Welcome to our Partnership...2018/01/09 · Silk Room, John Lewis circa 1900s Welcome to the Partnership 4 The Partnership exists today because of the extraordinary vision and ideals

John Lewis Partnership

Welcome to our PartnershipInformation for new Partners

2Welcome to the Partnership

Congratulations 3Spedan’s extraordinary vision 4Welcome to the Partnership 7A unique history 8And the future is online and instore 10A different way to do business 12Our democracy: the power 12The benefits of ownership: the profit 14Open communication: the knowledge 14

Where do you work? 16Our Waitrose brand 18Our John Lewis brand 19The role of Group 20A guide to Business Dress 21Essential information at your finger tips 21Space for your personal notes 22Before your first day: a simple checklist 23

Contents


CongratulationsCongratulations on becoming a Partner in the John Lewis Partnership, the UK’s largest co-owned business and one of the most successful retailers on the high street.

This booklet will help you understand what you need to do and learn between now and the first day in your new job.

It is important you take time to read and understand the information in this booklet. It will mean we can focus on making you feel comfortable in your new surroundings and help you get to know some of your new colleagues.

On the inside back cover of this booklet (page 23) there is a checklist that you can use to make sure you’ve done everything we need you to do before your first day.

Good luck, and we look forward to meeting you.

i Information at your fingertipsAccess our dedicated ‘new starter’ mobile website whenever and wherever you like. It gives you access to information that you will find useful before you join us on your first day.

For more information, go to page 21.

Silk Room, John Lewiscirca 1900s

Welcome to the Partnership4

The Partnership exists today because of the extraordinary vision and ideals of its founder, John Spedan Lewis. In an era when workers had few rights and little influence, Spedan’s approach was eyed by other employers with suspicion and even seen as a threat to their authority. He realised that if a company paid attention to its workers’ wellbeing and opinions, it could have the foundation of a supremely successful organisation.

Spedan believed an ‘industrial democracy’, where employees shared knowledge, power and profit, was a better form of business. He also realised that a company should act responsibly towards its customers, suppliers and the environment - a concept that many companies now embrace as Group social responsibility.

Today, the John Lewis Partnership is a thriving, modern and innovative business that owes much of its success to Spedan’s vision and principles which are as relevant today as they were when they were written over 80 years ago.

You are now part of Spedan’s Partnership, sharing the responsibilities and rewards of being a co-owner in one of the UK’s largest and most successful retail companies.

Spedan’s extraordinary

vision

John Spedan Lewis 1904 aged 19

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Silk Room, John Lewiscirca 1900s

Welcome to the Partnership

John Lewis Oxford Street Circa 1900

Did you know that...John Lewis senior was not the founder of the Partnership; it was in fact his son, John Spedan Lewis, who created it when he inherited the business from his father. For more information about today’s Partnership, scan the QR code (right) using a smartphone or tablet to link to our John Lewis Partnership website or visit: johnlewispartnership.co.uk

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The first John Lewis shopJohn Lewis senior opened his first shop on London’s Oxford Street in 1864. It was initially a drapers selling dress fabrics, but as the shop expanded, it stocked an ever more diverse range of products and by the 1900s it was a true ‘department store’.

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John Lewis senior 1895


Charlie MayfieldChairman, John Lewis Partnership

The Partnership’s fifth Chairman, Charlie Mayfield, welcomes you to the Partnership and explains how Partners are at the heart of everything we do, making us a unique business that is the envy of many other retailers and employers.

The Chairman’s roleThe Chairman has personal responsibility for ensuring that the Partnership retains its distinctive character and democratic vitality. He is ultimately accountable for the Partnership’s commercial performance and is responsible for developing a business strategy which ensures the long-term sustainability of the Partnership in a competitive environment.

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Since Spedan Lewis founded the Partnership in 1920, there have only been four other Chairmen. The average length of service of a company head in the UK is 6 years, so we are very proud of our track record. This gives us a powerful competitive advantage because we can afford to take a longer term approach to the way we grow our business. This is particularly important during times of financial hardship or even recession.


