calls.
6. Woolworths conduct various training or induction programs for their new as well as
existing employees (Our recruitment process, 2019).
Legislation, standards, regulation and codes of practices related to recruitment, selection and
induction –
1. Public Services Act 1999 is an important act related to recruitment, selection and
induction which has to be followed by the organization. As per this act, organization
should recruit their employees on the basis of merit and this act also guide the
company about various employment opportunities in their organization.
2. Public Services Regulations 1999 also follow by the organization at the time of
recruitment and selection process in their organization.

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3. Equal employment opportunity act refer as organization should treat equally to all
their employees and also treat all applicants equally for hiring them in their
organization (Recruitment and Employment Law, 2019).
4. Privacy act 1988 regulates the all personal information of their employees.
5. Privacy regulation 2013 also used by the organization for regulating private
information of their employees only with them.
6. Evidence act 1995 provides for documents maintained and created whether in paper
or in electronic form, which has to be presented in the court as an evidence for all the
employees in the organization.
7. Fair work act 2009 also an important act which should be followed by the
organization. This act provides the framework for relations of workplace in Australia
(Recruitment: Legislation, 2018).
So, Woolworths follow various policies and effective procedures for recruitment, selection
and induction of new employees in their organization. They should also follow other act
related to recruitment and selection for improving their services such as evidence act and they
should also encourage large number of candidates through advertisement, which helps them
in acquiring new employees with innovative skills in their organization. The company should
also use innovative induction programs for new and existing employees such as attractive
videos and conducting entertaining events.
Recruitment, selection and induction practices at Woolworths –
There are various practices which are used by Woolworths for recruitment and selection of
new candidates in the organization for achieving success in the long run and achieving the
organizational overall objectives (Appendix 2). These are the followings:
1. They have to know what to look at the time of recruitment process in their
organization. Their recruitment process depends on the various internal as well as
external factors such as policies of recruitment, size of the company, human resource
planning, growth, costs of the operation and external factors includes social, political,
economic and legal factors. Generally, organization needs communication skills,
ability to learn new knowledge and innovative skills in the candidates for hiring in
their organization (Compton, 2009).

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2. Woolworths also creates job description for the vacancy and job which are available
in the organization. Job description provides list of skills and attributes as per the
available job position within the organization, so it has to be required in the
candidates for selecting in the company. It helps the organization in recruiting right
people at right position and at right place.
3. Woolworths also uses advertisement for encouraging large number of candidate to
apply in their organization for the available job vacancy. The company also use their
websites for encouraging various applicants towards the organization.
4. They use various technologies and innovative strategies for improving their
recruitment and selection procedures.
5. They are using various selection practices such as employment test and interview
process for selecting the best candidate, so that it helps them in achieving their goals
effectively and efficiently.
6. Woolworths also use various training or induction programs for new as well as their
existing employees such as on job training, off job training and other entertaining
events and programs in the organization, so it helps them in increasing the
performance of their organization and achieving their objectives.
7. They follow recruitment, selection & induction process in their organization as per the
organization’s rules and policies and government legislations.
8. There is a contract of employment between the company and new employee, which
provides them various information related to the employment such as salary, rules and
regulations and term and conditions of employment (Rankin, 2009).
Conclusion & Recommendation –
Hence, recruitment, selection and induction are the essential elements for the Woolworths
because it helps the company in acquiring new and talented people in the organization for
continuous success in the long run and achieve the organization objectives and goals.
Woolworths is using various policies and effective procedures for recruiting new employees
in their organization. Policies of the company such as equal employment opportunities, anti-
discrimination act and privacy act and they hire new employees in the organization on the
basis of merit. They treat professionally all the candidates and give respect to all of them.
Woolworths encourage applicants through their websites and they conduct various training or
induction events or programs to develop new as well as existing employee and to increase

