UK regional forecourt retailer Sewell Group has entered the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work for league. Retail managing director Patrick Sewell reveals why and how Sewell stays ahead of the curve
Sewell Group, the Hull-based convenience and forecourt retailer, scored a double whammy when it entered the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For league this year for the first time – ranked 45th.
Not only is Sewell the only forecourt and convenience store operator in the ranking, it is the first business in Hull to have made the grade.
But for retail managing director, Patrick Sewell, the biggest win comes from the fact it was what Sewell’s employees said about the company that secured the position.
Patrick Sewell: we want our staff to feel recognised
“The best thing is that it was not voted for by an external panel or by us but by the people that work for us,” he says.
And no one was more surprised as the directors of the family-owned retail and construction business, established in 1876, were when Sewell made the final cut.
“We knew in the early stages that we were in the top 500,” says Sewell. “In some respects, we thought ‘we are a little, old company in Hull and nobody is going to think much about us’.”
Sewell’s staff does, however, and its candid assessments of the company, gauged via lengthy confidential questionnaires, helped put their employer up alongside big business heavyweights including Microsoft and Vodaphone.
Once the individual staff interviews had been completed, the company itself was audited, interviewed and assessed for its final ranking.
The rigorous assessment covered a raft of areas including leadership, wellbeing and the working environment, training and development and community involvement.
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Sewell scored highly for staff wellbeing |
Sewell scored highly in these subcategories too, being placed 6th overall for training and 17th for staff wellbeing.
On the training front, the company ticks the relevant boxes and then some.
It has linked up with local colleges to help access health & safety and manual handling training and relevant NVQs and, like other businesses, Sewell operates an appraisal process with personal development plans.
“There are opportunities there for every one of the employees,” says Sewell.
In addition, the company runs its own in-house group training sessions, often employing external speakers and encourages staff involvement.
Performance agreements are a unique initiative. These set out an individual’s expectations and aspirations but tie in with the business strategy. They have been agreed with most of Sewell’s senior managers and are now being rolled out across the organisation.
The vitality curve, another innovative concept geared to staff improvement, was launched a couple of years ago.
According to Sewell, this effectively groups staff in three echelons or tiers: A, B and C.
Around 10% of the employees will be A players, he says. The majority, 80%, will be B, while the bottom tier are C players. The aim of the game, says Sewell, is to change those C players or move them on effectively.
“If we launched that a year ago, then the bottom end of the Bs would now be Cs,” he says. “So our people are getting better and better – it’s been a big shaper in the business.”
According to Sewell, the concept has caught the staffs’ buy-in too.
Sewell partners with Total on the forecourt
“They know when they have a C player on the team and will report back to me if somebody is always turning up late for work, for instance.”
Sewell’s strong performance with regard to staff wellbeing, meanwhile, is reflected in its staff retention levels – its staff turnover is 21%, a respectable figure in retail.
A pay scheme that rewards employees on training and performance as well as length of service helps engender loyalty too.
“Our pay scheme rewards people that are loyal to the company, work really hard, are keen to take on training and other opportunities,” says Sewell.
Sewell Group is now seizing the opportunity the Sunday Times listing brings.
“We are milking things a little bit,” Sewell concedes. But rightly so. “That’s partly because we are very proud of it and we want our staff to feel recognised,” he says. “It is also a big opportunity for attracting new, local staff.”
In addition to coverage in the local press, a civic reception, attended by the Lord Mayor of Hull, has also been hosted in Sewell Group’s honour in recognition of the fact it is the first Hull company to feature in the top 100.
The ranking and noise around the achievement has also helped to drive traffic to the company’s newly designed web site and, in particular, the careers’ section.
That can only benefit the expanding retail business.
Sewell Group has doubled its retail chain in the last 18 months by acquiring six forecourt sites from Rix.
While the company’s supply partners are Total on fuel and Londis for grocery, the company is refurbishing and rebranding its 12-strong store estate to a smart new Sewell Retail fascia.
Sewell Group runs its own conventions with external presenters
“Following the acquisition we are rebranding the sites and we are about half way through,” says Sewell. “On the fuel side we are reliant on a strong oil company brand and Total are strong in this region. From a shop perspective, what Londis offers is very good and it has the expertise of 2,000 stores across the UK but ultimately we want to see the shop as being more Sewell with the localness of our offer and customer service.”
The Sewell offer is comprehensive and the company takes pride in its efficient and friendly customer service. Nine of the 12 sites offer 24-hour opening. There are free cash machines, PayPoint facilities and Wi-Fi on all sites. On the forecourt, meanwhile, Sewell operates multi jet wash centres and car washes.
The Lottery will be extended to all sites by the year-end. All of the stores have alcohol licences and eight of them are for 24-hours. Hot food is served on five sites and Lavazza coffee is available at all stores.
“It cost an arm and a leg but it is good quality coffee that gets people to come back again,” says Sewell.
Food-to-go will be a keystone in future development, he adds.
The company is upbeat although cautious of market conditions. Recent trading has been buoyant, says Sewell. “We are seeing some fabulous figures coming through. Providing what customers want seems to be working.
“We have had Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, interspersed with good weather and there was a longer lead into Easter, so quite a few positives.”
However, fluctuating oil prices mean consumers have made cutbacks and fuel is a big driver of sales.
“People realise they can economise and be more efficient about things,” says Sewell.
Future expansion is on the cards too, however. Sewell reveals the company has four planning applications on existing sites, two of which are already approved.
“We have a fair chunk to go at internally,” he says, “but I don’t see us sticking at 12. Our strategy is somewhere between 15 and 20 sites.”
In the meantime, the focus is on delivering consistency.
“We are starting to get a more consistent approach so that people start to recognise our name and brand,” says Sewell.
Ranked as one of Britain’s 100 Best Companies will certainly help achieve that goal.
New coffee offer and café area