Progressive Grocer - April 2010 - (Page 14)

Best Practices Identifying trends to boost productivity The Employee Satisfaction, Productivity and Profit Connection SUPERVALU University's second installment of best practices education focuses on Performance Management, Staffing and Morale. By Sally A. Malchow, M.A. T his year, SUPERVALU University is working with Progressive Grocer to share insights from an organizational survey database of tested questions created to provide grocers with the information and tools to help identify trends that may be affecting productivity, employee morale and customer service. Since 2003, more than 14,000 employees from 278 individual grocery stores have taken the survey; 50 percent of the data is from 2008-2009, making it highly relevant in the current recessionary environment. all. And second, there is a direct correlation between how well stores score in these areas and how well they score in overall operations and profits. SUPERVALU University's organizational survey database supports several other studies that show a link between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction, productivity, and financial results. Performance Management tant to note that employees who felt underpaid did not link low compensation to their feelings about how well they were treated by their managers. These findings are also consistent with other national surveys that show employees are looking for more than just a paycheck. It is common for managers to overestimate how much of a motivator salary is for their employees. SUPERVALU University's organizational survey has a total of 12 categories. Per the bar graph (see Page 16), five of the 12 categories have been condensed under the heading of Merchandising. This series of research from independent retailers and best practice sharing begins with the analysis of the results from the Staffing, Performance Management and Morale c a t e go ri e s . Though they are closely related, we decided to start our analysis with these three categories for two other reasons. First, they are consistently the lowest-scoring areas, even for grocery retailers who have the highest scores on the organizational survey over14 • Progressive Grocer • April 2010 In the Performance Management category, survey ratings and comments centered on employee appreciation and respect, or lack thereof, by management. Employees of the highest-scoring stores said that they felt appreciated; their dedication and hard work were noticed, even if they felt they were underpaid. It is imporA H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T In this tough economic environment, owners and managers need to find creative ways to recognize and reward their employees. There are individual preferences and generational differences that dictate how people like to be appreciated, so it is vital for management to have candid discussions with their employees about expectations. For example, younger employees tend to appreciate flexible scheduling and opportunities for development, and older workers are looking for job security and benefits. One way to ensure you are addresswww.progressivegrocer.com http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - April 2010

Progressive Grocer - April 2010
Table of Contents
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/Spotlight: Baby Needs/Baby Powder
The Lempert Report: Ways to Improve the Nutrition Facts Panel
Best Practices: The Employee Satisfaction, Productivity and Profit Connection
State of the Industry Report: Looking Up, Cautiously
Store of the Month: Standing Ovation
GMA President’s Note: Tackling Obesity: A New Blueprint for Success
Natural Meat: Where Was the Beef?
Produce: Swinging Springtime Sales
Beverage Alcohol: The Case for Beer
Breakfast Foods: The Start of Something Big
Dairy: Probiotics in Dairy and Frozen: A Healthy Pursuit
Baby Care: The Dry Season
Pet Care and Supplies: Where the Margin Is
Case Study: King of the Jungle
Tech Toolbox: A Look at the Latest Solutions
Foodservice: No Strain, No Pain
Sustainability: Green Energy is Blooming
What’s Next: Editors’ Picks for Innovative Products

Progressive Grocer - April 2010