Dissertation: Training and Employee Performance in Sainsbury's

This dissertation investigates the influence of training and development programs on employee performance within Sainsbury's, a major UK supermarket chain. The study explores how various training initiatives enhance employees' skills, knowledge, and overall efficiency. It delves into the connection between training and improved teamwork, communication, and the ability to meet organizational goals. The research utilizes a mixed-methods approach, including a literature review, detailed methodology, data analysis, and discussion of results, to assess the effectiveness of training programs. The dissertation examines the benefits of training in fostering a positive organizational culture and retaining employees. Key themes include the impact of regular training on efficiency, teamwork, communication, and customer interaction, and the role of diverse training methods in achieving goals. The study concludes with recommendations for enhancing training and development programs to further improve employee performance and contribute to Sainsbury's success.

DISSERTATION
Training and development linked to
employee’s performance - in
Sainsbury's

ABSTRACT
The following dissertation has shed lights on impact of training and development
programs on efficiency of employees in Sainsbury. it has also shown that how employees gain
knowledge and skills through various training programs and to what extent their efficiency has
increased. Moreover, this research will describe how employee performance is linked with
training and development programs and how their skills are improved. Apart from this, it will
highlight on knowledge and skills of employees that has been gained and how it has allowed
them to work in team and in creative way. It has results in creating a positive organisational
culture in Sainsbury.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
RESEARCH TOPIC........................................................................................................................6
CHAPTER- 1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................6
Background of the study.........................................................................................................6
Motivation for research..........................................................................................................7
Research Aim.........................................................................................................................7
Research Objective.................................................................................................................8
Research Questions................................................................................................................8
Rationale of the Study............................................................................................................8
Significance of the study........................................................................................................8
Framework and Analysis........................................................................................................9
Chapter Structure..................................................................................................................10
CHAPTER- 2 LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................................................11
CHAPTER – 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.........................................................................22
Introduction..........................................................................................................................22
Research Philosophy............................................................................................................22
Research approach................................................................................................................23
Research Design...................................................................................................................24
Data collection......................................................................................................................24
Sampling...............................................................................................................................26
Data Analysis........................................................................................................................27
Research Technique..............................................................................................................27
Reliability and validity.........................................................................................................29
Research Limitation..............................................................................................................29
Ethical consideration ...........................................................................................................30
CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS.................................................................................................32
4.1 Chapter overview............................................................................................................32
4.2 Testing & theory.............................................................................................................32
4.3 Descriptive analysis .......................................................................................................32
Theme 1 Providing training in regular time period enabled in maintaining efficiency.......33

Theme 2 Training helped in maintaining team work efficiency and achieving goals and
objectives in given time period.............................................................................................34
Theme 3 Training at regular interval of time leads to more effective communication between
teams and managers. ............................................................................................................35
Theme 4 Interacting with customers enabled in solving their problems and satisfying them to
a great extent.........................................................................................................................37
Theme 5 Different training methods and multitasking that leads to the attainment of goals
within a specific time period................................................................................................38
Theme 6 Organising training and development programs is beneficial for improving
performance..........................................................................................................................39
Theme 7 Your knowledge and skills improved after attending the training and development
program to a great extent......................................................................................................41
Theme 8 Training and development programs retain employees for long time in organisation
..............................................................................................................................................42
Theme 9 Training and development motivates personnel for working effectively at workplace
..............................................................................................................................................43
Regression and correlation ..................................................................................................45
Reliability test ......................................................................................................................45
CHAPTER- 5 ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS ................................................46
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................................49
CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................49
Research Limitation..............................................................................................................49
Future research areas ...........................................................................................................50
Recommendation..................................................................................................................50
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................53
BIBLIOGRAPHY .........................................................................................................................55
Appendix 1.....................................................................................................................................56
Appendix 2.....................................................................................................................................58
Appendix 3.....................................................................................................................................64
Appendix 4 and 5...........................................................................................................................65

RESEARCH TOPIC
“To study the impact of training and development on performance of employee's in the retail
sector: A case study on Sainsbury's”.
CHAPTER- 1 INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
In an organisation, human resources play a very crucial role in recruiting, selecting,
training and in learning of manpower for conducting smooth business operations. In the absence
of human resource, it is impossible to conduct business activities and to achieve determined
business objective. In order to attain business objective, it is very important for the management
to focus on the employee's requirement and needs in order to keep them motivated and retain
within company for long time. Management of organisation should focus on the employees
needs like effective working condition, salary, incentives, fringe benefits, etc. (Jiang & et.al.,
2012). With help of skilled personnel’s, corporation can improve the performance and
productivity of business. At the time of recruitment and selection, company focuses on the
quality of candidate and hire skilled and talented employees. With the help of talented
workforce, it is easy to accomplish desired target. Thus, it can be said that for achieve the highest
level of outcome and make effective profitability of business, company need to focus on
employee's performance. Organisation should make arrangement through which personnel’s can
improve their skill, ability of working. Human resources are major assets of company that helps
in achieve organisational objective within specific time period. In addition to this, company can
easily gain desired outcome and produce high quality of product and services if organisation
have skilled employees.
Training and development is one of the most significant aspect for improving
performance of workforce (Manuti, & et.al., 2015). It is a systematic procedure and activity that
helps individual in improving their skill, ability, knowledge, capability regarding working within
the organisation. In a corporation there is a huge significance of training and development
program that can assist personnel’s in improving their personality and professionalism at
workplace. Training and development is a subsystem of a firm which emphasis on the
improvement of the performance of individuals and groups. It is one of opportunity that provided
by business enterprise to its employees for improve their existing performance. It is an education

