Performance Reviews, Training Techniques, and Development at Waitrose

This report examines the performance review and appraisal processes within Waitrose, a leading British supermarket chain. It delves into the purpose of performance reviews, detailing how they are used to evaluate employees, determine compensation, and identify areas for improvement. The report explores various appraisal techniques, including the 360-degree appraisal method, and emphasizes the importance of setting clear objectives, reviewing past performance, and conducting a SWOT analysis. It stresses the need for a private and unbiased environment during appraisals, adhering to organizational policies and procedures, and providing clear, specific, and evidence-based feedback. The report also discusses training techniques applicable in the workplace, analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of different learning and development interventions, and highlighting the importance of aligning future actions with appraisal findings and identified development needs. The report aims to provide insights into Waitrose's approach to employee development and performance management.

BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Main body .......................................................................................................................................3
1.1 The purpose of performance reviews and appraisals............................................................3
1.2 Explain techniques to prepare for and carry out appraisals..................................................4
1.3 Provide a private environment in which to carry out
appraisals....................................................................................................................................5
1.4 Carry out performance reviews and appraisals in accordance
with organisational policies and procedures..............................................................................5
1.5 Provide clear, specific and evidence-based feedback
sensitively...................................................................................................................................5
1.6 Agree future actions that are consistent with appraisal
findings and identified development needs................................................................................6
2.1 Describe training techniques that can be applied in the workplace......................................7
2.2 Analyse the advantages and disadvantages of learning and
development interventions and methods....................................................................................7
2.3 Explain organisational learning and development policies
and resource availability............................................................................................................8
2.4 Review individuals’ learning and development needs at
regular intervals..........................................................................................................................9
2.5 Suggest learning and development opportunities and
interventions that are likely to meet individual and business
needs
.....................................................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Individual or self-development has become important and relevant for every employee to
go with that process. In context with workplace, such development or change process is a need to
enhance an individual's skills, competencies and business traits required to attain their tasks or
goals. Individual development such as performance rising, skill, potential and traits improvement
along with information and knowledge in the person (Paradies, 2012). All these are required to
contain in every person to be competent and perfect. This report will be carried on Waitrose
limited, which is the leading of British supermarket, which forms the food retail division of
British largest-owned retailer. It is headquartered in Berkshire, England. This report will cover
the purpose of performance review and appraisal, technique to prepare and carry the appraisal
along with an analysis of suitable environment for conducting the appraisals. This report will
also put light on training techniques along with advantage and disadvantage of learning and
development. This report will also focus on reviewing an individual's learning and development.
Main body
1.1 The purpose of performance reviews and appraisals
Performance appraisal involves disciplinary reviews, which is used for variety of reasons.
Many company uses appraisal system to determine and evaluate their employee's performance
and know how to reward them and what measures or basis to give their remuneration and salary.
In layman language, performance appraisal is also referred to as part of review, evolution and
discussion is the method by which job performance of an employee is recorded and tested for
knowing the scope of future job role and position in the company (Trenerry, 2018). In context
with Waitrose, the purpose of performance appraisal or review has to be defined in this
organisation to make realize an employee their individual task and duty to gain business
competencies required along with accomplishing personal or professional goals and objectives.
For example: an employee who is performing below the expectation may not be removed, but
trained and developed them to get better and desired results. An assessment of an employee's
current performance, developing skill set and interest is also considered as purpose of
performance appraisals. Reduction in the workforce, based on individual performance is another
purpose of performance appraisal system. The another major purpose of performance appraisal
for Waitrose is to build employee trust and faith for the company to provide their equal and