Our business had a unique and revolutionary beginning and, although the Partnership was one man’s vision, we owe all of our success to every Partner, past and present. And because all current Partners are co-owners in the business they are at the heart of everything we do, this is what makes us unique and the envy of many other retailers and employers.

Now that you are a co-owner we will expect you to be more committed and responsible than just a regular employee; in return you can expect significant rewards, both financial and in the form of other benefits, that are unique to the Partnership.

The Partnership is a fast growing and successful business, but the retail world continues to develop and change at

a daunting pace. For example, new technology allows our customers to decide when and where they shop with us, either in one of our shops, online or using a mobile device. To maintain our customers’ loyalty we must continue to use Partners’ expertise to deliver exactly what they want, when they want it, in both John Lewis and Waitrose. However, as we expand and diversify we must always remember that our customers also expect outstanding service every time they shop with us, and we must continue to exceed their expectations at every opportunity.

All of our employees are co-owners so we don’t have any external shareholders who may have different interests to Partners. This means we have greater freedom to make better business decisions and

financial investments that will give good returns in the long-term. The profits we make are shared with Partners, and provide the funds to invest directly back into the business for the future. Being a co-owner you too will benefit from this profit by receiving an annual Partnership bonus. This is why we ask all new Partners to go through Earning Membership.

The Partnership is a large organisation offering a wide range of jobs across many locations in the UK and abroad. I hope you enjoy your career with us, however long that is, and the rewards of being a Partner.

Charlie MayfieldChairman, John Lewis Partnership

Welcome tothe Partnership

Spedan Lewis1920 - 1955

Sir Bernard Miller1955 - 1972

Peter Lewis1972 - 1993

Sir Stuart Hampson1993 - 2007

Previous Chairmen


Spedan’s inspirationThe Partnership’s Founder, John Spedan Lewis, was born in 1885 the son of John Lewis a draper who owned a shop on Oxford Street, in London. At 19, Spedan entered his father’s business and at 21 was given a quarter share of the Oxford Street shop, valued at £50,000. Spedan was uneasy that he, his brother and his father were receiving £26,000 a year from the business and their 300 employees put together were only receiving £16,000 in total.

In 1909, Spedan was badly injured in a riding accident. He spent the following two years recovering and it was during his recuperation that he started thinking about a different and fairer way of running a business, where the workers shared in the success of the business and had a say in how it was run. These thoughts formed his intial ideas for the Partnership.

He didn’t have to wait long before he was given the opportunity to try out his new ideas. In 1905, his father had purchased Peter Jones in Sloane Square, London, and, in 1916, with that business making a loss, Spedan exchanged the share he had in his father’s Oxford Street shop for overall control at Peter Jones.

Putting his ideas into practiceAlmost immediately, Spedan set about increasing wages, improving working conditions and giving employees an additional week’s paid holiday. His first move in establishing a democracy was to set up ‘Committees for Communication’ where staff could report on issues and suggest improvements in their departments. Spedan also created the first ‘Council’ where buyers and managers could also influence the business. By 1920, Peter Jones was making a profit and that same year the first ‘Partnership bonus’ was paid to workers in the form of shares. In 1928, Spedan wrote the Consititution in which he set out clear guidelines for creating a ‘better form of business’. This included ‘Principle 1’ that says that ‘The ultimate purpose of the Partnership is the happiness of all its members, through their worthwhile and satisfying employment in a successful business’.

On 18 April 1929, Spedan took a monumental step and signed the First Trust Settlement, transferring his shares in the company to a board of trustees on behalf of Partners. 21 years later, Spedan signed the Second Trust Settlement effectively giving the Partnership to the people who work in it; this transferred all his remaining shares and his ultimate control over to the trustees.

