Organisational Context
A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd was founded by Arthur and Harriet Blakemore and began life as a 350 sq ft, counter service store, located in Wolverhampton. Over the past century, under the stewardship of Arthur’s son Frank and grandson, Peter, the organisation has grown into one of the largest privately owned companies in the U.K.
A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd has a national customer base and is comprised of seven separate divisions – Tates retail stores, SPAR Distribution, Blakemore Logistics, Blakemore Wholesale, Blakemore Food Service, Blakemore Fresh Foods and Complete Shopfitting Ltd.
The company’s success has been built upon a distinct culture focussed upon positive and friendly relations with staff, customers and the communities it serves. This is outlined in the company’s values statement, The Blakemore Way, which ensures that the long-standing values of the Blakemore family will continue to drive the company’s growth for the new century.
Desired Business Outcomes
A.F. Blakemore has expanded rapidly over the past 20-years and has a clear growth strategy for the future. An integral element of this business plan is that the core values that have defined the company’s culture will be maintained as A.F. Blakemore opens new premises and moves into new trading areas.
Growing You, their performance management system, was introduced at the start of 2010 and has been built around the values highlighted in the Blakemore Way. Their system includes a self-assessment, built around a competency framework, which outlines the expected behaviours required for employees at all levels. Employees are given a greater understanding of what departments are trying to achieve, in line with the company strategy, and personal development plans are agreed to help individuals, departments and succeed in the future.
As CR is a relatively new profession, the company wanted to ensure that their CR specialists were being appropriately assessed by Growing You.