accurate efforts towards company's operation, functioning, management along with achieving
their both personal and professional objectives. Performance review or appraisal has been
initiated to look at an employee's day to day work or find out common weaknesses to overcome
it by giving counselling, training & development for ensuring the higher future performance.
1.2 Explain techniques to prepare for and carry out appraisals
The technique of performance appraisal have to be clearly defined and measured for full
evaluation of the performance of an individual employee (Flavell, 2012). There are several
technique of the performance appraisal such as 360 degree appraisal etc. There is a technique for
appraisal preparing is as follow:
Preparing the performance appraisal: In context with Waitrose, the process of appraisal
preparation is as follow:
Setting objectives: Before starting the appraisal, it is crucial to set defined objective such
as what will be an accomplishment to achieve into the next year, how to measure the current
results of appraisal and what are the expectation from the future appraisal.
Review the past appraisal results: In this steps, employee's previous appraisal is taken
for the consideration and goals are to be set for conducting the future appraisal system. It says
that what purpose and goals have already met and what future goals to be achieved from the
achieve.
Proper tracking: In this third phase, the systematic tracking of future goals and targets
are from the performance appraisal are to be taken care for accomplishment.
SWOT analysis: This next step considers the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and
threat of an individual before or during the performance appraisal. It says that what are the
strengths are to be develop, what weaknesses are required to be overcome, what all opportunities
are to be entertain and what all threat are to be overcome. Waitrose must conduct brief SWOT
analysis of their each and every employee or team group to evaluate and enhance their potential.
Carrying the appraisal: After the preparation of appraisal, it is clearly identified that
360 degree appraisal is most suitable technique for conducting the appraisal of an employee for
defined time and duration. In this technique, employee is used to be evaluate by number of
person such as customer, suppliers, investor, stakeholder, colleagues along with their peer &
family person. Waitrose should use this technique to evaluate their employees behaviour and

performance for remuneration and increase their further performance & potential to achieve
defined personal & professional goals.
1.3 Provide a private environment in which to carry out appraisals
The performance appraisal is required to be conduct and carry out of the best suitable
manner. Before conducting the appraisal, it is important to consider every employee as an equal
and measurable entity for their performance development. Here, equality means when one
employee is similarly measurable to other worker on the basis of their actual potential,
performance, ability along with their current skills and competencies (Ladyshewsky, 2018). In
context with Waitrose, organisation need to conduct appraisal without considering any kind of
biases, age & gender discrimination, caste & creeds, favouritism, cultural difference, religious
factors etc. Such inequality can leads to the wrong appraisal of an employee with low and poor
performance. There are various laws and policies which are required to cover such as age
discrimination act, equal remuneration act, discrimination act etc. Such policies and procedures
are required to be considered while conducting to avoid any kind of informal practices with an
individual employee and person.
In context with Waitrose, an employer should consider these laws to avoid any kind of
biases and discrimination. It would be lead to clashes, conflict in this retailing company which
may result into ineffective productivity, loss of revenue, image and reputation of the company.
The environment for appraisal should be well-cultivated with friendly behaviour, brotherhood.
Equality along with support of each and every employee. Cultural change and improvement is
required on time to time basis to continue and manage the scope of performance appraisal. The
maintenance of private environment is required to
1.4 Carry out performance reviews and appraisals in accordance with organisational policies and
procedures
Organisational policy and procedure is designed to influence and determine all the major
decision along with actions and take place within the boundaries set by them. In context with
Waitrose limited, procedures are the specific method employed to express the policies in action
in day to day operation of an organisation. Organisation performance review is an effective tools
for reviewing the entire process of evaluation and performance measurement in an organisation.
The performance can be measured on the basis of an individual employee along with team
objectives.