1864 Spedan’s father, John Lewis, opens a small drapers shop in Oxford Street

1885 Spedan Lewis, founder of the John Lewis Partnership, is born

1905 John Lewis buys his second shop called Peter Jones in Sloane Square, London

1916Spedan takes over complete control of Peter Jones from his father, John Lewis

1928John Lewis dies, Spedan takes control and publishes the first Consititution

1929The First Trust Settlement is signed, making the Partnership legal

1937The Partnership acquires 10 Waitrose shops from Wallace Waite and Arthur Rose

A unique history

Partnership timeline


A growing partnershipIn the 1930s, the Partnership grew beyond London and acquired Waitrose, a grocery chain with, according to Spedan, ‘a high reputation not only for the quality of its goods but also for the way in which it has been built up’. At the time of purchase, Waitrose had 10 branches in London and the Home Counties. In 1940, despite the outbreak of the Second World War, Spedan made a strategic move by buying Selfridges Provincial Stores which added a further 15 shops to his department store portfolio, including shops in Liverpool, Sheffield, Cambridge, Reading, Watford and Windsor.

After the War, Spedan continued to grow the Partnership until, in 1955, he retired after 50 years’ service. Since then, both John Lewis and Waitrose have continued to expand, evolving to meet current trends and retail developments, for example self-service supermarkets in the 1950s, the introduction of the first electronic tills into department stores in the 1970s and the opening of a John Lewis and Waitrose in the country’s first dedicated shopping centre at Brent Cross in 1976. Many more Waitrose and John Lewis shops opened in the 1980s and 1990s as the Partnership continued to attract an increasing number of loyal customers.

Moving with the timesIn the early 2000s, new pioneering ways to meet customers’ needs were on the horizon. The Partnership decided to invest heavily in online retailing, realising its huge potential before many of its competitors. John Lewis aquired buy.com, which evolved into johnlewis.com, and Waitrose entered into a long-term commercial agreement with Ocado to supply Waitrose products from their website. Waitrose started their own direct service in 2009, when WaitroseDeliver was launched. The Partnership continues to take advantage of new technology by introducing mobile websites, apps for smartphones and by using powerful social networking sites to communicate with customers.

New shop formats, including John Lewis at Home and Little Waitrose, give the Partnership access to smaller retail sites, while considerable investment continues in our existing shops to ensure they include the latest advances in retail thinking.

The Partnership began as an organisation ahead of its time, and it has continued to embrace inspiration and innovation to become one of the best loved brands in the UK. We’re sure that Spedan Lewis would be extremely proud of how the Partnership has flourished in the spirit of his legacy.

1950The Second Trust Settlement is signed, effectively giving control to Partners

1955Spedan retires, and the first purpose built Waitrose supermarket opens in Streatham

1976Waitrose and John Lewis open shops in the UK’s first shopping centre at Brent Cross

2009John Lewis opens its first ‘at home’ shop in Poole, Dorset

2009Partnership Services division is created to support both trading divisions

2001John Lewis aquires buy.com which later that year becomes johnlewis.com

2011Waitrose opens five new shops in the Channel Islands

Sloane Square 1900Peter Jones on the right


The future of retail is already hereBoth John Lewis and Waitrose were pioneers of online retailing, quickly realising that far from being a threat to the high street, having an online presence would, in fact, complement our shops. Our websites offer customers an additional and more flexible way to shop with us at any time, day or night. Customers who shop with us across more than one ‘channel’ - for example, looking at a product in a shop, or browsing in a catalogue, and then buying online - are called ‘omni-channel’ customers. We know that omni-channel customers spend more of their money with us every year than customers who only shop online or in one of our shops.

To find out more about our websites, why don’t you visit them before your first day and have a look around? You’ll find lots of information about the products and services that we offer both online and in our shops*.

� johnlewis.com � waitrose.com � johnlewispartnership.co.uk

John Lewis and Waitrose working togetherJohn Lewis’ Click & Collect service, where customers buy online and collect in a shop the following day, is now available for delivery to many Waitrose branches across the UK. This unique service has been a remarkable success for both divisions; customers love the ability to collect their johnlewis.com shopping from their local Waitrose and Waitrose benefits when customers collect their purchases and stay to do their weekly shop.

Social mediaThe internet is not just a great place to sell our products and services. We are now using popular social network sites, for example Facebook and Twitter, to get closer to our customers.