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their performance and productivity towards the organization. There are various legislations,
code of practices and regulations related to recruitment and selection in Australia such as Fair
Work Act 2009, Public services act 1999 and Public services regulation 1999. Woolworths
also follow various practices related to recruitment and selection such as adverting, effective
induction process, creation of proper job description and personal specification and the
company follow recruitment process as per the policies of the organization and legislation
related to this.
Before setting the policies related to recruitment, organization should analyse the plans or
strategies, which will help the organization to identify objectives and important policies
related to recruitment process. Company should follow proper selection process while hiring
new employee within the organization and it must be as per the available job vacancy in the
organization (Raupp and Hoffjann, 2012). They should also use training programs such as
communication sessions between manager and the employees, entertaining events and other
training programs. Woolworths need to focus on cost for the incentives and appraisals for
their employees. They also need to focus on the other policies related to recruitment, so that it
will help them to fair process of recruitment and selection. So, by implementing the above
recommendation, Woolworths attract large number of candidates, improve employee
retention and enhance performance and productivity of employees as well as the overall
organization (Friend, 2019).
Implementation of the above recommendations –
1. Communication strategy – Organization can use various communication strategies to
communicate the above recommendations or changes in their organization regarding
recruitment and selection of new people. These are as follows:
 Organization should present their recommendation plan related to recruitment
process in different ways such as they can use printed material, by sending
emails, by showing video and audio related to changes within the
organization. So, it will help the company to aware all the employees about
the implementations of changes related to recruitment process within the
organization (Lewis, 2019).
 They should also use communication strategies such as social media
marketing to communicate recruitment changes to all the members of the
organization.

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 The company can used various communication methods while
implementations of the above recommendations in their organization such as
conducting meeting for all the members of the organization and organizing
events and programs related to new recruitment process.
 They should implement the above recommendation within the effective time
period (Jones, 2017).
2. Process for the new procedure which supports recommended changes - Organization
should follow the following recruitment process while implementation of the
recommended changes related to their recruitment and selection procedures:
 Firstly organization needs manager support to implement recommended
changes in their organization.
 Present the importance of recommended changes to stakeholders of the
company.
 Strategic plan for change
 Provide resources and company can use data for evaluation of the above
changes
 Communicating the changes to all stakeholders of the organization
 Monitor and manage when employees resist in implementing changes in the
organization.
 Celebrate success
 Continuous improvement of recruitment and selection procedures (Landers
and Schmidt, 2016).
3. Methods for gaining feedbacks from stakeholders – Woolworths can use various
methods which will help them in taking feedbacks from their all stakeholders. These
are:
 By filling feedback form from their stakeholders
 Email
 By conducting team meeting and regular meeting for taking feedback about
the process of recruitment, selection and induction process of the company.
 Feedback reports
 Collaborative spread sheets
 Platforms for the collections of feedbacks from the stakeholders of the
company (Gebczynska, 2016).

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References –
Adams, D. (2019) Recruitment, Selection & Induction Policies [Online]. Available from:
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/recruitment-selection-induction-policies-18493.html
[Accessed 08/05/2019]
Australian Law Reform Commission (2019) Recruitment and Employment Law [Online].
Available from:
https://www.alrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/02._recruitment_and_employme
nt.pdf [Accessed 08/05/2019]
Australian Public Service Commission (2018). Recruitment: Legislation [Online]. Available
from: https://www.apsc.gov.au/recruitment-legislation [Accessed 08/05/2019]
Compton, R. (2009) Effective Recruitment and Selection Practices. Sydney: CCH Australia
Limited.
Friend, L. (2019) Recommendations for Recruitment & Selection [Online]. Available from:
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/recommendations-recruitment-selection-1162.html
[Accessed 08/05/2019]
Gebczynska, A. (2016) Strategy implementation efficiency on the process level. Business
Process Management Journal, 22(6), pp.1079-1098.
Jones, P. (2017) Communication Strategy. New York: Routledge.
Keith, S. (2012) Coles, Woolworths and the local. Locale: The Australasian- Pacific Journal
of Regional Food Studies, 2, pp.47-81.
Landers, R. and Schmidt, G. (2016) Social Media in Employment Selection and Recruitment:
Theory, Practice and Current Challenges. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
Lewis, L. (2019) Organization Change: Creating Change Through Strategic Communication.
United State of America: Wiley Publications.
Rankin, N. (2009) IRS Best Practice in HR Handbook. New York: Routledge.
Raupp, J. and Hoffjann, O. (2012) Understanding strategy in communication management.
Journal of Communication Management, 16(2), pp.146-161.