1.5 Provide clear, specific and evidence-based feedback sensitively
Feedback occurs when outputs of a system are routed back as input as part of the chain of
cause and effect that forms a circuit or loop. In layman language, it is the kind of information
which is based on product and person performance of a task etc. which can be used for further
improvement. Feedback can be positive and negative. Some employees don't like feedback
because it may feel kind of nasty or insulting in front of others. For Waitrose, giving feedback
has is required to be done in controlled environment. Try to put a positive slant on it. Feedback
should be end with positive comment. The feedback must be clear, specific and based on facts
and evidence. Also, they have some sense in it before delivering. Constructive feedback is best
suitable for the Waitrose which says that all the receiver of the feedback has to solve their own
problem, treat people with the same way that you would expected to be treated, Be specific about
an appropriate feedback as well as be constructive along with offering the support, improvement
and development idea to the receiver of the feedback.
This would help Waitrose to raise employee's expectancy in their potential and ability to
perform in their roles & duties effectively and this concept of feedback is crucial to make realize
an ability and potential to perform at the higher level. In the past time, Waitrose has adopted the
policy of clear and cut feedback where they were used the policy where they used to take the
feedback on the basis of physical and valid evidence. This has been resulted in effective in the
business entities.
1.6 Agree future actions that are consistent with appraisal findings and identified development
needs
For the purpose of identifying the development needs, it is important for every employer
to take the corrective course of action. Action here we meant is the core steps and decision taken
to get future outcomes and goals (en Cate, 2015). For continuing the future appraisal and
identifying developing needs, it is necessary and required to take certain course of action such as
continuous evaluation, activities or tasks to find out the shortcomings and issues into the
performance, employee judgements etc. In context with Waitrose, there are various future
actions which can be taken such as post- performance evaluation technique. It is the organised
tool in which performance is evaluated just after the work or tasks completed. In this technique,
performance is required to be measured just prior to work or targets has been accomplished.
There are also other actions such as observation and analysing the past and present status of the

performance to identifying future development needs. Such observation can be done by rating
the existing performance of an employee individual in comparison to their past performance
which will show the consistency and continuity in the potential and decision making during the
job.
The performance is also evaluated on the basis of how person is able to take/pursue self
decision making during the job. If he is dependent, it means that his is not that much capable of
perform their work effectively. Hence, because of this, development need is required to find for
effective appraisal findings. These course of actions are suitable for Waitrose to get clear and
accurate development needs.
2.1 Describe training techniques that can be applied in the workplace
Training technique is the method to train and motivate an employee whether newly hired
or current incompetent employee. It helps an employee to enhance and increase their capabilities
and acquire new learnings, skills and knowledge (Svensson, 2016). Training helps an individual
employee to come up with an unique and innovative idea and concept, to meet targets at the
desired time duration. Training program is not compulsory for existing employee, but it is
necessary for newly hired employee's. There are two types of training: induction training and
refresher training. In context with Waitrose, induction training is given to their new employee to
make them comfortable and suitable for the organisation. In this, employer needs to welcome or
acknowledge new employee to make them feel comfortable regarding the job. For Waitrose
limited, there are two different types of training technique are as follows:
On the job training
Coaching: It is defined as continues learning along with handling the ongoing projects.
This will be best suitable for Waitrose because, it will provide practical and formal learning to an
employee along with exposure and knowledge for defined area of interest.
Job rotation: In this training, employee has to be move from one position to another for
acquiring the new skill, leaning and knowledge. In context with Waitrose, this training will help
employee to get knowledge and experience about other job roles and profile of an organisation.
Off the job training
Seminar/conferences: This is one of the informative training technique, when training &
development needs to be given to larger audience or gatherings. In this, training have to be given

by power-point presentation, video conference, knowledge through projector and along with case
studies by experts.
Vestibule training: In this training, employee's have to learn and gather knowledge on
tools, equipments or instruments which will help them to gain pre-knowledge and information
for actual working after the entire training & development process. Waitrose can use vestibule to
make aware their employee about their production , manufacturing or other operational process.
The finding was that training has been result as an important aspects in workplace with
which techniques of it and relevant is necessary to discuss to achieve organisational goals and
objectives.
2.2 Analyse the advantages and disadvantages of learning and development interventions and
methods
Learning & development is an ongoing process for every person. It provides up-to-date
exposure, knowledge and information to every working person (Brulin, 2017). In context with
Waitrose, learn & develop the abilities, potential and need is the continuous process, they
believed that development makes the person complete and are of clear and informative mind.
There are various methods of L&D such as self-awareness, coaching, mentoring, self-learner
which helps in making the learning more appropriate and knowledgeable. There are various
advantage and disadvantage of such intervention & methods in context with Waitrose is as
follow:
Using assessments: Self awareness will tends to be resultant in an effective management.
Assessment is helpful to inform the scope and requirement of future learning & development for
an individual employee or person. If self-awareness is here, an individual will learn more from
their mistakes or wrong doing in their life. This would realize their scope and need for learning
for the future scope. The negative points of self awareness is that an employee is always unaware
about their society, because actual learning always comes from peer, friends, colleagues etc.
Using coaching: The main advantage of coaching is that it will helpful in improving the
employee performance by providing the just in time advice to develop an awareness regarding
the awareness of management and its functions (Svensson and Brulin, 2016). It is helpful in
providing the timely tips to enable the focus attention on area to enhance the career and goal
development. The main disadvantage is the lack of complete inputs from the senior or
subordinates on relevant information.