These websites allow customers to communicate directly with us from the

comfort of their own home, giving us instant and real time feedback on a range of subjects, including our products and services, new shop openings and our online and TV advertising campaigns.

Mobile appsBoth Waitrose and John Lewis have mobile apps, each offering customers a range of relevant and convenient features to help keep them up to date with their products and services.

The Waitrose app includes the latest tempting offers, delicious recipes and recipe cards and a ‘cook’s tools’ section. This provides you with lots of useful hints, tips, techniques and even video clips to help you cook to perfection.

The John Lewis app allows customers to use our free wi-fi available in all shops to search for products or scan them - using the smartphone’s internal camera - for more information, including price. You can even make purchases on the move from the palm of your hand - from almost anywhere in the world!

Both apps allow customers to locate their nearest Waitrose or John Lewis shop. To download the apps, visit our websites and follow the links or search using your smartphone.

And the future is

Online and instore

ShopsShops are located in high streets, shopping centres and retail parks across the UK

OnlineOnline shopping is growing in popularity every year. Visit:johnlewis.comwaitrose.com

MobileDownload the app from the app store

Contact CentresCall Centres take orders by phone.

DeIiverWe have a range of flexible delivery options for both john Lewis and Waitrose - go online to find our more....

What is omni-channel?

CataloguesPick up a copy in a shop. Some customers still love to browse a catalogue!

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John Lewis’ Click & Collect serviceavailable at John Lewis and Waitrose

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* Many Partners use social media such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs to talk about their lives and interests and of course we respect your right to do so.

However, it’s important that you know that even the most casual comment about the Partnership can affect how people view us. Please remember, we do

monitor online activity about our business. For more information about our social media guidlines, please refer to page 40 and 41 in the Partner Handbook.

johnlewis.com johnlewispartnership.co.ukwaitrose.com

Our websites

Scan this QR code using a smartphone to visit waitrose.com

Scan this QR code using a smartphone to visit johnlewis.com

Scan this QR code using a smartphone to visit johnlewispartnership.co.uk

Scan this QR code using a smartphone to visit partnerchoice.co.uk

partnerchoice.co.uk

You Tube � youtube.com/waitrose � youtube.com/johnlewisretail

Facebook � facebook.com/waitrose � johnlewis.com/facebook

Twitter � twitter.com/waitrose � johnlewis.com/twitter

Scan this QR code using a smartphone to visit the Waitrose YouTube page.

Scan this QR code using a smartphone to visit the John Lewis YouTube page.

Scan this QR code using a smartphone to visit the Waitrose Facebook page.

Scan this QR code using a smartphone to visit the Waitrose Twitter page.

Scan this QR code using a smartphone to visit the John Lewis Facebook page.

Scan this QR code using a smartphone to visit the John Lewis Twitter page.

WaitroseQR code

John LewisQR code

WaitroseQR code

WaitroseQR code

John LewisQR code

John LewisQR code

Websites and social media

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A different way to do businessThe First PrincipleSpedan Lewis wrote in the Constitution that “The Partnership’s ultimate purpose is the happiness of all its members through their worthwhile and satisfying employment in a successful business.”

He then went on to write that “Because the Partnership is owned in trust for its members, they share the responsibilities of ownership as well as its rewards - profit, knowledge and power”.

It puts the happiness of Partners at the heart of how we operate, and empowers individuals to get involved and share responsibility for the business.

But the Constitution was written over 80 years ago, so how does Principle 1 work in today’s modern Partnership?

Our democracy: The powerOne of the key differences between the John Lewis Partnership and other companies is that we are all co-owners; we share responsibility for the success of our business and influence what happens by voicing our views and opinions.

There are many different ways to do this. At its simplest, we encourage you to talk to your manager and colleagues on a daily basis about what is going well in your department and discuss any ideas you might have to make improvements.

However, we also have a more formal democratic structure, which is made up of elected groups of Partners at all levels of the business.

These elected Partners will represent your views and engage with senior managers on your behalf. An overview of this structure is shown on the opposite page.

