Recruiting employees
In the competition to hire the best specialists and executives, our goal is to position METRO as an attractive employer and to attract qualified, talented people to our company. By training junior employees for the wholesale sector, we are able to develop leaders from our own ranks. At the same time, METRO is constantly exploring the market for motivated specialists in order to strengthen its own workforce and to make the best possible progress in the business.
Initial training at METRO
We assign great importance to the comprehensive, sustainable training of our employees in all national METRO subsidiaries and service companies. It allows us to make an important social contribution while our customers benefit from competent contact partners throughout the company. Prioritising needs-based vocational training allows us to hire a large portion of graduates at the end of the programme. In Germany, the company management and the Group Works Council have thus agreed that apprentices who complete the initial apprenticeship programme with a positive aptitude assessment will generally be offered permanent, full-time positions. The individual METRO companies in Germany have defined their own specific requirements and possible exceptions. The organisation and implementation of the initial apprenticeship programmes and the specification of their curricula are the responsibility of the companies. They offer various projects and programmes for their junior employees. For example, on 1 August 2019, 8 apprentices started at the METRO Campus in Düsseldorf, 6 of them at METRO-NOM and 1 apprentice each at METRO ADVERTISING and METRO Campus Services. In addition to the apprenticeship programme, it is also possible to complete a dual study programme that includes practical modules.
Talent development
In order to systematically develop our future executives from our own ranks, our initiatives and programmes are focused on our junior employees. Since 2014, METRO Wholesale has been offering the METRO Potentials Programme in all countries in which the sales line operates. The programme targets the best university graduates and young professionals worldwide with 2 to 3 years of work experience. During the 2-year trainee programme, the participants have an opportunity to expand their knowledge of our core business by participating in various hands-on projects. The trainees complete various stations in their own country and abroad as well as at the company’s headquarters in Düsseldorf. They are also mentored by a member of the respective country board who supports them as contact person and coach during that time. After completion of the programme and depending on availability and qualification, they can assume a management position, for example as store manager. But the career prospects go far beyond that, up to a position on the Management Board of the respective country. 11 trainees completed the programme in financial year 2018/19.
Employer brand and human resources marketing
In financial year 2018/19, we implemented various measures to position the METRO employer brand in a targeted manner. METRO offers interested applicants various opportunities to obtain information and establish contact via trade fairs, for example by attending the ”Absolventenkongress” in Cologne, as well as via social networks and in-house events. Moreover, this was the first time METRO contributed to the World Business Dialogue, the world’s largest voluntary student business conference. Interested students had the opportunity to interact with METRO in a ‘Creation Lab’ lasting several days, while working on the development of an integrated business plan for a ‘green restaurant’.
In addition to that 7 national subsidiaries, and for the first time METRO AG and METRO-NOM received the ‘Top Employer’ award in the reporting period. The Top Employers Institute certifies outstanding employee environments worldwide. At METRO AG, the wide range of offers and services for all employees was particularly rated positively: It ranges from an extensive training catalogue and development programmes such as MyRevolution or Invest-In-Me to kindergartens, the METRO Activity Centre and the home office agreement.