Marks & Spencer
Developing a long-running
strategy / Evolving a family-friendly strategy for a large and diverse
workforce
The company
Marks & Spencer is a major food, fashion and interiors high street
retailer with 347 stores around the world, including 333 in the UK.
| Turnover |
£8,135.4m |
| Pre-tax profit |
£335.9m |
* All figures are based on
the financial year ending 2002.
Workforce
No. of UK employees 60,000 (2002)
The problem
Marks & Spencer has been committed to work-life practices for
many years, valuing a balance between employee and customer needs.
The company believes in continuously
updating its policies and in creating innovative solutions for both
customers and staff. In order to remain an employer of choice it needs
to keep developing imaginative working practices.
Response
The process:
- Identity the requirement for a new policy
- Develop proposals with operators
- Consult with Business Involvement Groups (BIGs)
- Check practicability
- Launch new initiatives with an internal marketing
campaign (briefings, posters, flyers booklets, Intranet) reiterating
the company’s commitment to work-life
- Support and training are provided to ensure a consistent
approach
- Results measured via Marks & Spencer’s
twice years employee satisfaction survey, ‘The How Are We
Doing Survey’ and post-implementation surveys
Lifestyle Options:
Marks & Spencer’s raft of work-life initiatives, which exceeds
statutory requirements, consists of:
- Policies available to carers
- Policies to support community involvement
| For all employees |
|
| Flexible working patterns |
A range of options available |
| Career leave |
Employees who have completed two years' continuous
service may be entitled to up to 9 months’ leave |
| Domestic emergency leave |
Time off is available for domestic emergencies.
This may be paid or unpaid, depending on the situation |
| Welfare help line |
A team of trained employees are available
to listen and respond to employees’ concerns and problems |
| For parents |
|
| Enhanced maternity and adoption pay |
Employees with more than a year’s service
have a choice of two enhanced pay options |
| Enhanced paternity pay |
Two weeks’ paid paternity leave. |
| IVF |
Support during IVF treatment |
| Fostering |
Support and leave are available |
| Parental leave |
Entitlements are not limited to four weeks
per year |
| Child break scheme |
After 5 years’ service, both male and
female employees can take up to a 5-year break |
| Starting school |
Time off for parents to accompany their child
on their first day at primary school |
| For carers |
|
| Dependency leave |
Paid and unpaid leave to assist employees
who care for a sick family member |
| Dependency break |
Employees with 2 years’ continuous
service can take a break in service to cope with a long-term carer
need |
| For people
who help the community |
|
| Justice of the Peace / School governor |
Support available |
| Political appointments |
A break in service is available for potential
political candidates |
| Other public duties |
Support available |
Business benefits
- Greater productivity
- Bigger recruitment pool
“Displaying a commitment to work-life balance
widens the recruitment pool from which to find the best people and
helps to maintain employee commitment to the business. This in turn
realises savings in recruitment and training and increases productivity.”
The future
Marks & Spencer will continue to look at the needs of individual
employees, valuing difference rather than conformity, and to develop
policies which support this approach.
June 2003
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