Skills Story: Pret A Manger

Snapshot

Pret A Manger has succeeded in one of the most challenging aspects of learning and development (L&D): it can clearly and consistently demonstrate the return on investment (ROI) of its training in direct commercial terms. That includes not only the performance improvement from each training course, but the overall benefit to the business of excellent retention and progression. 

The organisation

Pret A Manger is a sandwich and organic coffee chain, commonly referred to as Pret and based in the United Kingdom. The first shop opened in London in 1986, where the company remains headquartered today. Pret’s sandwiches, salads and wraps are freshly handmade each day in shop kitchens using quality ingredients, and all coffees, teas and hot chocolates are organic. There are more than 700 Pret shops worldwide with 12,500 team members in 21 international markets.

The learning and development need

Pret’s recruitment ethos has long been based on behaviours rather than skills. It aims to find people with passion and commitment, who it can then train in the Pret culture and ways of working. It’s an approach that delivers tangible success, with impressive staff retention and excellent progression among its diverse talent pool – some 80% of the company’s general managers started as entry level team members.

The business provides intensive induction training, then offers different well-established pathways, subject to completing further training as well as on-the-job learning and performance. It uses a range of data, from sales figures to training uptake, to ensure the optimal outcomes, constantly reviewing its key performance indicators (KPIs) and learning offer against business needs. 

The skills approach

Pret’s approach stands out for its emphasis on quantifiable outcomes. The business has a clear idea of the performance levels it requires and is transparent about these with staff.

For instance, there are established expectations for speed of sandwich production or for the number of coffees a barista is likely to prepare in an hour. This in turn means performance can be assessed before and after training, to ascertain whether the training has delivered the right outcomes.

But the skills required are broader than simply food and drink preparation. Baristas have to learn about coffee origins and difference, so they can discuss products knowledgeably with customers – the outcomes of which may be tracked through customer satisfaction, mystery shoppers and feedback. 

All of the data is available to the general managers of each store, so they can see whether individuals need further support or training. At the centre, this combines to provide a clear picture of the total impact of barista training on speed of service, quality and customer satisfaction – exactly what Pret prides itself on. 

Further, the learning management system provides data on the training completed. Where an individual appears to be underperforming, the L&D team can access their training record and see if there are key opportunities to address this.

From the individual employee perspective meanwhile, there is clarity about what skills and behaviours the business expects of managers, so employees can work towards progression. In line with this, Pret has brought its apprenticeship programme in-house, so the content is tailored to business needs.

The impact so far 

The positive focus on ROI means that Pret’s L&D team can demonstrate the value of each training course and the overall programme. It can also track the impact at store level, supporting rewards for high achievers and enabling timely performance conversations where these are needed. 

More broadly, the evidence of the success of the skills approach is in the consistently high numbers of applicants for roles, the excellent retention figures and the impressive progression.

The leadership view 

The approach has been established within Pret for some time and is highly respected and trusted at leadership level.  

What’s next?  

Pret is currently reviewing its executive learning offer, to help define leadership expectations within the business and then provide the right support and KPIs to make leaders’ performance as accountable as the store teams.