procedure that includes the sharpening of skills, concepts, changing of attitude and gaining more
knowledge to enhance the performance of personnel’s (Hendry, 2012). Training and
development is directly linked with employee’s performance at workplace. In an organisation,
management have to understand performance and need of improvement among workforce so as
they can be organised training program accordingly. Thus, it can be said that it is very important
for company to understand requirement of improvement and area that needed to improve among
employees so as they can deliver appropriate training to them. The current dissertation aims to
analyse the impact of training and development on the performance of employees in the
Sainsbury's. It is the second largest chain of supermarket in the UK which have approximate
16.9% of the share of supermarket sector in the UK. The management of organisation needed to
improve the performance and capability of workforce for which investigation has been
conducted (Motivating and engaging employees for better business.2016). In this research,
scholar have focused on the strategies and methods to improve employees performance by use of
training and development. Thus, to investigate information about this subject, researcher have
applied qualitative research technique and used SPSS analysis for interpret information.
Motivation for research
As per the study it has been found that Sainsbury's operates in retail sector and is
amongst the largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom. Its main aim is to provide
high quality of product and services to customers and earn maximum profitability (Richardson,
2015). The major issue faced by the Sainsbury's is related to the poor quality of services and
ineffective execution of business due to absence of skilled employees and poor working
performance of personnel. Due to this issue, company is facing issue related to decreased
profitability and market share. In order to solve this issue, company should focus on the
employee's training and development. Corporation should provide opportunity of training and
development to employees so as they can learn effective criteria of working, skills, ability,
knowledge and improve their performance at workplace. With help of training and development
organisation can decrease issue regarding low profitability and market share.
Research Aim
“To study the effect of training and development on employee's performance in retail sector:
Sainsbury's”.

Research Objective
 To understand the concept of training and development acknowledging its significance.
 To determine approaches of training and development.
 To analyse the impact of training and development on employee’s performance.
 To recommend strategies for enhancing workforce performance by implement training
and development methods.
Research Questions
 What is the concept of training and development in the organisation?
 What are the methods and approaches of training and development in the corporation?
 How training and development helps to improve employee’s performance?
 What is significance of training and development within organisation?
 What are strategies to improve employee’s performance by implement training and
development approaches?
Rationale of the Study
At the time of selection of research topic, there are several kinds of factors that affect
researcher choice and mind regarding research subject. In the present study, a scholar has
selected the training and development topic regarding employee’s performance within retail
sector. The main reason for selection of this subject is scholar interest and curiosity to analyse
the effective of training and development. Scholar desires to acknowledge the information
regarding the impact and significance of training and development on employee's performance.
Another major reason for selection of this subject is enough information related to subject. As
the scholar has sufficient data that is primary and secondary about training and development.
Researcher have conducted survey for gather information regarding training and development
and its impact on employee's performance within Sainsbury's. On the other hand, for collect
secondary information scholar have used books, journals, online articles, blogs, newspaper,
magazines etc.
Significance of the study
The current investigation is based on the effect of training and development on the
employee's performance within an organisation. With the help of this study, researcher can
collect effective information related to concept of training and development, advantages and
disadvantages, several approaches and techniques within company. Its impact on the workforce

who works within company etc. Any organisation, which is facing issue regarding poor
performance of employees can easily understand criteria of T&D to improve personnel’s
working. With assistance of this investigation, researcher can easily collect information
regarding improvement in personnel’s performance, their ability and capability regarding
working at workplace. This study helps to company to overcome ineffective performance of
employees and improve their working criteria. This helps in improving profitability, productivity
and revenue of business. This dissertation provides the knowledge about several strategies to
improve effectiveness of training and development program within company. In addition to this,
this study includes several kinds of methods and approaches of training and development
program.
Framework and Analysis
In order to take appropriate decision regarding investigation, it is very essential for scholar to
carry out the framework and analysis. In the current investigation for conduct study on the
impact of training and development on employee's performance, scholar have to focus on the
various approaches of research methodology. There are two approaches: inductive and deductive
approach. Their implementation depends upon research objective and issue that included in
study. Researcher have applied deductive research approach in present study. Research
Philosophy is tool that provide knowledge to researcher that how to collect and examine the
information for address the objective. For analyse impact of training and development on
employee's performance, scholar have applied positivism research philosophy. Research design
allows researcher to frame the entire study in effective and appropriate manner. With help of
descriptive research design, scholar can easily obtain information regarding impact of training
and development on the working of personnel within Sainsbury's. Data collection is one of the
most significant part in the research study that provides the information about subject. In the
current study, researcher design a systematic questionnaire for collecting fresh information via
primary data collection. The questionnaire is categorised into various sub division such as
demographic information, training and development method and its significance to analyse
impact of training on employee's performance in the retail sector.

