Developing the personnel function using Self Managed Learning – organizational change in a major retail company

The value of the programme has been enormous to the company in times of change and turbulence in markets. The principles of Self Managed Learning, such as using real work as a basis of learning, have underpinned a major change management programme for directors. The personnel function in Sainsbury's also had to respond to what was happening in the 'people' area in organizations in general. One report that we used to generate discussion on these issues was that published by the Institute of Personnel and Development in 1995, entitled People Make the Difference. The production of these measures was the focus of a team building event for Senior Managers who would be leading the function into the new way of working. The measures were later used to judge how effective the Self Managed Learning programme had been.