The profit, the knowledge, the power

The Partnership democracy in actionMembers of the Partnership Council vote on key decisions

The Partnership Aims (left) set the direction for the Partnership’s business strategy and how we will achieve Principle 1 in the next 3 to 5 years. The Aims identify how we will compete, what behaviours are required and how we will judge success.

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Our unique democratic structure

Partner’s opinion of the democracyAs Partners we get a real insight into business issues that senior managers are dealing with, and a chance to challenge and influence their decisions at council meetings. I love seeing Partners exchange their views about issues that matter to them. I’ve never been given the opportunity to have such a say in the other companies I’ve worked for in my career. I’d love to be a Partnership Councillor one day!

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Our democracy

Representative Body FocusEngages with...

Partnership StrategyTopics of relevance to Partners across all areas of the Partnership

Feedback

Partnership Council

Partnership Board

Divisional Strategy Topics of relevance to Partners across all areas of the division

Divisional Councils

Divisional Managing Director

Divisional Management Board

Operational Aims/ Business PlanTopics of relevance to Partners across all Forum Constituencies

Forums

The Chairman

Senior leader of region or function

Local Operational Aims Topics of relevance to Partners across all PartnerVoice constituencies

PartnerVoiceLocal leader of business unit or function

Partners / Constituents

Immediate managers, Partners and

PartnerVoice Reps/Deps

Work together to identify and implement solutions to area-specific concerns wherever possible.

Partner Opinion

Partnership’s Governing Authority


Partnership Clubs & SocietiesThe Partnership offers lots of opportunities to try something new

The benefits of ownership: The profit

The most tangible advantage of being a Partner is the annual Partnership Bonus, when we distribute a proportion of profits equally to Partners as a percentage of salary. But the Partnership has always believed that there is more to a job than just work and pay.

So, on top of your pay and annual bonus, you can expect to receive an extensive range of market-leading financial benefits.

These include: � Pension (final salary) � Discount in our shops (25% in

John Lewis shops* and 15% in Waitrose supermarkets*)

� Life assurance, worth 3 times your salary � Subsidised food � Access to any of our holiday centres

located across the country

� Membership of a wide variety of clubs and societies, including golf, sailing, music and art

� Subsidy for concerts, sporting events and further education

� Discounts on holidays, restaurants and theme parks

� Savings on insurance, healthcare and even driving lessons.

In fact, there is too much to list here, so have a look in your PartnerChoice booklet that you received with this pack.

Open communication: The knowledge

The GazetteThe Gazette keeps Partners informed about business developments and plays an important role in promoting our unique democracy. It was set up by our Founder to communicate news to Partners and give them a forum for airing their views.

To this day, Partners can write to the Gazette anonymously, if they choose, about any subject or issue and expect a reply.

Your VoiceThe Your Voice programme of activity was launched across the business in 2017. Making its debut with the annual Principle 1 survey, the programme has been designed as a way of effectively gathering Partner opinion to help Partners make their voices heard as the business moves towards 2028.

We also run a series of shorter Pulse surveys on a wide range of Partnership topics. The results are used to influence decision-making and help shape the future at a divisional and Partnership-level.

* there are some exceptions to discount rates

The Gazette is the ‘national newspaper’ of the Partnership. Its news pages, analysis and features allow Partners to take the temperature of the business in an entertaining, engaging and useful way.

The Gazette Online and in print weekly


Where are our holiday centres located?The Partnership owns five holiday centres. They are: Ambleside Park in the Lake District, Bala Lake Hotel in Wales, Brownsea Castle in Dorset, Leckford Estate in Hampshire and the Odney Club in Berkshire. We also have Partnership caravans across the UK that Partners can hire.

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Ambleside Lake District

Brownsea CastleBrownsea Island, Dorset

Bala Lake HotelWales

John LewisJohn Lewis owns 50 shops, about a quarter of which are ‘John Lewis at home’ shops that offer a selected range of our home and electrical and home technology products. johnlewis.com was launched in 2001 and now accounts for about a quarter of the division’s annual income. John Lewis is actively looking for opportunities to open more ‘at home’ shops and has plans to build several new full line and smaller format department stores in key locations around the UK and Ireland. John Lewis’ head office is in Victoria, London.

