In the competition for the best skilled employees and execu- tives, we take steps that polish our image among potential applicants. To ensure that a targeted message is delivered to skilled employees and executives, we took an array of steps during the reporting period designed to sharpen our profile as an employer brand and to position METRO GROUP among relevant target groups.
At a central level, we collaborate with selected universities, colleges of applied sciences and student organisations as a way of recruiting the managers of tomorrow. As part of this work, we support the international association Enactus, which brings together about 60,000 students around the world. By contrib- uting funds and ideas, we play a role in the promotional pro- gramme Accounting Talents at the University of Münster, which recognises outstanding work performed by students in the areas of accounting and controlling. METRO GROUP also at- tends job fairs to tell students and college graduates about our company and the wide range of job-entry and career oppor- tunities it offers.
In 2012, METRO GROUP took another step that is designed to promote a direct dialogue with college students and graduates by initiating a partnership with the career network “careerloft”. In this programme, we support members by informing them about internships and job openings as well as offering mentors from our company. We also offer exclusive events organised in conjunction with our sales lines. One example of this activity is the METRO Cash & Carry Experience Day held in July 2013. Selected students were given far-reaching insights into the world of the METRO Cash & Carry sales line. The Experience Day included a company presentation, “speed-dating” conver- sations and a company-related case study. A tour of the Düs- seldorf wholesale store rounded off the day.
At the beginning of the reporting year, METRO GROUP also created a company profile in the XING social network. The page’s 1,418 members will be continuously informed about group news and job openings.
Our personnel marketing activities focus intensely on target groups. For this reason, we transfer responsibility for imple- menting personnel marketing campaigns to our sales lines and cross-divisional service companies. These organisations have the best understanding of their target groups and their needs and can take appropriate steps to reach them. In the process, we assist them by facilitating a cross-company and trans- national exchange of information. Using this system, project managers from the countries where the company does busi- ness and the individual sales lines regularly inform one another about current activities and potential synergies.
One example of personnel marketing undertaken by our sales lines are the occupational-selection events that Real offers at schools. The sales line also takes part in national campaign days like Girls’ Day and Boys’ Day: in reporting year 2013, about 450 young people took a look behind the scenes at the company for an entire day and had an oppor- tunity to learn about various training opportunities. To recruit young people, Real also takes advantage of a num- ber of other channels. These include broadcasting national radio spots in Germany, providing information about train- ing on own-brand products and adding content to the sales line’s Facebook page. During the reporting year, Media- Saturn also participated in Girls’ Day. The group of com- panies provided information in particular about the inter- esting and challenging technical jobs available in information technology (IT). For the third time, Galeria Kaufhof organ- ised Girls’ and Boys’ Day as a family day for the children and grandchildren of employees and their friends. In doing so, the sales line also expressed its admiration for families with children.
In addition, Galeria Kaufhof completely redesigned its online career page and let their employees speak on the sales line’s behalf – in videos, handwritten statements and accounts about work. The career page is also available as a mobile version with less content.
Employer of choice
Independent rankings confirm the appeal of METRO GROUP as an employer inside and outside Germany. For instance, a sur- vey of European students conducted by the European research institute trendence found that our company ranked among the
100 most attractive employers in Europe (75th place). The personnel policies of our company are recognised at the coun- try level as well. For instance, MAKRO Cash & Carry Belgium and MAKRO Cash & Carry Spain were named as top employers once again during the reporting year.
METRO GROUP – ANNUAL REPORT 2013 – BUSINESS
––––––––––––––––– COMBINED MANAGEMENT REPORT – 7. INNOVATION MANAGEMENT ––––––––––––––––– P.130
7.
Innovation management
As a retail and wholesale company, METRO GROUP does not make its own products and hence does not conduct research and development in the strict sense of the term.
Nonetheless, we do see ourselves faced with the challenge of addressing the structural changes occurring in the shopping behaviour of private and professional customers. The main drivers of these changes are the trends towards increasing digitalisation and enhanced mobility. These trends are not just shaping shopping behaviour. They are also influencing how customers inform themselves about products, services and deals and share this information with others. Against this backdrop – and to meet our customers' changing expectations of us – we have defined business innovation as a central subject area for our company. Our objective is to first ensure that our existing sales concepts remain relevant to private and profes- sional customers for years to come and continuously create added value for our customers. One example of this is the delivery service operated by METRO Cash & Carry. Secondly, we also intend to establish new sales concepts related to these trends. This includes the pure Internet sales channel operated by the Redcoon sales brand, in which Media-Saturn increased its stake to 100 per cent during the period under review.
––––––––––––––––You will find examples of the innovative products and services offered by our sales lines in the chapter “Strategic positioning of METRO GROUP” on pages 36 to 49.