1)Explain the difference between training and development.

How have changes in customer

expectations affected Tesco and its need to train staff?
The main difference between training and development is that the first term refers more to the
acquisition of skills and knowledge, the way employees are capable to carry out specific tasks
related to the job they fulfill, while the latter term, development, refers to the methods and
means, which are offered by the company, so that the employee can grow, extend and maintain
their abilities. If in the training the biggest responsibility falls on the shoulders of the employees,
during the development phase we can notice a shared role and responsibility between the
company and the employee.
Tesco is aware that it needs motivated and adaptable staff, this is why it invests a lot in the
training and development programs. The positive feedback given to the employees will create an
atmosphere of confidence and trust which will be reflected in the employees behavior towards
customers. The employees are responsible for creating a bridge between customers and the
companys faade acknowledged by customers.
Tescos aim is to form the right people in order to have them at the right time and to have them
ready for any situation. Thus, Tesco needs a to have a well trained staff capable to adapt to
different areas and to fully understand customers profile.

2) List the methods of training carried out by Tesco. Describe how training needs are
Identified.
Tesco offers its employees two types of training: on-the-job training and off-the-job training. Onthe-job training (shadowing, coaching, mentoring, job-rotation or secondment) seems to be more
benefic for the company due to the fact that it is cheaper and the progress made by the employees
is directly observed by the manager or persons responsible to supervise the one during training.
The off-the-job training consists in individual presentations, skills acquired during team building
involving the employee into external programs conducted by professionals, thus more expensive
than on the job training.

Before employees begin their training and development, they have to identify the gaps in their
knowledge and skills. After this phase of identification of gaps, the necessary training
courses/programs are inserted in the Personal Development Plan. Together with line managers it
is decided how the gaps are going to be covered through training and development activities. In a
nutshell, Tesco offers employees with the possibility to develop the skills they need in order to
promote and to become better in their careers.

3) Analyse Tescos method of developing its employees. Consider the strengths and
weaknesses of such a programme.
I consider it to be a real opportunity to follow such a development. First of all I admire that it is a
progressive and long term plan through which the employee can develop gradually. It is well known that the
knowledge gained gradually remains more and becomes easier part of the trainee while the one gained through a
rush will remain just for several months, the knowledge gained through this second type of learning will be forgotten
to a great extent. I believe that the Learning Log has a key role in preserving and knowing the track which must be
followed. This way employees can follow easily the progress track. This way, the employees have an added value
for the company, they are positive, so their interaction with customers is a fruitful one for the company. Due to the
fact that Tesco aims at retaining its employees I believe that such a long term development path is suitable for a
company which created a brand and tradition. It is quite hard to see a possible weakness of such a program because
the text offers just a glimpse or just a description of how things are, but we do not see precisely how things occur. I
have in mind only just the image of the end of the year when the progress should be inserted into the Plan, Do,
Review program. If the employees do not have time during the year to properly consider their development phase
and have to rush at the end of the year, then all their strategic planning is not so concrete in the sense of the accuracy
of data inserted. I believe that such a program can have a benefic impact for the employee and company only if
continuous dedicated time is allocated for it, at least on a weekly basis.
4. Evaluate the benefits for Tesco in providing a structured training programme. To what
extent do you think the training has achieved a Return on Investment?
As it is said in the text, for Tesco is more convenient from a financial point of view to retain the trained
employees and not to hire new persons. Of course, growth of business and globalization are two factors which imply
a process or recruitment, but due to their training and development program I believe that the new employees will
gain in short time a common level of knowledge acceptable in order to operate their daily tasks with success.
I believe that through such a program, the company is able to have a competent staff, employees who are
ready to solve customers problems, concerns and demands. The personnel of a company reflects the possibility of

the business to offer certain services, thus a company cannot register success without investing on the long run into a
viable and stable training and development program.
I am certain that at least half of the investment made into the Human Resources of the company, because
investing into the people, the company invests in its image, its capacity to adapt to different situations or customers
profiles and also to be able to be present worldwide.
Investments always return in successful business and if we look at Tescos history, we would surely
conclude that the investment returned.