Kesko's Annual Report 2009

efficient implementation of concrete
development activities are of essential
importance.
The personnel survey also looks into
employees’ experience of equality in
terms of age, origin and gender. Equality
was considered to be good in every area
surveyed.
One of the key tools in efficient performance
management and the motivating
leadership of immediate superiors is
the performance and development review
whose implementation is included in the
personnel survey. 72% of the employees
have had a performance and development
review during the past year, and
rated their satisfaction with the review as
4.0 (on a scale of 1–5). Furthermore, the
performance assessment of the entire
Group’s key personnel was further
expanded in the companies.
Leadership skills and career progress
are supported by Kesko’s own three-step
superior and management training. Since
2004, Kesko has implemented a longterm
development programme for members
of the management and potential
management. There are some 200 participants
in the programme, whose purpose
is to ensure a sufficient supply of managerial
resources both in terms of quality
and quantity. In 2009, key employees
participated in the training supporting the
implementation of the work and productivity
programme.
Common training is complemented by
the chain’s own training programmes. The
building and home improvement sector’s
Master programme in international retail
management started in 2009 with the
purpose of standardising the implementation
of the sector’s concepts in all the
countries where the Group operates. In
Anttila and Kodin Ykkönen department
stores, 190 managers participated in
store-specific HR training. The aim was to
increase general competence in personnel
and employment issues, while specifying
and improving the efficiency of implementing
HR processes at everyday level.
Towards the best labour
productivity in the trading
sector
The key objective of the ongoing work and
productivity programme is to improve the
employees’ work productivity, for example
by focusing on the competence and wellbeing
of people and on better leadership.
The programme focuses on the development
of sales and customer service skills,
projects that promote wellbeing at work,
efficient management of working hours
and adapting the number of personnel to
the current market situation. The programme
also involves measures related to
increasing electronic communications. The
work and productivity programme applies
to all of Kesko and its chain stores.
As a result of the decline in consumer
demand, measures aimed at adjusting
the number and cost of staff were continued.
During the year, the Group’s staff
cost decreased by 7.4%.
Labour productivity has also improved
thanks to the adoption of different working
hour models and the systematic management
of working hours. For example,
Kesko’s year 2009
45
The Volkswagen Retail Sales Excellence
(RSE) is a sales management training
programme for sales managers in
Finland. The aim of the programme is
to improve sales profitability with the
help of tools supporting the training
of sales people and the sales process.
The RSE programme started in
VV-Auto’s own Volkswagen outlets in
2009 and will be expanded to cover
all Volkswagen dealers in Finland.