Chapter Structure
In the dissertation, there are several chapters that needed to consider by scholar for
achieve research objective. Every chapter of dissertation plays very crucial role in order to
achieve objective. Following are systematic description of every chapter of dissertation-
Part 1: Introduction: In the entire dissertation, introduction chapter is very significant part as it
provides complete information regarding aim, objective, rationale of study, problem statement,
significance of the study etc.
Part 2: Literature review: This is another one of the most significant chapter in the dissertation
that includes several themes on the basis of objective of study. This section includes secondary
information regarding subject. Various authors views, opinion and statements regarding the
subject has included in this chapter.
Part 3: Research Methodology: This chapter includes several methods of research methodology
that helps scholar in addressing research problem by determining effective solution. It is a
systematic procedure for collect, analyse and interpret information regarding subject. There are
various kinds of methods in the research methodology such as research strategy, research
approach, research design, research philosophies, data collection, data analysis etc. With help of
these techniques of research methodology, scholar can easily find out appropriate solution of
research problem.
Part 4: Data analysis and interpretation: This chapter helps researcher to analyse and interpret
information to find out solution for research problem. In order to analyse and interpret
information, researcher have to implement one technique either it is qualitative or quantitative.
Part 5: Conclusion and recommendation: This is the last and significant chapter that provides
appropriate summary. With help of this chapter scholar can easily summarise and conclude
whole results in few lines. Thus, it can be said that this chapter provides effective outcome of the
whole investigation.

CHAPTER- 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
Human resources are pillar of organisation who carries various functions and activities of
business in order to achieve specific objective. There are various functional department in the
organisation such as marketing, human resource, administration, marketing, information
technology, etc. Employees plays a great role in each functional department for carrying out
business functions. Thus, it is very significant for management to maintain, motivate and
encourage workforce in way that they can retain within firm for long time and perform their
responsibility in excellent manner.
Literature review chapter in the entire dissertation is very important because it gives deep
knowledge and understanding about aim and objective. It includes several themes regarding the
subject and each theme constructs according to research objective. With help of literature review
chapter, researcher can collect secondary information by use of articles, journals, books,
magazines, newspaper etc. Secondary information is published data that have been used by
investigators in their study. In the current study, scholar have used various articles, blogs, books
and journal for collect information about training and development and its impact upon
employee’s performance. This chapter provides knowledge and information that how training
and development helps retail organisation in improving employee’s performance and
productivity. Following are several themes that developed according to research objectives-
Concept of Training and Development
In the opinion of Purce, (2014) Training is any learning activity that considered on
acquiring specific knowledge, skill required for a particular job and task. It faces an immediate
challenge and teaches the knowledge or skills required by company employees in the short
period. On the other hand, development considers to be a long term learning process. In this
procedure of development, human resource manager focuses on the strategy to put in place over
several months or years. Training is a program organised by the corporation to develop
knowledge and skill among personnel’s according to requirement of job. On the other hand,
development is a well-structured program in which the employees can improve their overall
personality and professionalism.

In the opinion of Scullion & Collings, (2010) training and development is an expensive
procedure which include proper arrangement, experts and employee's engagement for non-
revenue activities. It helps employees to develop new skills and enhance knowledge. It also
improves efficiency and productivity of the individual as well as teams. Storey, (2014) stated
that training is meant for operatives and development is meant for executives. Training is a
reactive procedure and it is conducted for short time period and development is a proactive
procedure and is conducted for long time period. Training objective is to improve work
performance of the employees and development of workers for future challenges. Basically,
training and development is an exercise under which employees have an opportunity to improve
their attitude, capability, criteria of working, behaviour, skill, knowledge etc.
According to the view of Ulrich, (2013) training and development is one of the
significant functions of human resource management through which organisation provides
education and learning opportunity to employees at workplace. HR manager have great role to
find out area for improvement among workforce and conduct training for them accordingly.
However, it is a costly activity as it requires a lot quality inputs from trainers as well as
employees. For conduct training and development program, organisation requires investing
amount of money and purchase several materials and resources.
In the opinion of Werner & DeSimone, (2011) stated that training and development is an
official and ongoing educational activity that is developed and designed by organisation to
enhance the performance of workforce. In order to conduct training and development program,
HR manager focuses on the several procedures such as identifying requirement of training and
development, developing goal and objective, select method of training, conduct and implement
the program, evaluate the output, monitoring and evaluating performance, etc. In the first stage
of training and development procedure, HR manager required to determine the requirement of
training and development for employees. In this phase, manager have to identify and understand
the actual need for conduct training and development at workplace. HR manager is responsible
for analyse and assess personnel’s performance and find out actual need of training and
development. Once the HR manager effectively identified requirement of training and
development among workforce then in the next stage objective and goal can set by them. With
help of effective establishment of goal and objective, manager can draw a systematic path and
understand overall objective. Once the objective of training and development has set by manager