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Weichhart, G., Molina, A., Chen, D., Whitman, L.E. and Vernadat, F. (2016) Challenges and
current developments for sensing, smart and sustainable enterprise system. Computers in
Industry, 79, pp.34-46.
Woolworths Group (2019) About Us [Online]. Available from:
https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/about-us [Accessed 08/05/2019]
Woolworths Group (2019) Our recruitment process [Online]. Available from:
https://www.wowcareers.com.au/page/Careers/Come_and_work_for_us/Our_recruitment_pr
ocess/ [Accessed 08/05/2019]
Woolworths Group (2019) Strategy and objectives [Online]. Available from:
https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/about-us/our-approach/strategy-and-objectives
[Accessed 08/05/2019]

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Appendixes –
Appendix 1
Recruitment, selection and induction policy at Woolworths –
Appendix 2
Evaluation checklist to analysis recruitment, selection and induction practices of Woolworths
Criteria Informatio
n, systems
and
processes
reviewed
Who was
consulted
What training
and support is
provided to
relevant staff.
Who provides
this training?
Findings
(summary of
gaps and
opportunities
for
improvement)
Ensure current position
descriptors and person
specifications for
Customer
Assistant,
Executive
Head of all
department
s
Induction
training
Company need
to focus on more
clear job
Fair work act
Anti- discrimination act
Merit based policy
Privacy Act
Equal employment opportunity

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vacancies are used by
managers and others
involved in the
recruitment, selection and
induction processes
Assistance
and
Administrat
ive
Assistance
description of
available job
vacancy
Ensure that advertising of
vacant positions complies
with organisational policy
and legal requirements
E-Mails Head of
marketing
department
Digital
marketing
training by
marketing
manager
Invest more on
advertisement
Identify opportunities to
utilise specialists, e.g.
recruitment agencies,
remuneration specialists,
vocational psychologist,
staff who run security
Increase
performanc
e and
productivity
HR
Manager
Skill
development
training By HR
Need to focus on
adding more
specialists
Identify options for
technology to improve the
efficiency and
effectiveness of the
recruitment and selection
process
Applicant
tracking
system,
Career
websites
and Video
interviewin
g
Head of IT
Departmen
t
Digital
marketing
training by IT
manager
Company need
to focus on
video
interviewing
technology
Ensure that selection
procedures are in
accordance with
organisational policy and
legal requirements (e.g.
permanent residency, right
to work)
Job
security,
privacy act
and equal
employment
opportunity
HR
Manager
Coaching and
mentoring by
relevant
manager
Access plan
before starting
selection
procedure
Ensure that processes for
advising applicants of
Employee
benefits and
HR
Manager
Certificate
program training
Company
should compare

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selection outcome are
followed
effective
selection
procedures
their
performance
Ensure that job offers and
contracts of employment
are executed promptly and
that new appointments are
provided with advice
about salary, terms and
conditions
Employmen
t letter and
Emails
HR
Manager
Training
programs and
events
They should use
other
communication
methods
Check that induction
processes are followed
across the organisation
Invest
millions in
training
programs
HR
Manager
Induction
training
They should
invest more on
their training
programs and
also conduct
relevant events
Oversee the management
of probationary employees
and provide them with
feedback until their
employment is confirmed
or terminated
Rewards
and
recognition
programs
HR
Manager
Skills and
knowledge
development
training
Company
should conduct
communication
sessions with
each employee
Appendix 3
Implementation plan for recommended changes related to recruitment and selection process –
Recommended changes Communication strategy Methods to gain feedback
Communications sessions Be conducting meeting Face to face
Entertaining events By Emails Feedback form
Changes in selection process
such as firstly analyse the
plan than start the process
By conducting meeting Feedback report
Focus on cost related to By Emails By conducting meeting

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incentives