directors giving the local branches the opportunity to interact with and influence Waitrose’s business leaders.
One of the principal advantages of the partnership model is that the business is able to benefit from the considered opinions of its employees. This bridges the gap that can exist in many companies between workers and management as the partnership structure is inherently democratic and relies upon the experiences and opinions of those throughout the company. This means that warehouse employees, delivery drivers, shop workers and café staff are all able to apply their day-to-day knowledge of every aspect of the business to a responsive and dynamic corporate structure and the structure is flexible enough to listen to them.
Living on an island, companies and organisations can occasionally feel isolated from their UK counterparts but this isn’t the case for Waitrose. The business model gives all branches the opportunity to have their say and not be separated by the body of water dividing the branches from their UK counterparts. We are not just another branch of Waitrose, we are part of the decision making process.
At a local branch level our Partner Voice team consists of a representative and a deputy from each section and branches have anywhere between 15 and 20 representatives in total. This group has the obligation to hold a minimum of four meetings per year, however most branches opt for a meeting every month. At this local level, Partners can influence what happens in their part of the business through their local Partner Voice. The objective of this is to make each regional branch of Waitrose a better place to work for the Partners and a better place for customers to shop. Partner Voice Representatives gather Partners’ views and opinions and represent them through regular meetings with the responsible manager. This makes the manager accountable for listening to Partner opinions, ideas, suggestions and challenges and ensures that, where possible, these are reflected in local decisions and local business plans.
All representatives are voted in by their team. Partners are encouraged to vote for those colleagues who they believe are best suited to represent their views.
Where decisions cannot be made or issues resolved at a local level, they are escalated to a forum where elected
representatives from across a region, or multiple locations, take responsibility for working alongside the responsible manager to understand and resolve common operational and business issues and gather Partner opinion and experience through feedback. Each branch has its own forum representative. In the Channel Islands, five Partners act as forum representatives.
I am the forum representative for the St Saviour Branch in Jersey. Being a member of the Partnership means sharing the responsibilities and rewards of running the business. Our Channel Island business is a testament to the longstanding beliefs and values that have shaped our company into the great co-owned business it is today. I am proud to be a part of this organisation.
Throughout all of the meetings, one of the main focuses is Principle One. Principle One of Waitrose’s constitution states that the Partnership’s ultimate purpose is the happiness of all of its members through their worthwhile and satisfying employment in a successful business. Because the Partnership is owned in trust for its members they share the responsibilities of ownership as well as its rewards - profit, knowledge and power. It was the Partnership’s founder, John Spedan Lewis’, belief that everyone within the company who contributes to its running, no matter how small, contributes to the success of the business. Freedom of speech is therefore guaranteed.
The freedom and democratic opportunities within the Partnership also extend to the business’ corporate social responsibility. Waitrose’s community initiatives – with the iconic green tokens and Partner volunteering – allow the Partners to become rooted within the community and support a plethora of local charities and organisations. Channel Island charities and good causes benefit from a total contribution of £60,000 each year from the five branches and this is all led by the Partners. They have the deciding vote on what we should support.
Waitrose is extremely proud of the level of service provided by all of its Partners. The Partnership’s main purpose is the happiness of its Partners and we believe that it is this happiness that translates into greater levels of customer service, responsible sourcing and pricing.
20/20 - Employee Ownership
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