An Analysis of Talent Management Strategies at Tesco, UK: HRM

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of talent management strategies employed by Tesco, a prominent UK-based retail company. It delves into the core aspects of Human Resource Management (HRM), examining how Tesco recruits, trains, and develops its employees to foster a high-performing workforce. The discussion covers various strategies, including training and development programs, communication and consultation practices, and reward systems. The essay highlights the importance of training in familiarizing employees with workplace culture and norms, emphasizing programs for both front-line staff and experienced professionals. Furthermore, it explores how Tesco utilizes cognitive and social cognitive theories to understand employee behavior and tailor its HRM practices. Communication methods, such as staff surveys and feedback mechanisms, are also discussed, along with the application of motivation theories, like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg's theory, to align rewards with employee needs. The essay also addresses the challenges Tesco faces, such as cultural differences, and how it addresses them through ethical codes of conduct and adherence to labor laws. It draws comparisons with other retailers, like Marks and Spencer, and discusses the implications of HRM in different sectors, such as retail and education, concluding with a focus on Tesco's approach to talent planning and its impact on employee career stabilization.

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Talent management of Tesco, UK
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Introduction
Human resource management is an important parameter of the companies and
organizations. This parameter reflects management of the employee approach towards
utilizing the resources. Developing an integrated framework for managing the performance of
the employees proves beneficial in yielding positive results (Bratton and Gold 2017). Here,
“humans” are the employees, the asset for the organization. Talents of the employees helps
the companies and organizations to reach new heights of success. However, proper
management methods are needed for executing the activities according to the identified aims
and objectives. This essay, through the example of Tesco, sheds light on the steps adopted for
managing the talents of the employees.
Discussion
Tesco managers create feasible frameworks, plans and strategies for managing the
performance of the employees. These strategies include local customs and other variations.
According to the current trends, the human resource management strategy revolves around
training and development, communication, consultation and rewards (Tesco.com 2018). This
triangular approach assists the personnel of Tesco to retain the staffs. The major drive behind
this is adequate recruitment policies. Along with this, motivation is one of an important
components, which helps the managers in gaining an insight into the specific needs, demands
and requirements of the employees. Proper training generates courteous approach within the
employees, which is an agent for attracting the clients and the customers.
Among the HRM policies and practices, training and development is crucial. This is
in terms of maintaining the pace with the time and financial constraints. At the initiation of
every financial year, plans are made for recruiting “front line” staffs. Here, the selection
criteria is possessing graduate degrees from leading universities (Tesco.com 2018). The

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training helps the employees of Tesco to gain familiarity with the workplace culture and
norms. Mention can be made of the specific recruitment programs, which are conducted
under the supervision of foreign clients. This approach helps in identifying the changes,
which needs to be made for upgrading the standards of the preconceived skills, expertise and
knowledge of the employees.
One of the mentionable points for Tesco is valuation for the staffs instead of merely
favouring the graduates. At the time of induction training, the employees are assured that
exposing better performance would help them to gain opportunities to develop their skills,
expertise and knowledge. Mention can be made of the fishmongers and bakers, who gained
individual praise and recognition. According to the data, 97.4% of shop floor and 99.9% of
employees were provided with bronze level training in 2008 (Tesco.com 2018). 94.2% of the
shop floor employees achieved silver level competency training, which included the experts
and the experienced. Within this process, Tesco managers are conscious enough towards
investing in the employees. Along with this, the managers also realize the importance of
increasing the number of skilled workers.
Within this, cognitive theory can be applied. Application of this theory provides the
Tesco managers with an insight into the ways and means through which the information is
processed and stored in the minds of the employees. The segments of the theory is considered
by the managers for assessing the behavioural approach of the employees in the workplace
and society as a whole. Tracking the approach of the employees towards performing the
activities helps the managers to appraise the performance. According to the arguments of
Bailey et al. (2018), Cognitive learning theory helps the managers in assessing whether the
adopted training and learning methods in terms of achieving the identified and specified
objectives.

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Social cognitive theory is analysed through the consideration of behaviour, personal
and environmental factors. The conglomeration of personal and environment factors reflects
the pressurization through outside forces. Focus is placed on the behaviour of the employees
towards handling these forces. Upon finding tactfulness in dealing these pressures, the
managers think of giving tough challenges to the employees for assessing their capability.
However, rationality is maintained in these assessments for gaining trust, loyalty and
dependence from the clients. However, Brewster et al. (2016) opines that Observational
learning is an important component within the HRM practices of Tesco. Within this, group
discussions are conducted, which results in knowledge transfer from one employee to the
other. This transmission helps in reducing the knowledge gaps between the employees.
In addition to the training and development program, Tesco needs to be credited for
adopting Options Development Program, which provides the opportunity to the employees to
select their skills, which they wish to learn. The supervisors and trainers take special care for
assessing that the employees attain an easy understanding of the levels. This assessment is
effective in terms of preparing the career development plans. The special attraction of this
plan is that the employees are urged to create the plan (Marchington et al. 2016). However,
guidance is provided to the employees for averting unrealistic goals. According to the
statistics, one in 30 employees attend the program.
Expansion of the program into the threshold of Central Europe and Asia in 2009 is
one of the mentionable acts of Tesco. The major drive behind this was offshore management,
which expanded the scope and arena of supply chain management. Involving the research and
development team in the planning process helps in raising the standards and quality of the
training courses. Innovations within the training courses helps the employees to gain
familiarity towards the current marketing trends.

