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United States
Asda has enhanced its Armed Forces policies, giving reservist colleagues ten days of additional paid leave a year for training and service commitments, alongside new support for veterans, service leavers and cadet force volunteers. A signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant since 2014, the retailer says the move is about ensuring colleagues never have to choose between military service and building a career. James Goodman, Chief People Officer at Asda, explains what prompted the step up and what Armed Forces colleagues bring to the business.
James Goodman
Chief People Officer, Asda
Ten days of paid leave for reservists is a significant commitment - what does Asda hope it means in practice for colleagues balancing military service with their day job?
We want colleagues to know they don’t have to choose between their military service and building a career at Asda. The additional paid leave gives reservists the time and flexibility they need to complete training and fulfill their service commitments without worrying about using their annual leave.
We know reservists develop valuable skills such as leadership, resilience and teamwork, so this is about recognising their contribution and helping them succeed both in and outside the workplace.
What skills do Armed Forces colleagues bring to Asda, and where do they make the biggest difference?
Armed Forces colleagues bring a huge range of transferable skills to Asda such as leadership, resilience, teamwork and the ability to stay calm under pressure all of which are highly valued across our business.
We want colleagues to know they don’t have to choose between their military service and building a career at Asda. The additional paid leave gives reservists the time and flexibility they need to complete training and fulfill their service commitments without worrying about using their annual leave
We’re constantly challenging ourselves as a HR team too. Yes, we have processes that are necessary, but as soon as we've improved one, we go back around and ask what else we could slim down or remove. Our hire and onboarding processes are brilliant examples - three reviews over four years have saved 6,475 operational hours for our HR team, managers and colleagues every year.