Using mentoring: It enables an individual to gain useful experience and exposure on any
topic or matter. This enables the power of expression, interaction and ability to communicate
with others. Mentoring takes the team efforts and time to inspire an employee to build their
confidence and motivation to perform well in an organisation. The only main disadvantage of
mentoring is that it requires the long term plan and continuous look out for ensuring the long
term growth and development.
In context with Waitrose, self awareness and mentoring is best and suitable method for
learning and development process in this company. It has more and more benefits and advantage
for the future development of an organisation.
2.3 Explain organisational learning and development policies and resource availability.
There are various learning and development policies such as equal opportunities,
development scope of every individual employee, clear and measurable objectives, staff
development and career progression. L&D policy is required to enhance the scope and potential
for learning in an organisation (Highsmith, 2013). In context with Waitrose, it states that equal
opportunities should be promoted in context with development for everyone. Such opportunities
enables an individual motivation and confidence at their high level. It is also noticed that an
employee should be dedicated to his/her job and work to gain both personal and professional
development. L&D also needs an explanation about the direction and objectives of an
organisation. The policies says that objectives are required to be clear and measurable in respect
for performance of an employee. Also, the manager is required to directed towards the staff and
individual development. Coaching is policed towards the individual as well as group learning
along with the career progression. In context with Waitrose, company is required to enhance the
individual motivation and confidence to bring the improved development and performance of an
employee. Also, such policies are required to be followed by Waitrose limited to promote the
desire of an individual learning and developments (Lent, 2013).
2.4 Review individuals’ learning and development needs at regular intervals
Individual needs the learning and development at every stage and intervals of an
organisation (Morillas and Vila, 2012). When an employee is in growth stage, it is require for
him to take active part in the learning of an organisation. By reviewing the performance of an
individual at regular intervals helps an employee in knowing its drawbacks and opportunities.
This knowledge will help it in future to gain a competitive advantage among the other

employees. The performance of an individual is checked at the parameters of bad, average, good,
very good and excellent. The performance of the individual is checked on these basis and then
motivated or punished accordingly. The motivation level of employee working in Waitrose can
be increased by increasing the salary or incentive or allowing special priorities so that it can
enhance its specialities more to the context of organization. The employees which are not
performing good should also be motivated to perform better in future. It is justify that motivation
is required to enhance both individual learning at the regular intervals in an organisation.
2.5 Suggest learning and development opportunities and interventions that are likely to meet
individual and business needs
The learning opportunities are stated as below which are helpful for the development of
organization and individual.
Self-directed learning: It is a type of learning in which an individual learns from its
experience and past. In experience the success and failures are included through which an
employee is capable of finding the issues through which the failure occurred. This will help the
employee of Waitrose to fix the issue and then increasing its productivity to the organisation.
The opportunity for developing an individual so that it can meet the individual and business
needs is as follows:
Opportunity for promotion: When an employee is getting an opportunity for its
promotion than it will get to work for the organization (Paradies and Trenerry, 2012). In case of
Waitrose the employee is looking to a promotion, then automatically its working accuracy and
performance will increase. This will help the organization to meet their business needs.