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One of the other aspects of the HRM in Tesco is communication and consultation.
Bottom-up feedback is used by the managers to enhance awareness about the specific needs,
demands and requirements of the employees. These are staff question time, face-to-face
interviews and in-house internet (Albrecht et al. 2015). Along with this, Tesco follows annual
staff survey and Viewpoint, which are kept confidential. The managers use these methods for
excavating the issues, which the employees might face while executing the allotted tasks.
Consideration of problem solving cycle helps the managers of Tesco to achieve effective
solutions for the potential issues. Spontaneous approach towards this direction is assistance in
terms of maximizing the returns. Feedbacks help in assessing the response of the clients
towards the propositions.
The third aspect of HRM, in case of Tesco, is rewards and benefits. Rewards are
effective in terms of luring the employees towards the brand image. The employees are
briefed about the benchmark, which they are to reach. Upon achieving success, they are
rewarded with praise, individual recognition, bonus, salary increments among others (Jackson
et al. 2014). Here, motivation theories can be applied. As a matter of specification, Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Needs is followed for gaining an insight into the needs of the employees. This
insight helps in providing motivation according to the needs. Upon analysis, companies like
Tesco has found that here, the need is that of self-esteem in terms of enhancing the
professionalism. Therefore, the motivation is based on the identification of hygienic and non-
hygienic factors, which provides satisfaction to the employees. These aspects brings
Herzberg’s theory of motivation into the discussion.
Talent analysis is one of an important component within HRM practices of Tesco.
Within the plans, one of the essential aspect is provision of congenial working environment
to the employees. Along with this, organizing effective training programs for the employees
is accounted as one of the effective agents for retaining the employees (Purce 2014). Equality

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Act (2010) is followed for monitoring the performance of the employees. Ethical Code of
Conduct is implemented in terms of averting illegal and unwanted instances. The challenges,
which companies like Tesco face, are cultural differences. The employees belong to different
socio-cultural backgrounds. There is a lot of difference in their learning styles. However, the
managers need to be credited for treating the employees equally irrespective of their caste,
creed, colour or religion. Counselling is done for assuring the employees that their viewpoints
and opinions would be valued.
Interactive sessions at Tesco assists in unleashing the self-worth of the employees.
These opportunities helps the employees in discovering their real talents towards enhancing
the professionalism. Herein, Trait Theory and Great Man Theory can be related. Paillé et al.
(2014) state that the managers brief the employees about the importance of self-
organizational skills. Consciousness of the employees towards development of the skills is
one of the behavioural “traits”, which makes the employees great”. Supervision from the
trainers is assistance towards effective career planning. Taking into consideration the
checklist and templates enhances the awareness of the managers towards the extent to which
the employees are being capable of executing the tasks in an efficient and effective manner.
Adhering to the Labour Laws enables Tesco to avert unwanted instances. Mention can
be made about the meetings with the Human Rights Commission, which helps the personnel
to respecting the individual rights of the employees. On the other hand, Kramar (2014)
proposes that indulging in contracts with these members is assistance in terms of maintaining
the pace with the current legislative requirements. On the contrary, non-compliance to the
legislative requirements yields negative results in terms of upgrading the skills, expertise and
knowledge of the employees.

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Technology is one of the platforms, which helps the employees of Tesco to expose
their talents. It has been observed that motivated workforce has contributed largely in
maximizing the profit returns. Along with this, the employees are also provided with the
freedom of transfer, which enhances employee retention. Flexible shift timings helps the
employees to complete the works within the stipulated time. Choice is provided within the
selection of the shifts, which is assistance especially for the employees, who are still pursuing
their studies (Shields et al. 2015).
HR implications in different sectors
European Union directives and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) adversely
impact the rewards systems and policies. As a matter of specification, it affects the rewards,
which are a part of the Capital Requirements Directives. On the other hand, in the retail
sector, the focus is on the providing a commercial outlook to the clients and the customers.
This helps in reflecting the passionate approach towards maintaining the pace with the
current competitive ambience of the market. Strong and flexible workplace culture helps in
overcoming the challenges of harsh recruitment policies and legislative policies and practices.
Whereas, on the other hand, in education sector, policies developed by the HR, under
the guidance of the Board panel is effective in terms of ensuring the academic establishment
of the students (Kavanagh and Johnson 2017). Typical example is the balance between the
term time and holiday time, which helps in completing the course within the stipulated time.
However, as the assignment deals with the talent management of Tesco, therefore
emphasis is laid on retail sector.
According to the propositions of Maynard et al. (2017), if comparison is established
with Marks and Spencer, both the brands takes special care for training the employees for
working in a fast paced environment. Mention can be made of the motivation, which the

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managers provide to the employees for involving them within the business dynamics. The
managers want the employees to delve deeper into the business operations, so that they
achieve a better understanding about the ways and means for carrying out the business
activities (Bamberger, Meshoulam and Biron 2014).
In case of Tesco, workplace planning is assistance in terms of gaining an insight into
the ways and means through which the needs of the employees can be fulfilled. Using
frameworks and conducting reviews enables Tesco in evaluating its effectiveness in terms of
the identified aims and objectives (Al Ariss et al. 2014) Quarterly reviews in May, August
and November is aid towards adjusting with the staffing levels. Time management is a crucial
component within this review, which helps in completing the activities within the stipulated
time. One of the other mentionable aspects is talent planning, which helps Tesco to stabilize
the career of the employees. Within this, annual appraisal scheme is implemented, where the
employees can apply for bigger jobs (Gallardo et al. 2015).
Conclusion
HRM practices and policies heavily impacts the business operations of the companies
and organizations. Within this, talent management is an important aspect. European Union
directives are assistance in terms of guiding brands like Tesco to avert unwanted instances.
Adherence to these legislative requirements enables the brands to drive the talents of the
employees in right direction. Framework involves plans, which enhances the awareness of the
managers about the needs of the employees, which is self-esteem.

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