WaitroseWaitrose owns over 370 shops and is constantly expanding into new areas across the UK. In addition to large traditional supermarkets Waitrose also has other formats to cater for as many locations and customer types as possible. These include Waitrose Convenience Stores that focus on ‘Food for Now and the next 48 hours’. We have Waitrose shops in Welcome Break service stations and Shell petrol garages. waitrose.com offers customers an online shopping service that includes free delivery from over 150 shops. Waitrose’s head office is located in Bracknell, Berkshire.

Group To support both trading divisions, we have another important part to our business: Group Services. For more information about this area and the work it does, turn to page 20 in this booklet.

Other areas of the businessWe also employ Partners to work in our own holiday centres located across the UK and on our farm, called Leckford, producing food for Waitrose.

The Partnership overseasIn addition to shops in the UK, Waitrose has a licensing agreement to open Waitrose branded shops in the United Arab Emirates. The first was opened in the Dubai Mall in 2008. Since then, stores have opened at the Marina Mall, Dubai in 2009, at Amwaj Island, Bahrain in 2011 and Saar, Bahrain in 2012.

John Lewis has also extended its reach overseas, by offering international customers the ability to shop online at johnlewis.com and have their products delivered directly to over 33 countries worldwide. We also have a product sourcing office in Dehli, India and Hong Kong, China.

Where do you work?The John Lewis Partnership is one of the UK’s leading retail businesses. It is split into two trading divisions: John Lewis and Waitrose and a supporting division, Group.

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Distribution

Holiday centres

Herbert Parkinson

Head offices


John LewisDepartment stores

Group

John Lewis at home

Waitrose Food & Home

Farms and production

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Waitrose



Our Waitrose brand

The Waitrose brandOur vision is to be loved and trusted for helping people enjoy great food every day. We are committed to selling the best quality food and we are proud of our reputation as a business that customers can trust to give them great fresh products and the best service. Our shops offer a calm, clean and uncluttered environment with tidy, well organised presentation and layouts.

Our serviceWaitrose is known for delivering very high standards of customer service. This is because our Partners continuously strive to give the best service to our customers every day. We always encourage a ‘can do’ attitude, assertive behaviour and the use of positive language. During your induction you will be introduced to our core set of customer service standards which allow us to consistently deliver a level of service that exceeds our customers’ expectations.

Our productsWaitrose believe that few things in life are more important than the food we buy for ourselves and our families. Our Partners work with the best producers and growers and have built a reputation on the freshness,

quality, safety and provenance of the food we sell. This means we work with our suppliers to know where our products come from, how they are produced and what they contain.

Our pricesWe offer a range of products to suit all of our customers and just because we have an enviable reputation for the quality of our food, doesn’t mean we are more expensive than any of our competitors. In fact, we check thousands of every day products each week, including many well known

Our vision is to be loved and trusted for helping people enjoy great food every day. We are committed to selling the best quality food and we are proud of our reputation as a business that customers can trust to give them great fresh products and the best service.

brands to make sure our customers and our Partners are getting consistently good value for money. Our price commitment is to offer quality food that is honestly priced.

Our valueOur ‘essential Waitrose’ range is a carefully selected assortment of everyday food and groceries with the quality customers expect from Waitrose, but at an affordable price. The range, which includes 1,500 lines, gives customers confidence and visibility of Waitrose’s everyday items by using clear branding to help them identify these products on the shelf.

little Waitrose store


Our brand

The John Lewis brandAs a omni-channel retailer we believe that success comes from making our customers happy. Our customers already come to John Lewis at the big moments in life: going to school or university, getting married, setting up home.

That speaks volumes for the trust they have in us. But we can always do more: come up with great new ideas, inspire customers to think differently, make their lives easier, continually surprise and delight them.

If we can do that our customers will both trust us and love to spend time with us. Some retailers compromise on quality, price or service. Because we are independent (this is our business) we can be different. And we are.

We believe in a better form of business and we are unwilling to compromise on quality, on price and on service. It’s what we mean when we say ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’. John Lewis is more than a shop to us. We’d like it to be more than a shop to our customers. More like a partner. Trusted and loved, a partner through life.

What this means for our customersOur ambition is to be the most trusted retailer where customers love to shop. The essence of our brand is to be the customer’s partner through life. Our success depends on the long term relationships we build with each and every customer. Trust and love are at the heart of the John Lewis brand.

They are the keys to the unique John Lewis personality and behaviour.

Everything we do must reinforce customers’ trust. But we also add a stylish, personal element that inspires their love and creates a distinctive experience that nurtures an enduring relationship with them.

The John Lewis commitment: Never Knowingly UndersoldAt the heart of our brand is our lifelong commitment to be Never Knowingly Undersold, on quality, price and service. It’s a commitment that’s as important today as when we first introduced it in 1925, and remains as one of the most recognised straplines in our customers’ consciousness.

However, Never Knowingly Undersold is about much more than competitive pricing. It’s about all those extra things that are worth so much, such as service, confidence in quality, responsible sourcing and the highest standards of impartial advice.

When all of this works together, it leads us to our desired benefit: customer happiness.

We believe in a better form of business and we are unwilling to compromise on quality, on price and on service. It’s what we mean when we say ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’.

John Lewis Stratford

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GroupWho makes up GroupGroup is made up of a wide range of Partners and departments which provide direction and support to the whole business. Group is made up of the following directorates: Chairman’s office, Communications, Finance, Legal Services and Company Secretary, Partners’ Counsellor, Personnel, Property Services, Business Strategy, Registry and Residential Clubs.

Where are we basedThe largest population of Group Partners work in Partnership House in Victoria, central London but we also have Partners based in Bracknell and in John Lewis and Waitrose branches and hotels across the country.

What is our roleOur work is characterised in three ways:• direction and assurance;• quality services and advice;• sharing benefits.Here are some practical examples of how Group Partners guide and support the rest of the business:

� Group teams from Strategy, Finance, Communications and the Chairman’s Office work closely with the Chairman to help develop and communicate the Partnership strategy

� The Partnership Council office arranges Partnership Council meetings and elections to enable the elected Partnership Councillors to put forward their Partners’ opinions and successfully influence important decisions

� Group Finance oversees the Partnership’s financial strategy to ensure the long-term strength and stability of the business

� The Communications Directorate produces the weekly Gazette, manages the intranet to keep Partners informed about our business and

manages the Partnership’s relationship with the media and politicians

� All members of Registry are Group Partners. Registry includes Partner Assurance, Democratic Engagement, Insight and Partner Support. It provides confidential, impartial help and advice to all Partners throughout the business.

� Group Personnel set out the policies and experiences which shape what it means to be a Partner. The Pension Office administers the pensions for every Partner.

� Group teams play many roles that help new John Lewis and Waitrose stores to be built, from the Legal Partners who arrange contracts and planning permission to the Property Services Partners who project manage their construction and fitting out

� The customer database run by Business Information helps us to understand how our customers spend their money and what we can do to encourage them to shop with us more

There are an additional 4 main areas covered by Group.

FinanceGroup is responsible for paying every Partner, so they process the payroll and additional expenses for everyone. They also process invoices and Partners’ travel requests. The finance team play a key role in looking for ways to increase efficiency in our finance systems and use business intelligence to improve how we operate.

Procurement The Procurement team provide the Partnership with goods and services (everything other than the products that we sell) that meet our requirements and represent good value for money. This enables our money to be well spent and provides Partners with the tools they need to do their job more easily and efficiently.

PersonnelPersonnel leads, supports and drives the Partnership’s ambitions for stronger growthm financial sustainability and better jobs for better performing Partners on better pay. It oversees the training and development opportunities for Partners and is the division that oversees the system holding every Partner’s personal information that relates to their job. They ensure we hold accurate information on all Partners in a confidential way, and deal with all related Partner queries. They are also the first point of contact for Partners on matters of employment policy and provide a telephone helpline for Partners who have questions about employment issues.

ITThe IT teams maintain a crucial link between our divisions, providing effective operational, development and infrastructure services to Partners in branches and head offices.


GroupGroup officesPartnership House, London


Scan this QR code using a smartphone to visit welcometothepartnership.co.uk

The password is brownsea

welcometothepartnership.co.uk

Access a mobile website dedicated to new PartnersIf you use a smartphone or tablet, you can access our dedicated ‘new starter’ mobile website whenever and wherever you like*. It gives you access to a wide range of information you will need to know before you join on your first day. It also includes the same checklist that you can see on the next page in a handy mobile format.

What is on the mobile site?Bookmark our mobile site so you have it to hand during your first few months in the business.

The site includes: � A copy of this book � The Partner Handbook � Videos � Checklists � Business Dress information � A shop locator � Links to other useful sites

Essential information at your fingertips

At the John Lewis Partnership, we take enormous pride in the way we present ourselves to our customers. This applies to everything from the look and layout of our shops, to the way we speak and behave and the way we dress.

Our customers often comment on how the smart appearance of our Partners sets us apart from our competitors. So you won’t be surprised to learn that Partners are expected to look smart, groomed and professional at all times, wherever they work.

The Partnership provides a uniform for many Partners - we call it ‘business dress’. You’ll wear business dress if you work in our shops, particularly if you are serving customers or working behind the scenes.

WaitroseIf you are a Partner who must wear business dress, the Personnel team

will contact you before your first day to discuss what you need to wear and they will also order it for you.

John LewisIf you are a Partner who requires business dress there is an online catalogue for you to browse. You can access it from the Partner Connect site (see page 11 for details on how to access this website).

You can search through the various options available to you depending on the type of role you are doing and order items from selected clothing ranges at subsidised prices.

If you are not able to order business dress before you start your new job, please arrive on your first day in smart black/dark grey business wear (skirt or trousers) with a shirt or smart unpatterned top that is black or white. Please wear plain, polished shoes.

Take a look at the outfit combinations that you see on the business dress website - it’s a good guide to get an idea of what is, and isn’t suitable to wear. After your first day, your manager can discuss with you what options are available and what is acceptable. They can also help you order any business dress you need.

OfficesOur offices in London and Bracknell and on the Leckford farm estate simply require you to look well-presented, so we recommend that you wear smart clothes on your first day, and you can discuss local dress rules with your manager.

Other workplacesBusiness dress is also worn in our contact centres, distribution centres, holiday centres, and at Leckford estate. Your offer email or letter should give you more information about how to order the required business dress.

A guide toBusiness dress

* access to wi-fi or a 3G networkis required to access this site


Space for yourpersonal notes


Before your first daya simple journey to follow...

Space for yourpersonal notes

When you start you’ll be shown a 90 day journey that outlines what you’ll need to cover in your first 3 months. The list below shows everything that you need to complete to help you plan for your first day.

Complete the PartnerLink activity in your personal work queue.

Complete the eLearning assigned to you in PartnerLink.

Read and understand the John Lewis Partnership Handbook in PartnerLink.

Visit a Waitrose or John Lewis branch to get a feel of a customer’s experience.

Become familiar with the required standards of dress.

Make a note of any existing holiday arrangements you have.

Make sure you have completed the online ‘Health Questionnaire’. You will have received the link in your offer e-mail.

Make a note of any existing holiday arrangements you have.

Ensure you have provided the necessary information for any security checks requested e.g. references. You will have received details of what is required following your offer.

Ensure the ‘Right to Work’ documentation has been provided. You will have received details with your offer.

Read the ‘Welcome Pack’ information.

Read the Earning Membership overview document.

BEFORE DAY 1

20180109 - Induction - Welcome to our Partnership© The John Lewis Partnership 2018. All rights reserved. No part of these materials may be copied, displayed, distributed or transmitted in any media except with the written permission of The John Lewis Partnership.

Documents

Welcome to our Partnership...2018/01/09 · Silk Room, John Lewis circa 1900s Welcome to the Partnership 4 The Partnership exists today because of the extraordinary vision and ideals